"Cappuccino World Day', a quarter of Italian consumption comes after 12 noon
According to Deliveroo data, Naples, Florence and Turin concentrate the afternoon orders of the drink invented in the 17th century
8 November is "Cappuccino World Day", world day of milk and coffee pride celebrating the highly successful beverage that was probably invented in Vienna at the end of the 17th century by the Habsburg court monk Marco da Aviano. A 'cappuccino', to be precise, to be the father of what at first was a simple 'sweetened' version of coffee (sweetened with milk, of course) and at the beginning of the 20th century, with the invention of the espresso machine, became that great classic of the Italian breakfast that we all know. But how do Italians drink cappuccino? And, most importantly, when? Data compiled by the home food delivery service Deliveroo try to answer these questions.
While in Italian culture the cappuccino finds its natural place at breakfast, abroad it can also accompany lunch, or be a mid-afternoon snack, to the point of being considered a dessert or an 'end of meal' in some cases. A circumstance that makes purists cringe, but which has also caught on in the Belpaese. By now, even in our cities, its consumption has extended to the rest of the day: around 25% of cappuccinos ordered on Deliveroo are beyond 12, a percentage that drops to 4% after 8pm. A minority for goodness sake, but still a new consumption habit.
But which are the cities where the afternoon cappuccino is most popular? In this special ranking, third is Turin, in second place Florence, while the gold medal goes to Naples, where almost every second cappuccino is ordered on Deliveroo after 12 noon.
What determines this podium position? "The growth of afternoon consumption," answers Andrea Zocchi, managing director of Deliveroo Italy, "is the result of a series of interconnected elements: the variety of the offer present in the cities, local consumption habits, tourism and the growth of office orders, where attendance is increasing after years characterised by smart working. The series: maybe those in Naples, Florence and Turin who order cappuccino after 12 noon are not necessarily Italian.
And the city where the afternoon habit is struggling to take root? Whether for breakfast at home or a break at the office, in Cagliari the cappuccino remains mainly a morning drink: around 85% of orders on Deliveroo before 12 noon.
