New Delhi: Kaju katli emerged as India’s most-ordered sweet during the 2026 Diwali celebrations, while masala dosa and paneer butter masala featured among the most popular dishes on Swiggy. The food delivery platform recorded a 10.7% increase in orders during the festive period, highlighting the growing role of online food services in household celebrations.

The figures cover the three-day Diwali period from November 6 to 8, 2026, compared with the corresponding festive period in October 2025. Swiggy processed an average of 97,545 food orders every hour during the celebrations, reflecting demand for both traditional festive treats and everyday meals.

The data also showed that food-related celebrations were not limited to home deliveries. Restaurant reservations through Swiggy’s Dineout platform increased during the festival, indicating that many customers also chose to celebrate by dining out.

Kaju katli leads the list of favourite sweets

Kaju katli topped Swiggy’s list of most-ordered sweets during the festive period. It was followed by motichoor ladoo, rasgulla and gulab jamun.

The popularity of kaju katli was particularly strong in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Hyderabad, where it led sweet orders. The results underline the continued appeal of traditional Indian mithai during one of the country’s biggest festivals.

While kaju katli dominated the sweet category, masala dosa and paneer butter masala were also among the most-ordered dishes across the country. The combination reflects the mix of festive indulgence and familiar meals that customers continued to order during the celebrations.

Regional food preferences also featured in the platform’s data. Appam and samosa appeared among the top 10 popular dishes in emerging markets, showing that demand extended beyond the most widely recognised festive favourites.

The figures, however, represent orders placed through Swiggy and should not be treated as a comprehensive ranking of food consumption across India.

Large sweet orders reflect festive demand

The platform also reported some sizeable individual orders during the Diwali period, particularly for assorted sweets and gift hampers.

In Hyderabad, a customer placed an order worth Rs 41,895 for 57 packets of assorted sweets on November 6. The order was among the largest individual food orders reported during the celebrations.

In Mumbai, another customer placed an order worth Rs 41,772 for seven assorted sweet hampers on Diwali, November 8.

These purchases illustrate how online food delivery platforms are being used not only for individual meals but also for festive gifting and larger family celebrations.

The orders also point to the role of convenience in festive shopping, allowing customers to arrange sweets and hampers through delivery services instead of relying entirely on traditional retail purchases.

Restaurant reservations rise during Diwali

The festive increase extended to restaurant dining. Swiggy’s Dineout platform recorded a 7.4% year-on-year rise in reservations on Diwali eve, November 7. Bookings on Diwali day, November 8, increased by 38.5% compared with the previous year’s corresponding day.

Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai were among the leading metropolitan markets for restaurant reservations. Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Chandigarh also recorded strong booking activity among emerging markets.

The platform reported a restaurant bill worth Rs 1.34 lakh in Mumbai on November 6, among the largest dining bills recorded during the period. Group bookings for 30 people each were also reported in Surat and Ahmedabad.

The increase in reservations suggests that restaurants remained an important part of festive celebrations, alongside meals and sweets ordered for consumption at home.

Food delivery and dining out both gain momentum

The Diwali figures point to growth across two important parts of the food services market: home delivery and restaurant dining.

Food delivery orders increased by 10.7% during the three-day festive period, while Dineout reservations recorded particularly strong growth on Diwali itself. Customers used online platforms for everyday dishes, traditional sweets, large family orders and restaurant bookings.

For food delivery businesses and restaurants, festivals offer an opportunity to reach customers celebrating at home as well as those organising meals outside.

The Swiggy data also offers a snapshot of how traditional food preferences continue to shape festive demand even as digital ordering becomes more common. Kaju katli’s position at the top of the sweet category, alongside popular dishes such as masala dosa and paneer butter masala, reflects the range of food choices during the celebrations.

With nearly one lakh food orders processed every hour on average during the period, the platform’s figures underline the scale of festive activity taking place through online food services. The increase in restaurant reservations further indicates that Diwali celebrations are contributing to demand across both delivery and dining-out businesses.