Contributions of Factors that Influence Consumer Purchase Intention in Online Food Delivery Apps: Bibliometric Study ()
1. Introduction
The title, “Contributions of Elements that Influence Customer Purchase Intention in Online Food Delivery Apps”, was chosen in order to understand the elements that influence customer purchase intention when making an online purchase. As technology has advanced in the digital age, electronic activities have been developed to streamline traditional activities. Technology has been utilized by the food industry to expand its operations and reach its target consumers. Due to this, the food industry now engages in electronic activities and has shifted to an e-food model in order to reach its target market. Customers can save time by using online food buying apps like Grabfood and Foodpanda, for instance, as they eliminate the need to travel and visit physical stores. Therefore, the variables of time-saving orientation, pricing service orientation, social impact, e-service quality, e-trust, and e-security that influence customer purchase intention when utilizing online meal delivery applications have been influenced by the rise of technology with electronic activities. According to most of the early staging research, social influence, price service orientation, time-saving orientation, e-service quality, e-trust, and e-security in online food delivery applications are all factors that influence consumers’ intentions to make a purchase (Siddiqi et al., 2024; Jingzu et al., 2024; Zaheer et al., 2024; Jun et al., 2021).
Regarding market trends, the topic of the study, “contributions of elements That Influence customer Purchase Intention in Online Food Delivery Apps,” is quite pertinent. Businesses can now engage in e-business activities like e-food thanks to the introduction of e-services brought about by technology’s participation in business. Because it uses applications to arrange meal delivery services, this e-food company has made online food shopping easier. For instance, because it is user-friendly and suitable for digital users, an e-food app can quickly become popular among those who buy food online. The food sector has seen tremendous change as a result of the integration of technology into corporate processes, particularly in the area of e-food services. Because technology has made use of the ordering process by providing customers with efficiency and convenience, digital platforms have reduced the amount of time it takes to place an online food order. Acumen Research and Consulting (2025) estimates that Malaysia’s online meal delivery market will develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5% from its 2023 valuation of USD 2.7 billion to USD 6.1 billion by 2032. Customers’ needs will be satisfied by the use of technology in the expanding online meal delivery sector, which offers a wide variety of food options and order tracking. Conversely, user-friendly systems and these online applications’ usability are crucial in influencing users’ acceptance of the systems and applications. The design and user systems of food delivery applications have a substantial impact on customer satisfaction and usage frequency, according to a study by Jadhav et al. (2023) that focused on consumer behavior in India. According to the study, elements like restaurant improvements have a good impact on customer satisfaction, whereas food packaging quality has no discernible impact. Unconsidered web application design was found to be crucial for drawing in and keeping users.
Reaching customer loyalty presents risks and obstacles for businesses. In order to attract demand clients and cultivate a devoted clientele, the firm must offer the appropriate service at the appropriate cost. For example, in order to draw customers, e-food companies need to promote price advantages like lower delivery costs. According to Liu et al. (2023), convenience, aesthetic appeal, online reviews, and a wide range of food alternatives all have a significant impact on the perceived benefits that affect customer happiness and loyalty. Marketing campaigns, price policies, and service quality are some of the most important elements affecting customer loyalty. Furthermore, according to Rombach et al.’s (2023) research, client loyalty and happiness are significantly influenced by the caliber of the food and E-service. Rombach et al.’s (2023) study, which examined online meal delivery services in nations such as Indonesia, Taiwan, and New Zealand, discovered that food quality affected customer happiness and loyalty, while E-service affected perceived value characteristics. This link highlights the significance of reliable and high-quality offerings and is mediated by trust in the service provider.
Nevertheless, this lower price may result in lower order profit and lower corporate profit risks. Cross-training employees to deliver and apply artificial intelligence in corporate operations can help overcome this. Advanced technology has brought robots to the food industry to deliver a quality of service that consumers can assess (Song et al., 2023). Because clients have high expectations for price reductions and sales, loyalty becomes difficult for e-food service businesses in Malaysia. In order to retain their devoted clientele, the e-food industry must overcome this obstacle. Finding the elements influencing a buyer’s decision to use online meal delivery apps is the main goal of the study on factors influencing consumer purchase intention. This study examined how Shah Alam users’ purchase intentions affected their decision to utilize the E-food delivery app. This study’s objective is to specifically investigate how buyer intent to buy in online food delivery applications is influenced by time-saving orientation, price service orientation, social impact, E-service quality, E-trust, and E-security.
Apps for online meal delivery offer a brief summary of the fundamental components needed to use OFDA. Determine the elements that influence consumers’ intentions to acquire online food delivery applications: time-saving orientation, price service orientation, social influence, E-service quality, E-trust, attitude, and E-security. According to most of the early-stage research, social influence, price service orientation, time-saving orientation, E-service quality, E-trust, and E-security in online food delivery applications are all factors that influence consumers’ intentions to make a purchase (Siddiqi et al., 2024; Jingzu et al., 2024; Zaheer et al., 2024; Jun et al., 2021).
The work will answer various questions through bibliometric analysis. Search academic databases and research repositories to determine the total number of publications on the topic of online food delivery apps. Analyze the publication trend over time, breaking down the number of research papers published year by year. Identify and list the names of influential academic journals that frequently publish papers on online food delivery apps. Find reports or analyses on the geographical distribution of e-hailing research to determine which countries are the most prolific in publishing on this topic. Identify the most relevant and influential authors in the field of online food delivery apps, based on their publication volume and citation count. Find the titles of highly cited research papers, differentiating between papers with high global citation counts and those with high local citation counts. Find the title of the research paper that has been cited or referred to the maximum number of times. Analyze existing literature reviews and meta-analyses to determine the current and evolving thematic structure of e-hailing research. This study aimed to supplement previous findings by characterizing the patterns of publications on online food delivery apps using bibliometric analysis of the Scopus database. In addition to the most often referenced works, publishing trends, and co-occurrence of the author’s keywords, this study examined a variety of publications in terms of accessibility, language, subject matter, and source title. The rest of the paper will be organized in the following steps. The methodology for bibliometric analysis will be presented in part (2) and results in part (4), followed by results and conclusion in parts (4) and respectively.
2. Literature Review and Need for OFDA
The way restaurants operate and how customers obtain meals has been completely transformed by the introduction of online food delivery (OFD) software into the food industry. With ease, quickness, and a variety of dining options at the touch of a button, digital platforms like GrabFood, Foodpanda, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo have helped to close the gap between food service providers and customers. Smartphones, mobile internet connectivity, and the emergence of online food delivery (OFD) programs have all had an impact on how customers live their lives. According to the literature, a number of important factors impact customers’ intentions to acquire online food delivery apps (OFDAs), including time-saving orientation, price-service orientation, social influence, e-service quality, e-trust, and e-security. These structures show how customers assess perceived safety, dependability, cost-effectiveness, and convenience while using online meal ordering services. Beyond their conceptual significance, these factors are in line with the bibliometric trends found in the area, which show how OFDA research has changed over time in terms of both theme and intellectual development.
When considering online meal delivery applications, time-saving orientation plays a crucial role in influencing each user’s intention to make a purchase. High-quality service without the need for travel, quick service, and online payment allow users to save time while using online food purchasing apps. Therefore, when using online meal delivery services, time-saving orientation has a significant impact (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Karahan, 2025; Weiler, & Gilitwala 2024; Arli et al., 2024; Sugiharto et al., 2024; Ruslan et al., 2024; Jalis et al., 2023; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Yapp, & Kataraian 2022; David et al., 2021; Hooi et al., 2021; Hong et al., 2021; Tan et al., 2021; Teeban Raj et al., 2021; Muangmee et al., 2021). Time-saving orientation is a recurrent study issue that is closely linked to terms like convenience, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, according to bibliometric mapping. The dominance of these phrases across several clusters indicates the ongoing scholarly interest in how usability and convenience influence customer perceptions of OFDAs. Price service orientation plays a crucial role in influencing each person’s purchase intention when using online meal delivery applications, even within the limitations of these services. Pricing analysis, online food marketing, target spending, tax exemption, and cost reductions allow users to focus on pricing and service when using online food purchasing apps. Therefore, when using online meal delivery programs, price service orientation has a significant impact (Karahan, 2025; Weiler & Gilitwala, 2024; Arli et al., 2024; Teo et al., 2024; Sugiharto et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Yapp & Kataraian, 2022; David et al., 2021; Hong et al., 2021; Tan et al., 2021; Kaur et al., 2021; Rahim & Yunus, 2021). The increasing focus on perceived affordability and competitive pricing as essential elements of online buying behavior is also reflected in price-service orientation, which is in line with popular terms like price, service quality, and value proposition. Social influence plays a crucial role in determining a person’s propensity to use online meal delivery services. While other factors impact personal opinions, peer perspectives, social influence, and media facilitate social influence on users of online food purchasing apps. As a result, social influence greatly affects the use of online meal delivery services (Abed, 2024; Sugiharto et al., 2024; Rungruangjit & Charoenpornpanichkul, 2024; Hasan et al., 2024; Hong et al., 2023; Madinga et al., 2023; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Yapp & Kataraian, 2022; Pillai et al., 2022; Jun et al., 2021; Ariffin et al., 2021; Al Amin et al., 2021; Muangmee et al., 2021; Puriwat & Tripopsakul, 2021; Kaur et al., 2021). One of the main theme pillars highlighted in the investigation is social impact. Clusters dominated by terms like social media, peer influence, and consumer behavior are shown by co-occurrence and citation patterns, indicating that social validation and digital word-of-mouth have a major impact on OFDA uptake.
When using online meal delivery applications, E-service quality plays a crucial role in influencing each user’s intention to make a purchase. When a user uses online food purchasing applications, E-service quality is enabled by management quality, system performance issues, service except, service rating, customer satisfaction, and repeat business. Therefore, when it comes to online meal delivery apps, E-service quality has a big impact (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Teo et al., 2024; Nugraha et al., 2024; Johari et al., 2024; Ruslan et al., 2024; Chowdhury, 2023; Afridhianika et al., 2023; Louisa & Simbolon, 2023; Su et al., 2022; Hernando & Gunawan, 2021; Teeban Raj et al., 2021; Rahim & Yunus, 2021; Vijayan et al., 2020). E-security plays a crucial role in influencing each user’s inclination to make a purchase when using online meal delivery services. When using online food buying applications, users can be safe, secure, and risk-free thanks to electronic transfer payments. Therefore, when it comes to online meal delivery apps, e-security has a big impact (Zaheer et al., 2024; Rombach et al., 2023; Su et al., 2022; Teeban Raj et al., 2021; Puriwat & Tripopsakul, 2021; Varma et al., 2020). E-trust plays a crucial role in influencing a person’s intention to make a purchase when using online meal delivery services. The user’s trust in online food purchasing applications is facilitated by technological adoption, ease of use, meeting consumer expectations, repeat business, and competitiveness. Therefore, E-trust has a big impact when it comes to online meal delivery services (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Zaheer et al., 2024; Eaint, 2024; Abed, 2024; Hong et al., 2023; Louisa & Simbolon, 2023; Wang et al., 2022; Pillai et al., 2022; Jun et al., 2021; Hong et al., 2021; Muangmee et al., 2021; Varma et al., 2020; Nguyen et al., 2019). Furthermore, e-service quality and e-trust are regularly found in high-impact clusters associated with theoretical models such as SERVQUAL, TAM, and TPB, highlighting their importance in comprehending consumer satisfaction and acceptance. Service performance, the development of trust, and continuing app usage are strongly correlated, as evidenced by keywords like trust, technology adoption, and loyalty. In addition to this, e-security, which frequently overlaps with e-trust in co-citation and keyword networks, emerges as a critical variable influencing user confidence and perceived risk in digital transactions.
When identifying the variables that can impact the attitude variable, employ the following mediating variables: attitude, price-service orientation, social influence, E-service quality, E-trust, and time-saving orientation. Time-saving priority is the importance of attitude in time-saving orientation through online food delivery applications. Time savings have an impact on people’s attitudes and behavioral intentions when it comes to using online meal delivery services (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Sugiharto et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022). The advantage of price service is the significance of attitude in price service orientation through online meal delivery applications. Individual attitudes and behavioral intentions toward the adoption of online meal delivery applications are influenced by this price-service orientation (Sugiharto et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022). Individuals’ perceptions of social influence through online food delivery programs are influenced by their attitude. Individual attitudes and behavioral intentions regarding the adoption of online meal delivery services are influenced by this social influence (Sugiharto et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022). The efficacy and efficiency of online meal delivery applications are critical factors in determining the quality of e-service. Time savings have an impact on people’s attitudes and behavioral intentions when it comes to using online meal delivery services (Al Maalouf et al., 2025). In order to overcome risk when utilizing new items or technology, attitude is crucial in E-Trust through online meal delivery apps. Individual attitudes and behavioral intentions about the adoption of online meal delivery applications are influenced by this E-Trust (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Nguyen et al., 2019). When using online food delivery services, E-Trust plays a crucial role in determining E-Security and individual purchasing intentions. Users may trust online food purchasing applications to be secure when system performance, customer happiness, user expectations, and recommendations are met. Therefore, the use of online food delivery applications is significantly influenced by E-Trust on E-Security (Zaheer et al., 2024; Afridhianika et al., 2023; Louisa& Simbolon, 2023; Rombach et al., 2023; Muangmee et al., 2021). Its frequent appearance in bibliometric clusters with “buy intention” and “customer perception” emphasizes its theoretical significance in a variety of frameworks. From early studies that focused on convenience and service efficiency to more recent studies that focus on security, technological adaptability, and trust management, the thematic evolution of OFDA research demonstrates a temporal change. This development reflects how customer priorities are changing and offers a bibliometric basis for comprehending how these factors work together to influence the scholarly conversation on online meal delivery services.
However, previous research has also used frameworks like SERVQUAL, the technology acceptance model (TAM), the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and expectancy disconfirmation theory (EDT) to analyze the OFDA elements. The purpose of this TRA was to understand human behavior by examining the intents of users. TRA served as the foundation for their study plan (Zaheer et al., 2024; Hasan et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Hooi et al., 2021). The biggest predictor of actual behavior in this TPB is behavioral intention. TPB served as the foundation for their study plan (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Sugiharto et al., 2024; Hasan et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Pillai et al., 2022). The TAM is a crucial idea for domains that employ technology, such as information systems, to investigate the likelihood of users utilizing new technologies. TAM served as the foundation for their study plan (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Weiler & Gilitwala, 2024; Zaheer et al., 2024; Chowdhury, 2023; Jalis et al., 2023; Madinga et al., 2023; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Su et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2022; David et al., 2021; Hooi et al., 2021; Jun et al., 2021; Ariffin et al., 2021; Tran, 2021; Nguyen et al., 2019). EDT’s philosophy aligns with positivist traditions by focusing on quantifiable and observable aspects of customer behavior. Three distinct outcomes, including positive disconfirmation, negative disconfirmation, and natural disconfirmation, may result from this. EDT served as the foundation for their study plan (Nugraha et al., 2024; Hernando & Gunawan, 2021). To improve comprehension, the SERVQUAL model examines the discrepancy between what customers anticipate and how they perceive the service they received. Their research framework is based on the SERVQUAL model (Arli et al., 2024; Hong et al., 2021). This study aimed to supplement previous findings by characterizing the patterns of publications on online delivery services using bibliometric analysis of the Scopus database. In addition to the most often referenced works, publishing trends, and co-occurrence of the author’s keywords, this study examined a variety of publications in terms of accessibility, language, topic matter, and source title.
3. Methodology
The bibliometric toolbox will be used to conduct the bibliometric analysis. The primary technique and the enrichment technique are the two methods included in the toolbox. Performance analysis (A) and science mapping (B) are the two key components of the approach. Although the primary approaches may be used for a wide range of investigations, this research study will concentrate on a few of them. Two pieces of software, R and VOSViewer, assisted with the bibliometric analysis. A quantitative study of a vast collection of data is called bibliometric analysis, and the results are presented as themes, networks, research elements, and descriptive analysis. The evolution and thematic organization of a certain field may be studied with the use of this bibliometric analysis (Badenes-Rocha et al., 2022). Additionally, this study is free of subjective bias. This paper’s analysis of the bibliographic data was done using Nasir et al. (2022). Science mapping and performance analysis were used to derive the trends and research direction. Performance analysis is a technique for analyzing the contributions of research participants, including authors, countries, publishers, publications, and institutions in the subject region. The purpose of science mapping is to create connections among the components of research. By linking different research parts, the combination of science mapping and enrichment approaches gives us the intellectual structure of a study area and the fundamental topics of the subject (Badenes-Rocha et al., 2022; Nasir et al., 2022).
3.1. Bibliometric Search
A bibliometric analysis database is gathered from the Scopus database. The Scopus database is regarded as the most systematic and scientific database for bibliometric analysis (Jakhar, 2024). Scopus has been recognized as the best database for bibliometric analysis in addition to the aforementioned claim (Badenes-Rocha et al., 2022; Nasir et al., 2022). Therefore, it can be claimed that Scopus is the most extensive database that includes a wide range of information on articles and that papers must meet strict criteria in order to be included in this database. The principal database for this study was Scopus, which was chosen for its exhaustive coverage, rigorous quality standards, and robust analytical features. Scopus provides a more comprehensive yet meticulously curated compilation of scholarly journals, conference proceedings, and publications from a variety of disciplines in comparison to Google Scholar and the Web of Science. Scopus’ Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB) enforces rigorous selection criteria, which guarantees the credibility of indexed materials, in contrast to Google Scholar, which contains unfiltered and non-peer-reviewed sources. Although the Web of Science also enforces rigorous inclusion standards, its coverage is more limited and primarily Western-centric. Moreover, Scopus offers sophisticated citation metrics, including CiteScore, SNIP, and SJR, which provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of research in comparison to the traditional Impact Factor of the Web of Science. Its suitability for systematic academic research is further enhanced by its frequent updates, user-friendly interface, and integration with tools like Mendeley. Consequently, Scopus is the most dependable and well-balanced platform for the retrieval of scholarly literature that is both globally inclusive and of high quality. For the best search, a number of keywords are identified, such as “online food delivery apps,” “food delivery apps,” and “online food delivery.” “Online food delivery apps” was the best keyword to use. Apps for online meal delivery will be examined in this article. When the term “online food delivery apps” was used to search the Scopus database, 328 references were found.
3.2. Document Type Screening
Document type screening was conducted to include journal articles, review papers, and conference papers. These document types were classified as signifying peer-reviewed and citable academic contributions. Non-scholarly elements, including book chapters, editorials, and notes, were eliminated to ensure analytical accuracy and research quality.
3.3. Language Filtration
When there are a lot of language papers, the first non-filter is utilized for the language filter. The selected papers were then those that were printed in journals. 328 articles were ultimately chosen for study. Since further filtration may lower the number of articles and may affect the bibliometric analysis, no sorting criteria other than these two were used.
3.4. Duplicate Removal Process
A duplicate elimination procedure was executed using both automatic detection on the Scopus platform and human verification of author names and publication titles. This process guaranteed the removal of superfluous records and the maintenance of data integrity. Subsequent to these filtering methods, a total of 328 unique and valid records were preserved for bibliometric analysis. No exclusion parameters such as publication year, source title, or topic category were used, providing full coverage of the scientific environment for Online Food Delivery Applications. This thorough screening approach improves the reliability and representativeness of the dataset used for future performance and science mapping evaluations.
4. Results
4.1. Total Publications and Number of Active Years of Publication
One performance analysis approach is total publication. The overall number of publications on the study topic is taken into account. The 328 gathered findings from the articles released each year are included in the yearly scientific production. The papers were arranged in groups based on the year they were published in the journals. It is possible to conclude from Figure 1 that OFDA research is growing annually. Although there was just one publication in 2013, by 2017, there were seven, and by 2023 and 2024, there were sixty-five and sixty-nine publications, respectively. Forty-one documents are counted until July 2025. The phrase “active years of publishing” refers to the number of years that research has been done in the field to examine the phenomena. Groundbreaking research is still being conducted, and the active year begins in 2013. Considering the trend, this issue has the potential to be studied further because there are still comparatively fewer studies conducted annually.
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Figure 1. Shows year-to-year publications from 2013 to 2026.
4.2. Most Promising Journals
The journals that publish the most articles on a certain subject are considered promising. R software was used to identify promising journals based on Bradford’s law. Table 1, which lists the top 10 promising journals in the field of OFDA, shows the most promising journals. With 13 publications in the subject of OFDA, the British Food Journal has an advantage over other journals. With nine publications in the subject of OFDA, ranking second overall, the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services has an advantage over other journals. With a total of six publications in the subject of OFDA, the ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Journal of Foodservice Business Research, and Sustainability Switzerland have an advantage over other journals. Bradford’s law was chosen for examination in publications that showed promise. The outcome was a graph that showed the number of papers published by a journal together with the source name. As can be seen in Table 1, the graph was later shaped into a table. By identifying the most pertinent journals that are ahead of the curve in producing information pertaining to OFDA, Bradford’s legal analysis will assist scholars to swiftly uncover and choose a few journals that will support their study of OFDA and future research. A journal’s potential to impact future scholars in a certain topic increases with the number of papers it publishes in that field.
4.3. Dominant Countries
In the realm of research, the nations with the highest number of published papers and citations are regarded as dominating nations. The database is examined using R software for the analytical task. The results are interpreted using citations and scientific production in order to identify the leading nations in the OFDA discipline. Both the quantity of papers and the number of citations are used to determine which nations are dominant. The top ten nations are chosen to be examined from both angles. By being aware of the nation that dominates according to a scan of numbers, India leads all other nations in terms of both average article citations (17.90) and documents (839). With just 471 papers, Finland has high citations (157.00), and Norway ranks second in terms of average article citations, which is a surprising aspect. Despite having more published texts, the USA lagged behind numerous nations, including China, Finland, Korea, and others, in terms of citations. Italy is in a similar situation. Compared to its Chinese equivalent, this country obtained more citations with fewer papers. Information from Figure 2 and Figure 3 was transformed into a tabular format in Table 2 to facilitate the interpretation of the analysis. Consequently, it may be said that Finland is at the forefront of OFDA research on citations. Prominent nations in the field include Brazil, Portugal, Italy, and Norway.
Table 1. Shows the name of the journal along with the number of papers published.
No. |
Name of journals |
No. of
papers published |
1. |
British Food Journal |
13 |
2. |
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services |
9 |
3. |
ACM International Conference Proceeding Series |
6 |
4. |
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management |
6 |
5. |
Journal of Foodservice Business Research |
6 |
6. |
Sustainability (Switzerland) |
6 |
7. |
Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) |
5 |
8. |
Public Health Nutrition |
5 |
9. |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
4 |
10. |
International Journal of Hospitality Management |
4 |
Figure 2. Shows a world map depicting the number of documents published by each country.
Figure 3. Shows the number of citations received by each country’s documents.
Table 2. Shows the countries’ names, the number of documents published, and the number of citations received.
Rank. |
Country |
Documents |
Rank |
Country |
Average Article Citations |
1 |
India |
839 |
1 |
Finland |
157.00 |
2 |
Korea |
474 |
2 |
Norway |
131.70 |
3 |
Finland |
471 |
3 |
Portugal |
128.00 |
4 |
China |
436 |
4 |
Brazil |
45.30 |
5 |
Norway |
395 |
5 |
Korea |
43.10 |
6 |
Italy |
389 |
6 |
Italy |
35.40 |
7 |
Portugal |
384 |
7 |
China |
31.10 |
8 |
USA |
357 |
8 |
United Kingdom |
18.50 |
9 |
Brazil |
317 |
9 |
India |
17.90 |
10 |
United Kingdom |
204 |
10 |
USA |
17.90 |
4.4. Most Relevant Authors
The quantity of papers each author publishes determines which writers are the most pertinent. R software thus calculated it by counting the number of OFDA-related publications they had published. According to the data, an author’s significance increases with the number of papers they have written. The top ten most pertinent writers are displayed in Figure 4 and each with 29 papers apiece. The top ten writers cited can help readers understand their work and what more needs to be done. With four documents each, DHIR AMANDEEPS and MAI TAI XUAN have made noteworthy contributions.
4.5. Influential Authors
The writers with the most citations in their field are considered to be the most influential. Only the citations serve as its foundation. As a result, the total number of documents that an author gets was used to identify significant writers. The most prominent writers will have the most documents in their account, while the least important authors will have fewer citations. Clearly at the top of the list are authors like Dhir Amandeep (827 citations) and Kaur Puneet (790 total documents). However, writers like Ray Arghya and Bala Pradip Kumar rank third and fourth, respectively. Figure 5 displays the remaining writers.
Figure 4. Shows the authors’ names and the number of papers published by them.
Figure 5. Shows authors’ names and numbers of total document.
4.6. Citation Analysis
Citation analysis is a scientific mapping approach. When one publication is mentioned by another, it links to the original work (Jakhar, 2024). Two criteria are used for citation analysis: (1) global citation and (2) local citation. The quantity of citations an article obtains from readers may be used to gauge its impact in citation analysis.
4.6.1. Most Globally Cited Documents
The articles with the most citations without any filtering, i.e., topic domain, are referred to as the most globally cited texts (Jakhar, 2024). In other words, global citations are those that a publication receives regardless of whether it has been cited inside or outside its topic domain. The ten most frequently cited papers worldwide might also be considered as having a significant impact on other writers’ decisions to include citations in their works. Both papers pertaining to OFDA and those unrelated to OFDA reference these records. Figure 6 displays the ten most influential papers, and Table 3 analyzes them. The top ten most internationally cited publications that were examined from Figure 6 are included in Table 3 along with their article names, authors, and citation counts.
Figure 6. Shows the most influential papers in terms of global citation.
Table 3. Shows the article name, authors’ names, and citations of the top 10 globally cited documents.
No. |
Article Title |
Authors |
Global citation |
1. |
Why do people use food delivery apps (FDA)? A uses and gratifications theory perspective |
Ray A, 2019, J
Retail Consum Serv |
432 |
2. |
What factors determine customers’ continued use of food delivery apps during the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic period? |
Zhao Y, 2020, Int J Hosp Manage |
367 |
3. |
The value proposition of food delivery apps from the perspective of the theory of consumption value |
Kaur P, 2020, Int J Contemp Hosp Manage |
259 |
4. |
Determinants of Continuous Intention on Food
Delivery Apps: Extending UTAUT2 with Information Quality |
Lee Sw, 2019,
Sustainability |
258 |
5. |
Technology at the dinner table: Ordering food online through mobile apps |
Kapoor Ap, 2018, J Retail Consum Serv |
244 |
6. |
Online food delivery services and behavioural
intention—a test of an integrated TAM and TPB framework |
Troise C, 2021, Br Food J |
203 |
7. |
Revisiting food delivery apps during the COVID-19 pandemic: Investigating the role of emotions |
Kumar S, 2021, J Retail Consum Serv |
195 |
8. |
Factors Determining the Behavioral Intention of Using Food Delivery Apps during COVID-19 Pandemic |
Muangmee C, 2021, J Theor Appl |
176 |
9. |
Have you chosen your request? Analysis of online food delivery companies in Brazil |
Pigatto G, 2017, Br Food J |
173 |
10. |
Impact of apps’ aesthetics on revisit intentions of food delivery apps: The mediating role of pleasure and arousal |
KUMAR S, 2021, J RETAIL
CONSUM SERV-A |
135 |
4.6.2. Most Locally Cited Documents
Documents that are discussed within the topic domain are known as locally cited documents; for example, one article may acquire citations from another article in the same field (Jakhar, 2024). In other words, local citations are those that are specific to the field in which the materials are found. For instance, one publication affiliated with OFDA is mentioned in another that is likewise related to OFDA. As a result, the majority of locally cited papers examine works that are often referenced or mentioned in the field. One can rely on the papers displayed in Figure 7 to gain understanding about the topic matter. These documents are especially pertinent in the subject of OFDA and can be considered trustworthy sources to obtain early paperwork. It should be highlighted that, for the reasons stated in their definition, local citations are always lower than global citations. The analysis of Figure 7 is completed in Table 4.
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Figure 7. Shows documents receiving a total number of local citations.
4.7. Co-Citation Analysis
One method of scientific mapping is co-citation analysis. When two references are mentioned together in a third work, it is assumed that they are related in some way or share a similar content structure. To uncover the conceptual framework of a particular topic of study, co-citation analysis is utilized (Jakhar, 2024). Based on the clusters created, this approach also assists us in identifying the most important publications. Each cluster has a theme and is based on a certain foundation. After grouping the documents into clusters, the co-citation analysis identifies the publications that are most related to each subject. Researchers can learn more about the article based on their interests thanks to this analysis. Additionally, future scholars might gather literature on a specific topic by consulting the related publications. The VOSViewer program employs a co-citation approach for the analysis. The established bibliometric technique (Donthu et al., 2021; Waltman et al., 2010; Small, 1973) asserts that a minimum citation threshold must be enforced to exclude weak or accidental connections between sources. Only publications that have substantial intellectual influence and receive consistent recognition in the literature are included, according to a minimum citation criterion of five. To achieve a compromise between network density and interpretability, bibliometric tools such as VOSviewer and Bibliometrix often use this method. Only sources referenced five or more times are included in the study, enabling a focus on the core concepts of a subject without being obscured by seldom-cited articles that provide noise rather than insight. Only publications that have at least five citations in published articles are chosen. Just 156 out of 25,030 reach the citation limit. Figure 8 was examined by assigning weights to the links.
Seven clusters are created in total. By giving the connections more weight, you may show how many additional papers are related to the papers in the reference list. A paper is better suited for study if it has a greater number of connections (Table 5).
Figure 8. Shows a map of co-citation analysis based on the authors’ name.
Table 4. Shows the article name, authors’ names, and citations of the top 10 locally cited documents.
No. |
Article Title |
Authors |
Local citation |
1. |
Why do people use food delivery apps (FDA)? A uses and gratification theory perspective |
Ray A, 2019, J Retail Consum Serv |
74 |
2. |
Technology at the dinner table: Ordering food online through mobile apps |
Kapoor Ap, 2018, J Retail Consum Serv |
46 |
3. |
Have you chosen your request? Analysis of online food delivery companies in Brazil |
Pigatto G, 2017, Br Food J |
34 |
4. |
Restaurant information cues, diners’ expectations, and need for cognition: Experimental studies of online-to-offline mobile food ordering |
Xu X, 2019, J Retail Consum Serv |
18 |
5. |
Factors Determining the Behavioral Intention of
Using Food Delivery Apps during COVID-19
Pandemic |
Muangmee C, 2021, J Theor Appl Electron Commer Res |
15 |
6. |
Online food delivery services and behavioural
intention—a test of an integrated TAM and TPB framework |
Troise C, 2021, Br Food J |
15 |
7. |
Modeling consumers’ trust in mobile food delivery apps: perspectives of the technology acceptance model, mobile service quality, and
personalization-privacy theory |
Su Dn, 2022, J Hosp Mark Manage |
9 |
8. |
A comprehensive examination of consumers’
intentions to use food delivery apps |
Wen H, 2022, Br Food J |
8 |
9. |
Using online food delivery applications during the COVID-19 lockdown period: What drives university students’ satisfaction and loyalty? |
Pal D, 2022, J
Foodserv Bus Res |
8 |
10. |
An integrated model to decipher online food
delivery app adoption behavior during the
COVID-19 pandemic |
Gani Mo, 2023, J Foodserv Bus Res |
6 |
Table 5. Shows the interpretation of the co-citation map.
Colour of cluster |
Author name |
Citation |
Red |
Sarstedt m. |
174 |
Green |
Alalwan a.a. |
64 |
Bule |
Zhao y. |
58 |
Gold |
Rezaei s. |
96 |
Purple |
J Dhir a. |
267 |
Sky bule |
Adams j. |
46 |
Orange |
Li j. |
57 |
The data in Figure 9 shows how many documents were written by 10 distinct people. With a count of four, the chart indicates that Dhir, A. has the most papers. Each of the following writers has written three documents: Abbasi, A.Z., Allman-Farinelli, M., Bennett, R., Gibson, A.A., Hakim, M.P., Jia, S.S., Kaur, P., Nguyen, T., and Partridge, S.R. This suggests that one author in this dataset is somewhat more productive than the others in terms of the number of papers they have released.
The cooperation data is shown in Table 6 and includes many author pairings that have co-authored precisely three times. There are three partnerships between the couples Bennett R. and Zorbas C., and Hakim M.P. and da Cunha D.T. Allman-Farinelli M., Gibson A.A., Jia S.S., Partridge S.R., and Phongsavan P. have a broader network of cooperation, since every pair that might possibly be in this group has cooperated precisely three times. This suggests a very cohesive and effective research team.
Figure 9. Shows a documents written by author.
Table 6. Shows the interpretation of the co-citation map.
No. |
Author Pair |
Number of Collaborations |
1. |
Bennett R. and Zorbas C. |
3 |
2. |
Hakim M.P. and da Cunha D.T. |
3 |
3. |
Allman-Farinelli M. and Gibson A.A. |
3 |
4. |
Allman-Farinelli M. and Jia S.S. |
3 |
5. |
Allman-Farinelli M. and Partridge S. R. |
3 |
6. |
Allman-Farinelli M. and Phongsavan P. |
3 |
7. |
Gibson A.A. and Jia S.S. |
3 |
8. |
Gibson A.A. and Partridge S.R. |
3 |
9. |
Gibson A.A. and Phongsavan P. |
3 |
10. |
Jia S.S. and Partridge S.R. |
3 |
4.8. Co-Occurrence Analysis
A further science mapping method that uses “author keywords” is co-occurrence analysis. Because the study aims to concentrate on the author’s preferred method of conducting research, it contains terms that the author has utilized as keywords. Words that occur together are used to create themes or clusters in co-word analysis (Jakhar, 2024). Because only those keywords are desired, only those that appear in at least five articles are used for the analysis.
These are frequently employed by several writers to assess how a field of study is operating, and only powerful words may be examined. The threshold limit is met by 40 words. Figure 10 was used to perform co-occurrence analysis, forming seven clusters. When it comes to online meal delivery and food delivery applications, the larger the circle, the more powerful the word. In a cluster (1) of red highlight words, the word “food delivery” occurred 27 times, whereas the terms “customer satisfaction” and “mobile application” appeared 10 times. The terms consumer behavior (8) and continuous intention (7) are included in cluster (2) of the color green. Words like “e-commerce” (13), “online food delivery” (36), and “food delivery app” (11) in a blue cluster (3) are highlighted. Words like “mobile applications” (which appeared 12 times) and “food environment” (9 times) were included in the gold-colored cluster (4). The purple cluster (5) contains the terms COVID-19 (27) and meal delivery apps (36). Cluster number six is sky blue and includes the terms “gig economy” (8) and “Malaysia” (5). The orange-colored cluster (7) draws attention to terms like sentiment analysis (5) (Table 7).
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Figure 10. Shows a map of the co-occurrence of keywords.
Table 7. Shows various keywords formulated through co-occurrence analysis.
Colour of cluster |
Keywords |
Link |
Total link strength |
Time appeared |
Red |
Food delivery |
23 |
37 |
27 |
|
Customer satisfaction |
5 |
7 |
10 |
|
Mobile application |
6 |
8 |
10 |
|
India |
6 |
6 |
7 |
|
Mobile app |
6 |
10 |
7 |
|
Attitude |
8 |
10 |
6 |
|
Online food ordering |
6 |
7 |
6 |
|
Satisfaction |
8 |
11 |
6 |
|
Cloud kitchen |
2 |
4 |
5 |
|
Purchase intention |
6 |
6 |
5 |
Green |
Consumer behaviour |
8 |
12 |
8 |
|
Continuous intention |
5 |
10 |
7 |
|
Online food delivery apps |
3 |
3 |
6 |
|
Food delivery apps (fdas) |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
Online food delivery (OFD) |
5 |
6 |
5 |
|
Restaurants |
7 |
9 |
5 |
|
Technology |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Bule |
Online food delivery |
22 |
39 |
36 |
|
E-commerce |
14 |
20 |
13 |
|
Food delivery app |
9 |
15 |
11 |
|
Technology acceptance |
9 |
10 |
9 |
|
Restaurant |
9 |
12 |
5 |
|
Trust |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
Zomato |
6 |
8 |
5 |
Gold |
Mobile apps |
15 |
22 |
12 |
|
Food environment |
10 |
16 |
9 |
|
Meal delivery apps |
4 |
6 |
7 |
|
Nutrition |
4 |
5 |
7 |
|
Convenience |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Online |
2 |
2 |
5 |
|
Public health |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Purple |
Food delivery apps |
16 |
28 |
36 |
|
Covid-19 |
19 |
42 |
27 |
|
Consumer behavior |
10 |
14 |
8 |
|
Continuance intention |
6 |
10 |
8 |
|
Online food delivery services |
7 |
11 |
6 |
|
Mobile applications |
6 |
8 |
5 |
Sky bule |
Gig economy |
3 |
4 |
8 |
|
Malaysia |
5 |
6 |
5 |
Orange |
Sentiment analysis |
2 |
2 |
5 |
Thematic Analysis
Through the use of co-occurrence analysis, thematic clusters were created. Co-occurrence analysis is a scientific mapping approach that groups words that occur together often to create clusters of different topics (Jakhar, 2024) in Figure 11. Every term was chosen in order to recognize the many themes that emerged. This is due to the fact that all keywords provide a more accurate image for theme creation, which considers the words used in the abstract, title, and keywords. According to other research on co-word analysis (Donthu et al., 2021; Cobo et al., 2011; Callon et al., 1983), a minimum occurrence criterion should be used to make sure that the keywords that are found reflect recurrent and thematically stable research trends. In medium-sized datasets (200 - 400 documents), selecting 10 occurrences is seen as the best way to capture concepts that appear frequently while excluding isolated or author-specific phrases. This level makes it easier to see clusters and themes in VOSviewer and guarantees thematic robustness. Because the coverage of all keywords is greater than that of the author’s keyword, words that occurred in documents at least ten times were picked for the thematic analysis. Words that appeared in documents more often were also considered. Because a keyword becomes more significant in a field if it appears more than ten times in various papers, we must give it a weight of at least ten times before it appears in papers. Second, a hit-and-trial approach was used with varying weights; findings were obvious and informative when the weight was ten times. A total of 37 words satisfied the baseline, which assigned weight to keyword occurrences. Three clusters in all were created. The first theme discusses OFDA’s function as a tool for food marketing. The second theme looks at how consumers behave and feel about OFDA. The third theme focuses on how customers assess food delivery according to OFDA. The same idea applies to analysis here as it does to co-occurrence; that is, a word is given more weight the larger the circle, which is visible.
![]()
Figure 11. Shows a map of co-occurrence analysis to form themes through all keywords.
4.9. Thematic Evolution
Thematic evolution is used to determine the direction of the trend, the diversification of the subject over time, and the paradigm change. Time is broken down into groups in theme progression in order to examine changes over time. Additionally, this research aids in comparing the time windows that the author determined to be appropriate. Although time can be shortened appropriately, time has been divided into two halves for analysis. Thirteen years of research time are split into two periods of ten and three years between 2013 and 2026. This is done to examine the work completed in the first and second halves of the section and to see how the subject of study has changed. Thematic evolution is examined using author keywords.
A paradigm change in the way the OFDA research was carried out in terms of OFDA keywords and subjects was noted after examining the data in two-time windows. First, the term “meal delivery apps” was used more frequently between 2008 and 2015. Food delivery, one of the well-known OFDA systems, has recently been the subject of extensive human research. Similarly, food delivery now includes key concepts like sentiment analysis, food applications, food delivery apps, and customer experience. Food delivery takes up the majority of the 2024-2026 time window. Since the aforementioned terminologies are used to study the value of food delivery, they may have developed into food delivery. Menu delivery expanded to include menu choices and a health star rating. There has undoubtedly been a shift in perspectives on the research domain’s time slots and emphasis points. It is evident from Figure 12 that the focus of study has evolved throughout time. In contrast to prior years, new ideas and keywords have been employed for research objectives in recent years.
![]()
Figure 12. Shows a map of co-occurrence analysis to form themes through all keywords.
The conceptual framework of this study combines components from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), and the SERVQUAL model to create a cohesive theoretical framework for comprehending consumers’ purchase intentions in online food delivery (OFD) applications. These models offer complementary perspectives on the ways in which user acceptability and behavioural intention are influenced by technological, behavioural, and service-quality dimensions. The explanatory power of the model is thereby enhanced by the theoretical linking of each of the identified factors, including time-saving orientation, price-service orientation, social influence, e-service quality, e-security, e-trust, and attitude, to specific constructs within these frameworks. The orientation towards time-saving is intricately connected to the perceived utility construct in the Technology Adoption Model (TAM), since consumers’ conviction that Online Food Delivery (OFD) applications improve their efficiency and convenience is a fundamental factor in technology adoption. When customers recognise that an OFD platform facilitates time and effort savings relative to conventional food buying methods, their propensity for adoption and continued use escalates. Price-service orientation pertains to both the responsiveness and value-for-money aspects of the SERVQUAL model, as well as the attitude construct within the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Perceptions of equitable pricing and acceptable service cultivate positive assessments of the platform, which influence users’ favourable dispositions and reinforce their decision to use OFD services. Social impact is most well comprehended via the subjective norm element of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which asserts that people’s behavioural intentions are influenced by perceived social pressure from family, friends, and online groups. Within the realm of OFD, recommendations, social media presence, and online reviews significantly impact users’ choices to embrace and persist in using these platforms. E-service quality pertains to many elements of SERVQUAL, including reliability, assurance, and tangibility, which represent users’ assessments of the service provider’s consistency, dependability, and interface design. A well-designed, dependable, and responsive OFD application improves user happiness and strengthens behavioural intention.
E-security is a crucial factor, reflecting consumers’ trust in the safety and integrity of online transactions. This construct intersects with confidence in SERVQUAL and perceived ease of use in TAM, as consumers are more inclined to embrace and persist in using systems they see as safe and user-friendly. E-trust serves a dual function in shaping behavioural intention: in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), it relates to perceived behavioural control, as trust enhances users’ sense of control over online transactions; in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), it corresponds to perceived usefulness, as reliable systems are regarded as more advantageous and trustworthy. Therefore, attitude operates as a mediating variable in both the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), acting as a significant predictor of behavioural intention. Users who see OFD apps as beneficial, secure, reliable, and of superior service quality are inclined to develop favourable views, which directly correlate with heightened purchase intentions. This research elucidates how technical acceptability, behavioural factors, and service quality characteristics all impact customers’ purchase intentions for online meal delivery platforms.
4.10. Discussion
This study outlines a number of important advantages for professionals and scholars who are interested in online food delivery apps. The thorough depiction of the research ecosystem, which aids in identifying important journals, prominent authors, and prevalent trends, is one of the main benefits. The study identifies well-known journals such as the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and the British Food Journal, as well as prominent writers like Dhir Amandeep and Kaur Puneet, offering a firm foundation for further investigation. The data also identifies regional research hotspots, indicating that nations like Finland, Norway, and India are at the forefront of the subject in terms of citations and published articles. This geographic perspective aids in comprehending the worldwide dynamics of OFDA research. The study also identifies the primary research themes, including consumer behavior, satisfaction, and the substantial effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on the industry, by clustering commonly used terms. The charting of theme progression over time is a very useful addition. According to the data, there has been a noticeable change from broad phrases like “food delivery applications” to more focused and modern ideas such as “sentiment analysis” and “customer experience.” A roadmap for future research directions is provided by this evolution mapping, which shows how the subject has diversified and what new fields of study have emerged.
Customers’ inclination to use online food delivery applications is significantly influenced by their attitude, price-service orientation, social influence, e-security, e-trust, and time-saving orientation (Zaheer et al., 2024; Hasan et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Hooi et al., 2021). Customers’ propensity to utilize online food delivery applications is significantly influenced by a number of factors, including attitude, price-service orientation, social influence, e-service quality, e-trust, and time-saving orientation (Al Maalouf et al., 2025, Sugiharto et al., 2024; Hasan et al., 2024; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Pillai et al., 2022). Customers’ propensity to utilize online food delivery apps is significantly influenced by a number of factors, including attitude, price-service orientation, social influence, e-service quality, e-security, e-trust, and time-saving orientation (Al Maalouf et al., 2025; Weiler & Gilitwala, 2024; Zaheer et al., 2024; Chowdhury, 2023; Jalis et al., 2023; Madinga et al., 2023; Allah Pitchay et al., 2022; Su et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2022; David et al., 2021; Hooi et al., 2021; Jun et al., 2021; Ariffin et al., 2021; Tran., 2021; Nguyen et al., 2019). Customers’ inclination to utilize online meal delivery applications is significantly correlated with the quality of the e-service (Nugraha et al., 2024; Hernando & Gunawan, 2021). Customers’ inclination to utilize online meal delivery applications is significantly correlated with price-service orientation, time-saving orientation, and the E-trust SERVQUAL model (Arli et al., 2024; Hong et al., 2021). By employing bibliometric analysis of the Scopus database to describe the trends of publications on online delivery services, this study sought to add to the earlier findings. This study looked at a range of publications in terms of accessibility, language, subject matter, and source title in addition to the most often cited works, publishing patterns, and authors’ keywords.
5. Conclusion and Implications
In order to better comprehend the topic of OFDA, the paper’s main objective was to conduct a bibliometric study of the data gathered. The study direction, subject development and evolution, network analysis, and OFDA patterns were the main topics of this investigation. Important information on the OFDA was gathered with the aid of the bibliometric study, which also revealed the topic’s many meal delivery apps, continuous intention, and customer happiness. With a consistent rise in publications from 2013 to 2025, this bibliometric study of online food delivery applications (OFDA) demonstrates the field’s ongoing development and expanding academic and business importance. The results show that factors that greatly impact customer purchasing intentions, including time-saving orientation, price-service orientation, social influence, e-service quality, e-trust, and e-security, have been the main focus of research. According to the survey, China, India, Finland, and Korea are the top contributors in terms of research output and citation impact, while the British Food Journal and the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services are recognized as key outlets for OFDA research. Additionally, the field’s intellectual underpinnings are provided by well-known writers and frequently cited works, and thematic and co-occurrence analyses show how research has progressed from examining simple adoption factors to more intricate considerations of customer satisfaction, behavioral intention, and loyalty. The study’s overall conclusion is that OFDA research has emerged as a significant academic field that connects theories of technology adoption with consumer behavior in the online marketplace.
This study has significant ramifications for both industrial practice and scholarly research. Scholars can advance future research, especially in areas of digital security, consumer trust, and the integration of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, gig economy models, and automated delivery systems, by using the bibliometric mapping of publication trends, influential authors, dominant countries, and evolving themes. In the case of food delivery services, this helps to reinforce theoretical frameworks like SERVQUAL, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The results highlight for practitioners how crucial it is to enhance the quality of e-services, provide safe payment methods, and uphold client confidence in order to promote repeat business and loyalty. Especially in rapidly expanding markets like Malaysia and other emerging nations, managers and policymakers may utilize the study’s conclusions to develop competitive strategies in pricing, marketing, and user experience design. When taken as a whole, these conclusions imply that the bibliometric environment of OFDA not only promotes scholarly discussion but also provides practical methods for enhancing competitiveness and sustainability in the digital food service sector.
The current study has limitations. First, because this study only examined publications in the Scopus database, its conclusions cannot be applied to other contexts. Future studies can therefore gain intriguing insights by using more extensive datasets, such as Web of Science or Google Scholar. This restriction limits the range of perspectives and can leave out significant contributions to the OFDA field that were not included in Scopus. Future studies might therefore broaden the bibliometric mapping by integrating other databases, enabling more comprehensive coverage, improved cross-validation of results, and more cross-disciplinary generalizability. Quantitative bibliometric variables, including publishing trends, co-occurrence, co-citation, and topic progression, were the main focus of this study. Deeper qualitative facets of customer experiences and management techniques are not captured by these approaches, despite the fact that they offer insightful information about structural patterns. To provide deeper theoretical and practical insights, future research might use a mixed-method approach that combines bibliometric mapping with content analysis or systematic literature reviews. The study’s chronological and thematic scope are likewise constrained. The research is primarily retrospective and ignores disruptive technology and socioeconomic shifts that might soon reshape the OFDA environment, albeit identifying changing themes and patterns from 2013 to 2025. Innovations like drone delivery, sustainability-driven models, AI-driven customization, and the gig economy, for instance, have the potential to drastically alter customer expectations and corporate procedures. In order to foresee new research directions and real-world difficulties in the online food delivery ecosystem, future studies should broaden the scope of bibliometrics by integrating foresight analysis, trend forecasting, and scenario planning.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to everyone who helped them accomplish this work, whether directly or indirectly.