Idlis, a traditional South Indian breakfast dish made with fermented rice and urad dal batter, have become a popular breakfast option across India in recent years. Swiggy, one of India’s largest online food ordering and delivery platforms, released a report in March 2023 stating that it had delivered 33 million plates of idlis in the previous year.
According to the report, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai are the top three cities where idlis are ordered the most, followed by other cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Pune, Vizag, and Kolkata.
The report also highlights an interesting fact that a single Swiggy user from Hyderabad ordered 8,428 plates of idlis worth INR 6 lakh between March 2022 and March 2023, which is a staggering amount.
The order was placed for friends and family while traveling across cities like Bengaluru and Chennai. This shows the love and affection that people have for idlis, and how it has become a staple breakfast option across India.
The report also states that the most popular time to order idlis is between 8 am to 10 am, which is typically the breakfast time in India. The most popular variant of idlis ordered for breakfast is plain idli, followed by rava idli, ghee/neyi karam podi idli, thatte idli, and mini idli across cities. Masala dosa is the only breakfast item that is more popular than idlis, as per the report.
Furthermore, consumers also order sambar, coconut chutney, karampuri, medu vada, tea, and coffee along with idlis, reveals the report. This shows that idlis are not only a standalone dish but also a part of a larger breakfast spread.
The report highlights the popularity of idlis as a breakfast item in India, and how it has become an integral part of the Indian breakfast culture.