This is South Africa's favourite takeaway food
One takeaway food also surpasses burgers as the second favourite in SA.
Martin Bester asked listeners if they could guess which takeaway food was the most popular in South Africa, and this is what they said.
Chicken remains the undisputed champion when it comes to South Africans' choice of takeaway foods.
This includes so-called shisanyama corners and drive-through restaurants.
There is, however, a new runner-up.
According to fresh data from consumer analytics firm Eighty20, pizza has officially climbed the ladder to become the country’s second most popular fast-food choice.
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Using 2025/2026 MAPS consumer data, the report shows that pizza is now outperforming burgers and even multi-category giants like Spur.
While chicken chains still hold the lead, pizza’s rise is fuelled by its consistent presence in the top five rankings across the board.
According to News24, the numbers back the popularity. Famous Brands, which owns Debonairs Pizza, saw its revenue climb to R8.28 billion in 2025 from R8.02 billion, with operating profits jumping by 12.6%.
Who is ordering?
To get a better look at who exactly is buying all these slices, Eighty20 used its National Segmentation (ENS) tool to profile South Africans across 1,000 different variables, from income to lifestyle.
Their findings show that the “Heavy Hitters”, the wealthiest 5% of households, enjoy a wide range of food categories.
However, the “Middle Class Workers” segment, made up of about four million employed professionals, views pizza as the ultimate “reward” meal for young couples and families.
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"Chicken’s dominance reflects affordability and culture, but pizza’s second place comes from its widespread availability at various prices," says Andrew Fulton, director at Eighty20.
He adds: “Its versatility for sharing makes it particularly appealing to family-oriented segments.”
The freezer factor
Research from Deep Market Insights suggests the grocery aisle is just as important.
Hannah Blake, a data analyst focusing on food affordability, notes that convenience is steering growth in supermarkets just as much as in quick-service restaurants.
In Blake’s 2024 study, the South African pizza market was valued at $1.89 billion, with the data highlighting that frozen pizza actually claims the largest share of the market by product type.
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