Data: How Are Malaysians Getting Their Daily Meals During The RMCO Period?

Consumer Behaviours during the RMCO period

• Many Malaysians are still cooking at home while some say they eat home cooked food often but still pack food from restaurants on some days.
• Majority (85%) of Malaysians are still cooking at home since the RMCO period started. Only 12% are eating out.
• 63% Malaysians cook at home 5 or more times a week, 49% order in 1-2 times a week, and 19% pack food from restaurants 3-4 times a week.
• Malaysians who have been eating out, ordering in and packing food from restaurants have spent less than RM20 on individual meals before the MCO period (42%) and during the MCO period (39%). During this current RMCO period, 36% say they spend less than RM20 on individual meals while 29% say they spend between RM20-RM30.
• 45% Malaysians say they purchase local food brand items only, while 53% purchase food brands of a mix of international/global and local brands.
• Since the RMCO period started, Malaysians are mostly shopping on both Online and Offline mediums (58%), while only 12% are shopping Online.

Cooking At Home

• Those who practice cooking at home are mostly cooking elaborate meals which require longer preparation time (72%), easy to cook meals / 15 min prep meals (47%), and instant meals such as instant noodles or can food (30%).
• Those who have been cooking at home during this RMCO period are largely using home appliances such as a rice cooker (84%), microwave (33%), instant pot/electric pot (28%), food steamer (27%), and baking oven (27%).
• 30% who have been cooking at home say they spent RM100-RM200 on groceries before the MCO period, whereas during the MCO, 33% say they spent more than RM300, and during the RMCO period 28% say they spend RM200-RM300.

Packing Food

• When packing food from restaurants during this RMCO period, Malaysians are practicing only packing from stalls they are familiar with (69%), only packing from fast food restaurants (33%), and only packing from restaurants where all staff are wearing gloves and masks (33%).

Ordering In

• 20% of those who have been ordering food in during the RMCO period say they are only slightly concerned about hygiene.
• 78% of Malaysians say they are regular users of food delivery services. They make orders at least once every week.
• Majority (98%) of regular food delivery users have been using the service since the RMCO period started.
• Those who have been using food delivery services during this RMCO period are opting for cashless deliveries (65%), ordering from restaurants they are familiar with only (51%), and always opting for contactless deliveries (45%).

Eating Out

• Only 3% say they are not at all concerned about hygiene when eating out, while 28% are only slightly concerned.
• During the RMCO period, majority Malaysians express that they prefer dining in open air restaurants and not air-conditioned as the air ventilation is smoother. Some also say that since most restaurants are adhering to the current SOPs, they do not mind dining anywhere.
• 74% of those who have been eating out during the RMCO period say their dining habits have changed as compared to before the pandemic.
• Those who are eating out largely practice sanitising before and after meals and before leaving the restaurant (61%), sharing tables with a maximum of 2-3 people only (40%), and, only dining in restaurants they have previously dined in (39%).
• Those who have been avoiding eating out say it is because they are not comfortable being in crowded places (45%), they are still afraid to be outdoors (32%) and, are now more concerned about the hygiene levels at restaurants (29%).