Food delivery drivers amongst the fastest-growing jobs in Australia

Foodservice occupation roles went up 16% from 2014 to 2024.

Demand for delivery drivers nearly doubled over the past decade, increasing by 99.5% from 2014 to 86,800 in 2024, according to a report by KPMG.

The report said this growth reflects a broader shift in consumer behaviour, with more Australians opting for takeaway meals and online food orders.

In contrast, traditional in-house dining roles have seen slower growth. Whilst food service occupations like baristas and bartenders grew by 35.7%, the number of waiters declined by 3.7% over the same period.

The number of Café & Restaurant Managers grew by 7.4% in the last decade, whilst Café Workers went up 83.7%. Meanwhile, Licensed Club Managers fell by 1.6%.

On the food preparation side, Chefs and fast-food cooks are the most in demand, at 46.9% and 39.7%, respectively. Kitchenhands also grew by 23.2%.

Cooks and food trade assistants fell by 12.4% and -7.8%, respectively.

KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation in 2024 by combining tax returns data from The Australian Tax Office, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.