Delivery partners are the backbone of our business, navigating traffic, weather, and unpredictable conditions to support local restaurants and serve customers. They deserve meaningful support both on and off the road – whether that be through grant programs, expanding access to safe equipment, or financial planning resources.

We help drivers work on their terms and connect diners with the restaurants they love. That means listening to their feedback, adapting to real-world events, and ensuring fairness—so no one is penalized for doing their best under tough conditions.

Putting Fairness First: Updates to Deactivation and Appeals

As part of our commitment to safety and platform integrity, we regularly monitor for unauthorized account sharing. A recent enforcement in New York led to the deactivation of some accounts, which understandably caused concern among drivers and driver advocates.

After meeting with a local driver advocacy group and listening to their feedback, we reviewed our protocols to improve transparency and fairness—ensuring drivers in good standing who want to deliver are able to do so.

What’s changed

Feedback from our delivery partners has been a driving force behind ongoing improvements to our deactivation and appeals policies. The updates reflect a broader effort to make the process fairer, more consistent, and more responsive to real-world challenges.

Key improvements include:

• Launching a nationwide appeals process.
• A streamlined procedure to challenge deactivations, available in multiple languages.
• An updated deactivation policy that reflects the realities of modern delivery. 
• Appeals reviewed by real people.
• A holistic review of driver performance, with an eye toward long-term contributions.
• Clearer distinction between minor issues (like un-assigning a single order) and more serious issues (like a pattern of missed deliveries or fraud).
• Consideration of external factors like weather and unexpected disruptions.

Turning Feedback into Action: Hurricane Helene and Extreme Weather Events

In late 2024, Hurricane Helene made a major, unexpected impact in parts of both North and South Carolina. 

Severe flooding, downed trees, and blocked roads made it difficult or impossible for many drivers to complete deliveries.

Grubhub may pro-actively pause deliveries in a market where severe weather or other events are expected to occur. However, Hurricane Helene hit farther inland than forecasted, and some markets had not been paused.

We heard from drivers who were worried about receiving violations for delays or cancellations that were entirely out of their control. 

Our response:

• Acted on reports from the ground and allowed drivers to drop their scheduled delivery blocks without penalty.
• Reviewed and rolled back violations linked to the storm.
• Updated our policies to account for more flexibility during extreme weather events moving forward.

This wasn’t a one-time fix—it was another step toward a smarter, more compassionate system that puts drivers first.

Why These Changes Matter for Couriers, Customers and Restaurants

A strong, stable delivery network isn’t just good for drivers—it’s essential for restaurants and customers, too.

When experienced, reliable drivers stay on the road:

• Customers get their orders delivered quickly, safely, and accurately.
• Restaurants avoid cancellations and keep their diners happy.
• Drivers can continue earning on their terms. 

What’s Next

We’re never done improving. Supporting drivers means being proactive and listening to their feedback closely. That includes:

• Continuing to engage with drivers and advocacy groups directly and consistently to make sure their voices are heard and needs met.
• Partnering with Incognia to help keep driver accounts secure and prevent fraud. 
• Evolving our agreements with drivers so there are no surprises when it comes to device or account sharing. 
• Encouraging open communication—drivers who feel unfairly penalized should know they can and should reach out, and that a real person will review their deactivation appeals. 
• Updating our policies in response to what we see on the ground and what we hear from our driver community.

At the end of the day, our goal is simple: to uphold high service standards and build a strong, reliable delivery network that treats drivers fairly and gives them every opportunity to succeed. Because when drivers win, restaurants and customers win, too.