Election Day in Israel reflects not only the political mood, but also the consumption and ordering habits of its citizens. Data from the delivery app Wolt shows that the Israeli public prepared in advance for the exit poll results, making a dramatic shift in its culinary preferences throughout the day, along with sharp fluctuations in purchases across various retail categories.
Until 7:00 p.m., burgers held the top spot among the most requested restaurants. However, starting from 7:00 p.m., as the exit poll publication time drew near, the picture flipped completely: Israelis began preparing to watch the results, placed advance orders, and chose pizzas as the leading food of the evening. Sushi took second place in the restaurant rankings, while the burger dropped to third. Peak ordering hours recorded throughout the day were 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and of course 10:00 p.m. – the hour when the exit polls were broadcast.
In the shopping and retail sector, compared to average Tuesdays, a mixed trend of increases alongside decreases in demand was recorded.
The most prominent surge was recorded in purchases at supermarket chains, which posted a jump of about 35%. Additional categories that experienced impressive growth were butcher shops and toy and game stores, both of which registered an increase of about 30%. Likewise, an increase of about 25% was recorded in orders from bakeries, alongside more moderate increases of about 10% in delicatessens and about 10% in the field of pet food and supplies.
On the other hand, not all sectors benefited from the day off and staying at home. Wolt data points to sharp declines in categories such as fashion, which suffered a drop in purchases of about 35%, while in the electronics field, a drop of about 30% was recorded compared to a regular Tuesday.