Israelis Flock to Pizza and Burgers After Yom Kippur Fast Ends

Following the conclusion of the Yom Kippur fast, Israelis rapidly turned to food delivery services, with pizza and burgers emerging as the most popular choices. Within hours of the fast ending, thousands of orders flooded in across the country, indicating a significant surge in demand compared to previous years.

Papa John's reported over 3,000 orders in the initial hours after the fast, a nearly 35% increase from the previous year's post-Yom Kippur evening. Delivery services saw an even sharper rise of approximately 44% year-over-year. The peak ordering period occurred between 9 PM and 10 PM, with nearly 1,000 orders placed within a single hour. Around 80% of all orders for the evening were received between 8 PM and 11 PM, the first three hours after the fast concluded. The chain bolstered its staff and delivery personnel to manage the concentrated influx.

Burger Station also experienced a substantial jump in demand, noting that the evening after Yom Kippur is one of the busiest of the year for burger and delivery services. They received about 2,700 orders, a 35% increase from last year, with deliveries forming the bulk of their business. Similar to Papa John's, their peak hour saw around 650 orders, and approximately 75% of orders came in during the first three hours post-fast.

The delivery platform Mishloha noted that alongside pizza and burgers, shawarma, noodles, ice cream, and family meals were also frequently ordered. This suggests a preference for familiar, filling, and quickly prepared or delivered foods after a prolonged period without eating. Mishloha's data from the past three years shows a consistent pattern of concentrated ordering immediately after the fast, with order volume nearly doubling in the first 60 to 75 minutes compared to a typical evening.

The average order value on Mishloha was also higher, ranging from approximately 163.5 to 163.8 shekels, about 3% to 8% more than on regular evenings. The platform observed that orders often included more dishes and family meals, aligning with families and diners returning to eat together after the fast. The intense demand was concentrated within a short timeframe, with order volume returning to normal levels about three hours after the fast ended, placing significant pressure on restaurants, kitchens, and delivery drivers.