In 2023, chicken emerged as the most popular meat choice in large Russian restaurants, attracting the selection of 41% of diners. This finding comes from a study conducted by DocsInBox, a service that specializes in automating restaurant document flow, and is cited by socialbites.ca.
Beef accounted for 24% of orders, while red fish followed at 19%. Pork occupied the fourth spot with 9% of visitors choosing it, and white fish ranked fifth with 4%. Lamb remained the least popular option, with only 3% of restaurant guests ordering it in 2023.
Experts note that chicken is not only the top choice in Russia but also a global favorite, with chicken meat ranking as the most consumed across about 70 countries. In Russia, chicken constitutes the leading share of meat consumption, representing roughly 44.3% of total meat intake according to the study.
The regions with the highest chicken consumption included Bryansk, Smolensk, Tomsk, Omsk, Oryol, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow, the Trans-Baikal Territory, and Adygea. These patterns illustrate a broad regional appeal of poultry across the country.
The study was conducted in July 2024, drawing on purchase data from 10 thousand restaurants across 69 regions of the Russian Federation, spanning from the Far East to Kaliningrad.
What does this say about dietary trends in Russia today? It underscores a sustained preference for poultry among diners, a shift that has implications for menus, supply chains, and nutrition messaging across urban and regional markets.