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Ordering Food Online? You May Be A Part Of A Megatrend

Ordering dinner through an app feels like a simple, everyday decision. A few taps, and your meal is on its way. But that small action reflects much bigger forces shaping how people live, work, and spend. Urban growth, digital payments, and platform technology all come together in that one food delivery.

Table of contents

Everyday choices, bigger forces

When more people move into cities, they often face longer commutes, smaller kitchens, and tighter schedules. Add to that the ease of smartphones and online payments, and it’s no surprise that on-demand food has become so common. These aren’t random shifts—they connect to broader global patterns.

This is where the idea of megatrends comes in. Megatrends are large, structural shifts—like digitalisation or urbanisation—that unfold over decades and could reshape economies and societies. Policymakers, researchers, and investors track them because they may influence consumption patterns, industries, and financial markets for the long term.

Read Also: What Is a Megatrend & Why It Matters for Investors

The megatrends behind your meal

The simple act of ordering takeout links to several established megatrends:

  • Urbanisation. The UN projects that about 68% of the world’s population could live in cities by 2050, making urban lifestyles and time-saving services even more relevant.
  • Digital connectivity. By 2024, about 5.5 billion people (roughly 68% of the world) were online, according to the UN’s International Telecommunication Union or ITU. That connectivity enables platforms to reach billions of customers instantly.
  • Digital payments. The World Bank notes that by 2021, two-thirds of adults worldwide had made or received a digital payment—removing barriers to transacting with restaurants and apps.
  • Platform economics. A McKinsey study highlighted that the global online food delivery market had more than tripled between 2017 and 2021, surpassing $150 billion. While growth rates change, the structural rise of app-based ordering has been unmistakable.

Each of these megatrends works in the background, nudging consumer behaviour in ways that may last.

Read Also: Megatrends in Investing: AI, Climate & Clean Energy

What this could mean for investors

For investors, the significance of megatrends is that they may create long-term demand across an entire value chain—not just food delivery apps. If the trend continues, possible beneficiaries could include:

  • Restaurants and cloud kitchens designed for online orders.
  • Logistics and last-mile networks.
  • Payment platforms and fintech firms.
  • Packaging and cold-chain suppliers.

That said, not every company exposed to a megatrend will succeed. Competition, regulation, and consumer habits might change the outlook, and valuations may already reflect high expectations.

The role of mutual funds

Because it’s hard to pick individual stocks that may potentially grow over time, investors may consider mutual funds for systematic exposure to such themes. A diversified fund may spread investments across sectors benefiting from digitalisation, urban lifestyles, and payments, while a thematic fund might focus more directly on technology or consumer platforms.

The big picture

That takeaway box isn’t just dinner. It’s a window into megatrends shaping daily life: cities growing, more people online, digital money moving seamlessly, and platforms connecting it all. These shifts may continue to influence industries and investment opportunities in the years ahead.

Note: References to any industry/sector are provided for illustrative purposes only. This should not be construed as a research report or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or sector.

At Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Ltd, we aim to harness the power of megatrends by offering investors access to themes shaping the world’s future — from clean energy to technology, innovation, demographic shifts and more. Many of our funds follow a megatrends investment approach to help you participate in these long-term shifts, with a focus on growth potential and diversification. Build your future-focussed portfolio with Bajaj Finserv AMC.

Shubham Pathak

Bajaj Finserv Small Cap Fund

Give your portfolio the 3-in-1 advantage with the Bajaj Finserv Small Cap Fund. Built on three approaches—Quality, Growth and Value—it focuses on fundamentally sound businesses with long-term scalability, available at reasonable valuations. Backed by a disciplined risk management framework, it aims to navigate volatility while tapping small-cap opportunities. To read more about Bajaj Finserv Small Cap Fund and for statutory details, click here.

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Disclaimer

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully. This document should not be treated as endorsement of the views/opinions or as investment advice. This document should not be construed as a research report or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. This document is for information purpose only and should not be construed as a promise on minimum returns or safeguard of capital. This document alone is not sufficient and should not be used for the development or implementation of an investment strategy. The recipient should note and understand that the information provided above may not contain all the material aspects relevant for making an investment decision. Investors are advised to consult their own investment advisor before making any investment decision in light of their risk appetite, investment goals and horizon. This information is subject to change without any prior notice. The content herein has been prepared on the basis of publicly available information believed to be reliable. However, Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Ltd. does not guarantee the accuracy of such information, assure its completeness or warrant such information will not be changed. The tax information (if any) in this article is based on prevailing laws at the time of publishing the article and is subject to change. Please consult a tax professional or refer to the latest regulations for up-to-date information.

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Alpha (a) is a term used in investing to describe an investment strategy’s ability to beat the market.


Alpha is thus also often referred to as excess return or the abnormal rate of return in relation to a benchmark, when adjusted for risk. Essentially, it means doing better than the crowd without taking disproportionate risk.

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Collecting superior information

Analysts and portfolio managers strive to collect superior information about the business and the management of the company. They try to generate superior earnings forecast and the balance strength of the company and the industry, thereby trying to 'beat the market' on information edge. This is an important source of alpha for an investor. However, over the years, retaining the information edge has become more difficult and expensive. With a whole lot of investors trying to collect superior information, how can an investor be sure to continuously have accurate and material information about the companies, ahead of others, all the time?

Quantitative Edge

Processing information better

Even if you don't have material information earlier than the crowd, you can still generate better outcomes if you are able to process this information better. Investors develop models and algorithms with enhanced predictive powers to forecast the next move. Fund managers who invest based on some pure formal analytical models are quantitative managers. Here, the goal is to try and beat other investors based on the sophistication of procedures or analytics. The analytical edge can be quite useful until it gets copied by many, and then it may stop generating superior returns.

Behavioural Edge

Exploiting behavioural biases

As the name suggests, this edge is achieved by superior behaviour in reacting to the inputs available to maximise alpha. Modern finance assumes people behave with extreme rationality. However, researchers in behavioural finance have shown that this is not true. Moreover, these deviations from rationality are often systematic. Behavioural managers try to exploit situations where securities are mispriced by the market because of behavioural factors. At Bajaj Finserv AMC, we endeavour to combine the best of these edges.