Key Takeaways
- Common Grubhub issues include missing/wrong orders, late deliveries, app malfunctions, and unauthorized charges.
- Grubhub offers refunds for valid complaints but determines eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
- Complaints can be filed via Grubhub’s customer service phone or live chat.
- After filing a complaint, expect a follow-up email and a refund within 3-5 business days if applicable.
Common Grubhub Issues (And How To Fix Them)
Here are the most common issues customers have when they order from Grubhub and a quick guide on fixing them.
1. Missing Food/Wrong Order
If your order is wrong or items are missing, directly contacting the restaurant might be quicker for resolution. They can often rectify the mistake faster.
For Grubhub issues, calling their customer service at (1)-877-585-1085 for a refund or re-delivery is the way to go.
2. Food Was Delivered Late
For significantly late deliveries affecting food quality, contact Grubhub customer service for a possible complaint. If the delay is minor and the food is fine, it may not be worth the hassle.
3. Grubhub Is Down/Not Working
If the Grubhub app isn’t working, check app permissions and internet connection, or try reinstalling the app.
If the problem persists, Grubhub’s servers might be down, so waiting a few hours before trying again could help.
If you notice unauthorized charges from a Grubhub+ subscription or other orders, contact Grubhub customer service for a refund.
For charges you didn’t authorize, also check with your bank and ensure no one else has access to your account details.
Does Grubhub Give Refunds?
Yes, Grubhub does provide refunds in specific situations as outlined in their Terms of Use.
The decision to issue a refund is made by Grubhub on a case-by-case basis, depending on whether they determine the fault lies with the delivery or the order placement.
However, the process and criteria for determining fault are not transparently disclosed.
While Grubhub may offer refunds, they often opt for alternative compensation, such as coupons, instead of returning money directly to the customer.
This approach has led to customer dissatisfaction, as evidenced by complaints on platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
How to File Grubhub Complaints
To file a complaint with Grubhub, you can either call their customer service or use the live chat option. Both methods are effective for addressing issues or requesting refunds.
The phone number offers a direct way to express concerns, potentially providing immediate pressure on the service to address your complaint.
Alternatively, the live chat feature allows you to multitask while waiting for a response, which can be more convenient given potential long wait times.
Customer experiences suggest that live chat might be a less stressful option, especially during busy periods when phone wait times can extend significantly.
Related: Grubhub alternatives worth trying
What to Expect After Filing a Complaint
After you speak to a customer service representative on the phone and agree on how Grubhub will best rectify your complaint, you can expect to receive an email from the Grubhub company outlining the next steps and confirming the conversation that just took place.
If they have decided to give you a refund, it should be deposited into your bank account within three to five business days.
If it’s not in your account within a week, you may have to reach back out to customer service to follow up.
There have been reports of Grubhub being slow or failing to follow through on their word at all.
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
When you file a refund, don’t get your hopes up too high that you’ll be successful – hope for the best but plan for the worst.
Many Grubhub users that I have talked to seem to be frustrated with the customer service provided by the platform and the resolution offered.
Unlike the process of getting a DoorDash refund, Grubhub makes users jump through more hoops and talk directly with a customer service rep.
Users seem to also be frustrated with the order system itself – before even needing to talk to customer service.
Grubhub users don’t like the tipping system in particular, because it makes them tip in advance without the assurance of service quality.
While I agree with how the system is set up (it helps to avoid tip-baiting), it can be frustrating in cases where the driver doesn’t perform how they are expected to.
My Suggestion: Exercise patience, emotional control, and self-discipline while talking to customer service.
Remember, they offer refunds that are discretionary, so they have the ability to refund you or not.
Who do you think will have a better chance, a frustrated person or a nice one?
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if no one picks up my Grubhub order?
If there aren’t any drivers available, eventually, Grubhub will cancel the order and then contact you to let you know the order has been canceled.
Luckily, Grubhub is such a large company that they usually do have enough drivers, and it’s a rare occurrence that they need to cancel the order.
Why does Grubhub have so many BBB complaints against it?
It seems as though the customers complaining on BBB about Grubhub have legitimate problems, including unauthorized charges, no follow-through on refunds, and overall poor customer service experience.
It stands to reason that since these customers can’t air their grievances to Grubhub itself, they go to consumer review sites such as BBB.
Should I trust Grubhub?
For the most part, people have pretty fine experiences with Grubhub. According to BBB, Grubhub has hundreds of complaints, most of them unresolved.
Is DoorDash better than Grubhub?
Yes and no. Grubhub is more available and is on more websites, so you have a greater variety of food and restaurants to choose from when you select Grubhub.
However, DoorDash is cheaper (with their DashPass), has a better interface, and seems to have better customer service.
Wrapping Up
As the world adapts to the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more people are ordering online for delivery and pickup instead of eating out in restaurants.
But as more and more people utilize third-party delivery apps, that opens up room for more and more errors.
Grubhub certainly revolutionized food delivery service. However, an integral part of a successful company is its ability to fix problems when things go wrong.
When it comes to an issue with an order, your only option to file a complaint is to call the customer service line or open up an online chat with a customer service representative.
While both options offer potentially long wait times, chatting with a customer service representative online may be the better bet.
Not only does it make the wait time seem less long, but you also have the entire conversation recorded. That means that if they guarantee you a refund, you have a concrete paper trail to back you up.
DoorDash definitely has better customer service than GrubHub. Unlike GH, DD immediately refunded my money when the restaurant cancelled my order. GH told me I’d have to wait 3-5 business days to get a refund. At any rate, I let the agent know that I didn’t blame her personally, but GH’s refusal to refund my money straight away is poor customer service. I also told her I’d been a steady client of GrubHub’s, but I’d be taking my business to DoorDash from then on.
GH is horrible trying to get a credit/refunds. They told me the same thing 5-7 business days and 15 days later and no refunds. I will not order anything else from GH, this makes absolutely no sense at all.
Hi Brett,
I hope you read this.
Last night I ordered sushi through GH. The order arrived on time but was missing the Vegas Crunch roll. Over the past two years I’ve used GH many many times. Most of the time the order is correct however there have been at least 5 times where the order wasn’t correct – last night was one of these. All I would ask for or want at this point is for GH to go back to the restaurant get the sushi roll that was missing and bring it to me without further charge. This sounds reasonable, right? Nope. I get on the GH chat session and the customer service person says all i can do is refund your part that didn’t arrive – $10.99
I asked for the customer service number and called it speaking to a rep who transferred me to a supervisor named Aldo and who only repeated the same cliches and GH jargon over and over again: “I’m sorry I’m not able to issue a re-delivery on this”, “I can only issue a refund which will take 3 to 5 business days”, etc. I was floored.
There has got to be something we can do. We’ve got to put GH out of business and let someone else take the leadership of food delivery. Someone who will make the order right, all the time, and keep working until the order is perfect.
If you, I, or anyone else went to a restaurant and ordered food and it wasn’t right the waiter would keep bringing it out until it was right. If I ordered a pizza from Dominos and something was missing, such as a small pizza, they would bring it out as fast as possible and not expect me to re-tip the driver. So, WHAT’S UP WITH GH?
P.S. I tried to email the Chief of Operations at GH, Eric Ferguson, but the only way to contact anyone is through their chat or customer service phone number. We need to start a website to put GH out of business. Not more of this half assed business service.
I totally agree with you, Jonathan. GrubHub’s service is terrible and their remedies to their ‘screw-ups’ benefit no one but themselves. We’ve ordered 3 times from their website and every single time there’s been an issue. It takes an act of congress to get through to speak with someone using their customer service phone number. The driver delivered someone else’s order to us on 1/4/22 and he actually called the restaurant and verified that my order was still there. He asked the restaurant what he was to do with the order he was attempting to deliver and they told him to just leave it with us or throw it away. He promised that he’d be returning with my order but that never happened. Neither the restaurant nor GrubHub would offer any remedy for their error and we were left with food that we never ordered. I agree that GrubHub needs to go away permanently but I promise you that we’ll never place an order through them ever again!!!
As an invalid woman 80 years of age I have had NO unresolved issues with GrubHub except with my last two orders: tonight January 11, 2022 and last week January 3. Both drivers refused to drop my order at my apartment door. The first driver took a picture of the supposed order on a bench that was not in my building, claiming he left it on a bench in my building although the picture shows that the was not taken anywhere in my building–I have the picture and text–a deliberate act of fraud. My apartment building staff will not deliver packages left at the front desk EVER. They will not leave their post to do so, why should they? In this age of COVID the policy at all delivery company’s, like most, should be NO CONTACT & DROP AT DOOR. My building has a lengthy white zone in front of the building leaving no excuse for drivers negligence. How can I report this to a higher power? It is absolutely wrong to be irresponsible and cruel to an invalid person.
I am a subway artist and every time a Grubhub driver comes in and place an order either they want us to read the order as they go and sit down or they say they cannot read English. I think it’s so unprofessional and I would like for Grubhub to fix this. I’m also a Uber driver and when I go in and place an order for my customer I make sure I read them the order instead of handling it unprofessional.
Everytime I order with Grubhub, there’s notes in the order that said what to dial and what floor to come to. The drivers do not even look at the notes and they leave my order outside the lobby because they don’t dial to get buzzed in. It’s very irritating because someone can take my order and I have to rush down to get it. What else do I need to do in order to have the drivers read the notes and bring the food to my door. I am paying for door to door service but I am not receiving that!
They put authorization holds on completely nonexistent orders, they don’t say sorry, they have complete lack of accountability, and it is just the worst experience I have had multiple times over. They have proven to be unethical and frankly, just fraudulent. They should cease to have a place in the market, period. It is unbelievable.