China Food Delivery in 2025
China's food delivery market is the world's largest and most technologically advanced on-demand delivery ecosystem. Meituan and Ele.me (Alibaba) collectively serve over 700 million users, processing billions of orders annually. In 2025, the market has evolved beyond restaurant meals to encompass instant grocery delivery, pharmacy, flowers, electronics, and virtually any retail category. Meituan's on-demand retail segment has surpassed its core food delivery business in order volume. Drone delivery has moved from pilot programs to commercial operations in select cities. Autonomous delivery robots are commonplace in office complexes and university campuses. This report examines the competitive dynamics, technology innovations, and market trends shaping China's food delivery and on-demand economy.
TL;DR
China's food delivery market exceeded 1.5 trillion RMB. Meituan processed over 20 billion annual orders. Instant retail delivery grew 35 percent to 500 billion RMB. Drone delivery operated in 15 cities. Autonomous delivery robots served 500,000 daily orders.
Key Insights
Food Delivery Market Size
China's food delivery market reached 1.5 trillion RMB ($206 billion) in 2024, processed through Meituan and Ele.me, with restaurant meal delivery accounting for 60 percent and instant grocery delivery making up the remaining 40 percent.
Meituan Order Volume
Meituan processed over 20 billion annual delivery orders across food, groceries, pharmacy, and retail, maintaining its position as China's dominant local services platform with 30-minute average delivery times in major cities.
Instant Retail Growth
Instant retail delivery (non-food items delivered within 30-60 minutes) grew 35 percent to 500 billion RMB, driven by consumer expectations shaped by food delivery speeds expanding to electronics, cosmetics, and household goods.
Drone Delivery Cities
Commercial drone delivery operations expanded to 15 Chinese cities, with Meituan and Ele.me drones completing over 500,000 deliveries monthly for short-range, high-frequency routes in dense urban areas.
Autonomous Delivery Robots
Autonomous delivery robots operating in office buildings, university campuses, and residential complexes completed 500,000 daily deliveries, reducing last-mile costs by 40 percent compared to human couriers for indoor and short-distance routes.
Ele.me Integration
Ele.me deepened integration with Alibaba's ecosystem, leveraging Taobao traffic, Cainiao logistics, and Fliggy travel data to reduce customer acquisition costs by 25 percent while improving delivery speed through route optimization.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Platform | Monthly Active Users | Annual Orders | Avg Delivery Time | Revenue (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meituan | 500M+ | 20B+ | 25 minutes | 280B RMB |
| Ele.me (Alibaba) | 300M+ | 8B+ | 30 minutes | 90B RMB |
| Douyin Local Services | 400M+ viewers | 3B+ (growing) | 30-45 minutes | 30B RMB |
| Pinduoduo (Temu) | Int'l focused | N/A | Variable | Separate segment |
| Fliggy (Alibaba Travel) | 100M+ | Local services | N/A | Part of Alibaba |
Frequently Asked Questions
Meituan's dominance comes from its super-app strategy combining food delivery, hotel booking, movie tickets, bike sharing, and community group buying. Its 7 million+ restaurant network, 5 million+ delivery riders, proprietary dispatch algorithm, and extensive geographic coverage (3,000+ cities) create a moat difficult for competitors to match. Meituan also invests heavily in drone delivery, autonomous vehicles, and supply chain technology.
China's drone delivery involves autonomous quadcopter drones carrying payloads of 2-5kg over distances of 1-5km from landing pads at restaurants or distribution centers to designated drop-off points. Meituan's drones complete deliveries in 10-15 minutes versus 25-30 minutes for ground delivery. The system is monitored by remote operators who can intervene if needed. Regulatory approval from CAAC has enabled expansion to 15 cities with commercial permits.
Instant retail refers to the delivery of non-restaurant items (groceries, electronics, medicine, flowers, cosmetics) within 30-60 minutes from nearby retail stores. Platforms like Meituan and Ele.me partner with supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies to enable this service. The segment grew 35 percent to 500 billion RMB in 2024 as consumers increasingly expect 'everything deliverable' with food delivery speed.