Grab, Thailand’s No.1 ride-hailing and food delivery platform, has unveiled its “Highlights of the Year 2025”, showcasing key trends and insights across on-demand mobility and food delivery in Thailand. This year, the Ganesha Shrine at Huai Khwang emerged as the fastest-growing hotspot with ride bookings surging 678%. Chinese tourists continued to be the largest international user group, particularly during Golden Week, with usage increasing by almost 50%. Nakhon Nayok stood out as the rising secondary city, while the BLACKPINK concert weekend drove ride bookings to Rajamangala Stadium up by 5 times.

On the food delivery front, Som Tum remained the top-selling dish with more than 16 million orders this year. Meanwhile, iced tea overtook last year’s champion, iced Americano, with over 11 million cups sold—boosted by Lisa’s global viral influence. The breakout items of the year included Shio Pan, Kyoho Grape Tea, and hand rolls, all of which surged in popularity across the platform.

Ride-Hailing:

• Ride-hailing demand continued to grow among both Thai and international users. Airports, bus terminals, and shopping malls remained the top three most-visited destinations, with CentralWorld ranking first, followed by MBK Center, Icon Siam and Siam Paragon. Besides, The Grand Palace, Khaosan Road, and Chinatown (Yaowarat) were the most popular attractions. The Ganesha Shrine at Huai Khwang emerged as the year’s hottest hotspot, with bookings soaring 678%, driven by Thai worshippers and international visitors seeking blessings for success.

• Despite a slowdown in the tourism sector, ride-hailing remained a preferred option for travelers. The top five international user groups came from China, the United States, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. During China’s Golden Week (During October 1 – 7, 2025), demand from Chinese tourists rose almost 50% compared to the normal period. Georgian tourists were the fastest-growing segment, with bookings increasing tenfold.

• Secondary cities continued to see strong growth, boosted by government tourism campaigns such as “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (or We Travel Together) and the “Tiew Dee Mee Kuen” tax rebate program. The top five secondary provinces were Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok, and Nakhon Sawan, while Nakhon Nayok stood out with ninefold growth in bookings due to its proximity to Bangkok and popular attractions such as Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam, Nang Rong Waterfall, Wang Takhrai Park, and the Red Lotus fields.

• Cultural festivals and major events remained the significant demand drivers. Loy Krathong recorded the highest ride-hailing spike, particularly Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng celebrations, which saw usage rise 44%, followed by the Songkran festival. Concerts also contributed to demand surges, with the BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR <DEADLINE> IN BANGKOK (October 24 – 26, 2025) driving rides to Rajamangala Stadium to nearly five times the normal period.

• Following their full launch, the affordable options—GrabCar SAVER and GrabBike SAVER services—saw robust adoption, with usage growing 289%, reflecting consumers’ preference for value-driven options. Advance Booking grew more than 50%, largely for airport rides. Eco-friendly Grab EV Rides, which prioritize matching users with electric vehicles, grew 58%.

Food Delivery:

• “Som Tum” remained Thailand’s best-selling menu with over 16 million dishes ordered this year—led by Som Tum Pu Pla Ra (green papaya salad with fermented fish sauce). “Hainanese chicken rice” followed with more than 1.5 million orders, boosted by the popularity triggered by the anime Mobile Suit Gundam GQUUUUUUX, while “Laab Moo” (or Spicy Minced Pork Salad) ranked close behind with over 1 million orders.

• In beverages, iced tea (including Thai tea and bubble tea) overtook last year’s top drink, iced Americano, with over 11 million cups ordered—driven by Lisa’s global collaboration with Erawhon, Thai Up the World by Lisa. Matcha green tea ranked second with 9 million cups, fueled by the year-long “matcha shortage” trend. Americano moved to third place with 8 million cups.

• In the rising categories, Shio Pan—Japan’s viral salt bread that first trended in Korea—became the year’s hottest bakery item with sales increasing 36 times. The most trending drink was the Kyoho Grape Cream Cheese Frappe, which surged 17 times. Hand rolls emerged as the breakout food trend of the year, offering an affordable “omakase-style” experience with orders growing by more than 300%.

• Brand collaborations continued to play a major role in food trends. The year’s best-selling collaboration was the “Proudly, Made in Thailand” project, where egg tart specialty brand YOLK partnered with four Thai brands namely Ohkajhu, Song Wat Coffee Roasters, Kaew Boutique, and Jian Cha to launch four limited-edition flavors, helping drive a 48% increase in daily sales.

• Beyond delivery, dining-out activity increased significantly, with users purchasing discounted deals and making reservations via the Grab app for gatherings and special occasions. Buffets, BBQ/grill restaurants, and Japanese restaurants were the most popular restaurant types. Kanori Hand Roll Bar, Thailand’s pioneer in Japanese-style hand rolls, was the fastest-rising restaurant with growth increasing fivefold over the past three months.

• The “Khon La Khrueng Plus” subsidy programme became one of this year’s most influential drivers, boosting sales for food merchants both in-store and via delivery. Users most frequently applied the subsidy for lunch orders, averaging 80–120 THB per order. Bangkok saw the highest usage nationwide, and the top-performing restaurant was Siam Kaprao Cafe (Grand Bantadthong), which achieved sales 14 times higher than usual.