Protein orders rise 44% as UK office workers shift lunchtime habits
American cuisine took the largest share of orders.
Orders containing "protein" or "high protein" rose 44% in the first half of 2026, according to a half-year trends report published by Just Eat for Business on 26 August.
The office food delivery marketplace said the increase reflected demand for lunches offering nutritional benefits alongside convenience.
Dietary-friendly options also featured heavily. Vegetarian items accounted for 51% of all items ordered and vegan items a further 29%, while gluten-free items made up 30% of orders.
American cuisine took the largest share of orders at 20% and grew 62% year-on-year, the strongest performance among established cuisines in the period. Japanese cuisine followed at 19% and Italian at 16%, with Mexican and Vietnamese completing the top five. Brazilian and Eastern European cuisines recorded the biggest increases, while Scandinavian cuisine grew 19%.
Miso was amongst the fastest-growing individual trends, with orders up 22% between January and June.
Ice-cream orders rose 57% in June against the monthly average as temperatures climbed.
Midweek ordering continued to dominate, with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday accounting for 72% of total orders. Thursday was busiest at 25%, followed by Wednesday at 24% and Tuesday at 23%.
Food-led occasions lifted volumes at several points in the half. Valentine's Day week saw orders rise 12% against the weekly average, St Patrick's Day week 10%, and British Sandwich Week 7%.
Across London's business districts, Fenchurch Street in EC3M was the busiest office postcode. Shoreditch in EC2A led for poke, St James' in SW1Y for salads, Fitzrovia in W1T for burgers and Southwark in SE1 for pizza.
