With Grubhub dominating around 14% of the food delivery market share in the US, it’s become a household staple for getting your favorite fare from local restaurants without driving to pick it up.
The company offers tantalizing incentives to help offset the cost through its referral program, student discount program, and new user promo codes.
For long-time customers, Grubhub Plus is a must-have for app addicts, as it comes with free delivery, early access to new promo codes, and VIP access to a dedicated customer service team just in case something goes wrong.
While these features sound like a dream for customers, that doesn’t mean Grubhub has a spotless online presence.
And, as with any scandal that the internet catches word of, the service has been the target for memes.
What Are GrubHub Memes?
Grubhub memes are images, often with a text overlay, expressing a relatable or humorous situation regarding the food delivery service.
They’re a great way to reflect on a shared human experience and infuse a little humor into the mundane situation.
After all, it’s much easier to laugh at wacky circumstances and bad decisions when you know you’re not the only person going through them.
Types of GrubHub Memes
You can find a veritable cornucopia of Grubhub memes circulating social media and image-sharing sites, but in the spirit of getting things delivered, here’s a fresh serving of some popular favorites.
While some lament the exorbitant cost, others share weird conversations between customers and drivers, point out flaws in the app, or call out the ridiculous ways we justify our midnight craving for an order of breadsticks.
The Grubhub Meme
GrubHub suddenly skyrocketed to the top of the meme charts in late 2020, following a controversial commercial featuring animated characters dancing to the song “Soy Yo” by Bomba Estereo.
While it seems innocent enough at first glance, the creepy animated characters and their strangely aggressive dancing start to get under your skin.
You can’t help but cringe at how passionate these colorful characters are about eating a salad or a chicken sandwich that probably cost them more than a tank of gas after all the random fees.
In response to the internet’s vitriol for the ad, Grubhub leaned in with a few memes of their own, expressing concern for their social media manager, who was now tasked with handling the situation.
In all of the madness, viewers did find the child character quite charming, relating to his obvious discomfort as he watches his dad dance around.
Creative customers even started writing tragic backstories, which further added to the lore of this now infamous example of Grubhub marketing.
Memes About Grubhub Tipping
The Grubhub driver app offers an easy way for customers to tip a percentage of their meal cost, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re willing to shell out the gratuity.
For example, some customers will hold the tip ransom, even if a driver tries to save them a couple of bucks on their order.
One thing to keep in mind is that most gig workers survive on cash tips. For example, after California passed Prop. 22 requiring food delivery apps to abide by modified worker’s rights legislation, Grubhub actively encouraged customers to skip out on the tip.
Headed by co-founder Matt Maloney, the company changed the app tipping interface from percentage-based to a dollar amount selection ranging from $0 to $1.50.
Some drivers, in response, took matters into their own hands, declining orders unless customers assured them it’d be worth their time.
Most drivers are more than happy to accommodate any reasonable request, especially if it means an extra tip.
But, unfortunately, those lines can get a little blurry when they’re deciding whether a customer is serious or just trying to get a laugh.
General Memes
Not all Grubhub memes are grievances.
Hungry homebodies are grateful for the opportunity to get their favorite cuisine without leaving the warm comfort of their couch.
Meanwhile, others blame the app’s seemingly constant issues on ruining their weekend by making them go hungry or, heaven forbid, picking up the food themselves.
Even restaurants are in on the joke and use humor to encourage their customers to skip out on delivery if they want their meal in a timely fashion.
At the end of the day, though, most customers are just happy to get a delicious meal made precisely how they like it delivered right to their door.
Memes About Grubhub Being Expensive
Getting food delivered is a convenience many of us indulge in from time to time, but it can quickly become an addictive and expensive habit.
Even cheap fast food can feel more like a risky financial decision once you tack on the Grubhub fees, delivery fees, and a tip.
Some meme-makers even consider Grubhub a luxury reserved only for the rich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hungry for more information about the notorious Grubhub meme?
Here are two of the most frequently asked questions about the brand’s “Delivery Dance” commercial:
What is the Grubhub song?
The Grubhub song is “Soy Yo” by Bomba Estereo.
Upon its release in 2015, it quickly gained traction on YouTube, with more than 150 million views.
It has been featured in movie soundtracks, commercials, and video games, including Forza Horizon 5.
Why did Grubhub change its song?
Following the controversy over “Delivery Dance,” Grubhub challenged the Twitterverse to make a remix of the ad.
Out of 8,500 entries, the delivery service chose user @BlizzardHyena’s version, which featured the song “2 Phút Hơn (KAIZ Remix)” by Phao.
They rereleased the ad with the updated version on January 28, 2021.
Wrapping Up
While true that Grubhub isn’t perfect, it’s hard to beat the convenience of coming home after work, kicking your feet up, and enjoying a meal that you didn’t have to cook yourself.
It also offers gig workers the chance to earn extra cash while setting their own hours.
Like any customer service industry, it can be challenging for drivers and customers to navigate the intricate social etiquette without sparking up a conflict every once in a while.
While these memes make light of the challenges cash-strapped customers and poorly compensated drives face, it’s crucial to think about the big picture of why people are upset in the first place.
So, tip your driver, enjoy your meal, and check out memes about DoorDash while you’re at it!
