'Ice, condoms, grapes, chocolates & more': What Indians ordered the most for quick delivery on New Year's Eve

India's New Year celebrations saw a surge in online orders for party essentials. Quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart reported high demand for snacks, ice cubes, non-alcoholic drinks, and disposable items. Tipping generosity also peaked, with Bengaluru leading in tips for delivery partners.

India celebrated the arrival of 2025 with energy and excitement, with house parties and lively gatherings dominating the scene on New Year’s Eve. Quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and others reported a surge in orders for party essentials, shedding light on the country's festive shopping habits.  

As New Year’s Eve unfolded, snacks were the clear favourite for party-goers. Blinkit reported delivering an impressive 2.3 lakh packets of aloo bhujia by 8 PM, while Swiggy Instamart recorded a sharp rise in orders for chips, with 853 packets being ordered every minute around 7:30 PM. Other top search items on the platform included milk, chocolates, grapes, and paneer, showing the diverse preferences of those celebrating.  

Ice cubes and cold beverages were in high demand too. Blinkit delivered 6,834 packets of ice cubes by 8 PM, while BigBasket saw a huge 1290% increase in ice cube orders. Phani Kishan A, co-founder of Swiggy and Swiggy Instamart, highlighted the ice frenzy on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Ice hit its peak at 7:41 PM with 119 kgs delivered in that minute!”  

Love knows no borders! 🌍

Tonight, the top countries sending love and gifts to family in India are the US, the UK, and Australia 🧡

The surge in non-alcoholic drinks was also notable. BigBasket reported a 552% jump in sales, and disposable cups and plates saw a 325% rise, indicating a robust demand for party-ready supplies. Soda and mocktail sales grew by over 200%, capping off a spirited night of celebrations across the nation.  

Albinder Dhindsa, CEO of Blinkit, shared a heartwarming update about the kindness of party hosts. "A customer from Hyderabad gave the highest tip of the day, ₹2500, to one of our delivery partners! Bengaluru led the way with a total of ₹1,79,735 in tips," Dhindsa posted on X.  

In a playful update, Dhindsa also tweeted about the spike in lemon (nimboo) orders: "Nimboo orders are soaring! Is it officially tequila time? 🍋" This fun post added a cheerful vibe to the welcoming of 2025.

The growing reliance on quick-commerce platforms for last-minute party essentials signals how integral these services have become in India’s celebration culture. With seamless deliveries, these platforms are making it easier for people to ring in the new year with everything they need to make the night unforgettable.

Running chart of different NYE party items like chips, soda, condom, etc till 7 PM today!

Got grapes added in this list as well 😂 pic.twitter.com/mj8e84vwnP