In today’s world of several food delivery apps, many people are curious to learn more about Grubhub.
Grubhub is one of the many ways you can get your favorite foods and meals delivered to you directly, but how exactly does the app work?
Learn all about Grubhub for 2020 and how the app works for both customers and drivers in our comprehensive guide.
What Is Grubhub?
First and foremost, what is Grubhub?
It’s a food delivery app that allows you to order food from your favorite restaurants and have it delivered to your door.
Grubhub works directly with restaurant chains, franchises, local favorites, and even convenience and grocery stores to find couriers who can pick up and deliver your order without you having to step foot outside.
Grubhub History
Grubhub is one of the most popular food delivery apps and has been around since 2004 – long before many of its competitors.
Grubhub was founded by two friends, Matt Maloney and Mike Evans, who were looking for a better way to order food from their favorite local restaurants.
The company has had a few different owners over the years, but it’s now owned by the publicly-traded company Yelp.
As of 2020, Grubhub is still a popular food delivery app, but it’s no longer the most popular as it was in 2015.
Another thing you may not know about Grubhub’s history is that they now also own Seamless, which is another food delivery app, as well as Allmenus, LevelUp, and MenuPages.
How Does Grubhub Make Money?
Grubhub is a for-profit company and it makes money by charging restaurants a commission on each order that’s placed through the app.
The sources of income for the company include:
- Commission fees: Charged a percentage of each order to the restaurants who use the app to take orders, which is a trade-off for the exposure and extra business they can bring in through the app.
- Delivery fees: Charged as a small fee to the customer for each order, designed for the courier but a portion also goes to the company as their commission, making up one of their largest revenue sources.
- Advertising: Sold to restaurants who want to be featured on the app through sponsored posts that will expand a restaurant’s reach, generating extra income for Grubhub.
The features that make it so user-friendly and popular among customers, couriers, and restaurants alike, which contribute to its revenue, include:
- Consumer App: Features a personal account, restaurant search, personalized menu, online payments, order tracking, contact information, and ratings/reviews.
- Courier App: Features a personal account, option to take an order, accurate GPS device, contact information, and option to complete an order.
- Restaurant Dashboard: Features a point-of-sale (POS) solution, the ability to send courier requests, accounting and reports, and customer support.
How Does Grubhub Compare to Other Delivery Services?
Grubhub is one of many food delivery apps that are available to consumers.
It’s important to understand how Grubhub compares to other services and what makes it unique before downloading the app.
What Is the Difference Between Grubhub and DoorDash?
Grubhub and DoorDash both allow you to order food from different restaurants, but there are some key differences.
DoorDash offers a wider variety of restaurants that you can order from and they also deliver alcohol.
Grubhub, on the other hand, has more partnerships with chain restaurants and franchises.
What Is the Difference Between Grubhub and UberEats?
Grubhub and UberEats both offer food delivery, but there are some key differences.
Grubhub is a standalone app that you can use to order food from different restaurants, while UberEats is integrated into the Uber app.
UberEats also has more options for delivery of items beyond restaurant food, such as groceries, alcohol, or convenience items.
How Does Grubhub Work?
Grubhub is a food delivery app that allows you to order your favorite foods from different restaurants on-demand.
The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
How Does Grubhub Work for Consumers?
As a customer, here’s what you can expect:
When you open the Grubhub app, you can either enter your address to see what restaurants are available in your area or search for a specific restaurant.
Once you’ve found a restaurant, you can view the menu, order items, and pay for your food online.
You can also track your order and see when it’s scheduled to be delivered.
You can also leave ratings and reviews for the restaurants you’ve ordered from in the past.
How Does Grubhub Work for Couriers?
On the courier end, here’s how Grubhub works:
When you’re accepted as a courier for Grubhub, you’ll be given access to the Grubhub courier app, called GrubHub for Drivers.
Within this app is an accurate GPS device that will help you find the restaurants and customers that you’re delivering to.
As a courier, you can choose to accept or decline orders that are presented to you.
You can also contact the customer if you have any questions or need to update them on your arrival time.
Once you’ve arrived at the restaurant, you’ll scan the food items that you’re delivering and then head to the customer’s address.
Once you’ve delivered the food, you’ll mark it as complete in the app and then receive your payment.
How Does Grubhub Work for the Restaurants?
On the restaurant side of things, here’s how the Grubhub app works:
When a Grubhub order comes into the restaurant, the order is sent to the Grubhub POS solution.
This solution allows restaurants to manage orders, send courier requests, and view accounting and reports.
Once the food order is received, the kitchen staff can start preparing the food and Grubhub will help find a courier nearby to pick it up and make the final handoff.
How to Sign Up for Grubhub?
The signup process for Grubhub is simple and only takes a few minutes.
You can sign up for Grubhub on the app or the website.
To sign up on the app, open the app and tap on the “Sign Up” tab.
You’ll be asked to enter your name, email address, password, and phone number.
You can also choose to sign up with Facebook or Google.
To sign up on the website, go to the Grubhub website and click on the “Get Started” button.
You’ll be asked to enter your name, email address, password, and phone number.
Once you’ve entered all of your information, Grubhub will send you a verification email.
Once you’ve verified your email address, you’ll be able to start ordering food from your favorite restaurants.
What is the Grubhub App?
The Grubhub app is just that: a phone app that allows you to order your favorite grub straight to your door.
You have the option to order food from Grubhub online, but the app is the most popular form of using the service and makes it easy and convenient to find your favorite foods.
Is There a Monthly Fee When You Sign Up for Grubhub?
Nope! There is no monthly fee for signing up for Grubhub.
You only pay for the food that you order.
This cost comes through a few different Grubhub charges you may see when you place your order, which includes money to pay the courier as well as to pay Grubhub as a company for their services.
These charges may include:
- Delivery fee: A set fee that covers delivery-related costs.
- Service fee: Based on a percentage of the order (5-10%) that covers the operational costs to run Grubhub
- Tip: Optional amount paid directly to the delivery driver or courier (15% is recommended).
- Small order fee: Charged on orders that are $10 or less, usually a $2 fee.
It should be noted, however, that there’s an option to upgrade to GrubHub+, which is a newer offering that uses a monthly fee but offers perks to members.
The benefits of GrubHub+ include:
- No delivery fee
- Early access to promos and exclusive deals
- Option to donate change during checkout to give to charity
- VIP access to an exclusive customer service team
If you think you’ll be ordering food often enough to mitigate the monthly fee, it could be a great way to save money.
What Cities Is Grubhub Available In?
Grubhub is available in most major metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada, including San Francisco, Washington, New York City, Chicago, and Boston.
You can type in your zip code on the Grubhub website or app to see what restaurants are available in your area.
If Grubhub is not currently available in your area, they may be coming soon!
Grubhub Promo Codes
Grubhub occasionally offers promo codes to get discounts on your orders.
You can find these codes by checking Grubhub’s social media pages or by signing up for their email list.
You can also enter promo codes on the checkout page when you’re ordering food.
If you’re a new customer to Grubhub, you have the most options for promo codes.
Some of the codes used recently to attract new customers include:
- GRUB50: Get 50% off your first order ($15 or more)
- BRAVO25: Get 25% off your first order ($15 or more)
- CODE 489: Get 20% off your first order ($15 or more)
These codes change frequently, so browse the Grubhub app “Grubhub Perks” section to see what deals are available for new and existing customers.
Other websites you may want to use to find more available codes include:
- Honey
- RetailMeNot
- Business Insider
- Groupon
Working for Grubhub
If you’re looking for a job in the food delivery industry, Grubhub is a great place to start.
They are one of the largest and most popular food delivery services in the world, so they offer a variety of positions for people with different skillsets.
You can browse all of Grubhub’s open positions on their website, or you can filter your search by position type or location.
What Positions Are Available at Grubhub?
Some of the most common positions at Grubhub are:
- Delivery driver or courier
- Customer service representative
- Marketing associate
- Software engineer
Learn a little more about each position:
Delivery driver or courier: A Grubhub delivery driver is responsible for picking up food from the restaurant and delivering it to the customer’s door.
A courier does the same task but may be used to describe someone that uses a bike or walks to complete food deliveries.
Customer service representative: A Grubhub customer service representative is responsible for answering customer questions, resolving complaints, and handling payments.
Marketing associate: A Grubhub marketing associate is responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns, creating content, and managing social media accounts.
Software engineer: A software engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining the Grubhub app and website.
Pros and Cons of Working With Grubhub (as a Courier)
There are a lot of pros and cons to working with Grubhub as a delivery driver or courier.
Pros:
- You can set your hours and work as much or as little as you want
- You can choose your deliveries
- You’re your own boss
- You can get paid instantly with Grubhub’s Instant Cash Out feature
Cons:
- There is a lot of competition to work with Grubhub as a courier
- You have to pay for your own gas and vehicle maintenance
- You may not make a lot of money depending on the area you live in and the number of deliveries you receive
- Driving for Grubhub can be hazardous in bad weather
How to Apply for Grubhub
Applying for a job as a driver or courier with Grubhub is easy.
Head to driver.grubhub.com, choose your state and city, add your contact information, and submit your application.
To be accepted, they’ll be looking to see that you have a car or bike, a valid driver’s license or ID, and a smartphone.
You will also need to be at least 19 years old to drive for Grubhub.
Final Thoughts
Now you know exactly what to say the next time someone asks, “What is Grubhub?”
Grubhub was one of the first and is still one of the most popular food delivery services today.
While it’s competing with other giants like UberEats and DoorDash today, it’s still a great option to get your favorite foods delivered to your door when you can’t fathom leaving the house.
Now you know how Grubhub works for 2023.
Hungry yet?
Download the app, sign up, and place your first order to see what Grubhub is all about.
(P.S. – Don’t forget to use a promo code to get a discount on your first order!)
