News Category: Life at Grubhub

For this edition of our Leadership Insights Series, we caught up with Yolonda Smith, Head of Cybersecurity.

The number one global risk organizations face today is the threat of a cyber-attack or data breach. Yolonda and her team serve as the gatekeepers to help protect Grubhub and its customers.

Tell us a little about your background and career before you arrived at Grubhub.
I have been in the cybersecurity space for 15 years. Before joining Grubhub, I worked at Sweetgreen, where I was the first-ever security employee. My role there involved overseeing all IT operations, security for the app and website, and the company itself. Before Sweetgreen, I had roles in product management for a cybersecurity company, as an analyst at Target, and I served in the Air Force for eight years. It was in the military where I first learned about hacking and cybersecurity, and all these experiences shaped my approach to security at Sweetgreen and now at Grubhub.

That’s impressive! So, what motivated you to join Grubhub?
Grubhub reached out to me because they were looking for someone who could apply the same kind of practical, scalable security measures that I had developed at Sweetgreen. I was excited to take on that challenge. My background allowed me to bring a unique perspective, particularly in tailoring security programs to fit a company’s specific needs and risks.

How did your military experience shape your approach to your career?
My military background had a huge impact on how I approach security. My very first assignment in the Air Force was actually in a mailroom, not in computers, which wasn’t what I expected. But that experience taught me a lot about managing complexity, solving problems quickly, and maintaining a clear mission under pressure. These lessons have been invaluable in my cybersecurity career. It also helped me understand the importance of protecting sensitive information. Later on, I was trained in cyber attacker methods, which gave me insights into how attackers think. All of these experiences combined helped me develop a strong, defense-focused approach to security.

Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field. What keeps you motivated to stay in the industry?
The constant change keeps me going! I also had a personal experience when I was in the military. My identity was stolen, and I remember that feeling of helplessness when I realized all the money in my bank account was gone. I don’t want anyone else to feel that way. That experience drives me to ensure Grubhub’s customers and employees don’t face that kind of vulnerability.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about cybersecurity?
I think many people don’t realize how prevalent cyber threats are, or they underestimate their impact. One thing I wish people understood is how critical social engineering has become again. A lot of breaches happen because hackers manipulate people into revealing sensitive information. It’s an old threat, but it’s making a comeback, especially now that hackers are weaponizing AI to automate attacks.

What does the Grubhub cybersecurity team focus on, and how do you measure its effectiveness?
We have a dedicated team of developers, analysts, and operators who protect the Grubhub website, the app, and the overall brand. We work with engineering partners to ensure login systems are secure, monitor external threats, and maintain internal security protocols.

In terms of measuring our effectiveness, we align our security objectives with the company’s overall strategy. Every year, we set specific risk goals. This year, we aimed to reduce our risk score by more than a half point, which we accomplished. It might not sound like much, but that’s a big improvement for a small team. We also measure our success by how quickly we respond to incidents, whether we address the highest risks, and how well we communicate with the business.

What are some of the biggest cybersecurity threats the industry is currently facing?
Right now, phishing and social engineering are the major threats. Attackers often pose as company representatives and use sophisticated techniques to trick merchants into giving up sensitive information. What’s worse is that AI has made these kinds of attacks more efficient. It used to take weeks to set up a phishing campaign. Now, someone with minimal expertise can automate the entire process in a fraction of the time.

How would you describe your leadership style?
I set a high bar and expect people to hold themselves to those same standards. I focus on empowering my team to make decisions at their level and encourage pride in their work, quality of their deliverables, and their communication. My goal is to be hands-off on the details so people have a chance to come up with creative solutions, but remain close to the overall goals and objectives so I can provide guidance to get us back on track if that’s what’s needed. I think it’s important to balance between giving direction and providing autonomy.

For this edition of our Leadership Insights Series, we caught up with Nidhin George, Senior Vice President of Product.

Nidhin’s team is customer-obsessed and responsible for implementing robust product disciplines and driving innovation across Grubhub’s marketplace.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey to Grubhub?
I joined Grubhub in mid-2022, so it’s been around two and a half years now. I originally came on board to lead new verticals and corporate ordering products, but my role has since expanded. Now, I lead all product and design efforts at Grubhub, covering areas like front-end analytics and experimentation to test new features. Prior to Grubhub, I spent 17 years at Amazon, where I had the opportunity to scale various business units like the device business (Alexa), fulfillment by Amazon, and logistics products. That experience gave me exposure to building and scaling products across consumer logistics, fulfillment, and supply chain, which has proven invaluable in my current role.

Can you describe how the product team operates and tackles challenges?
The product team is built around solving key customer problems. We work closely with stakeholders across the business to ensure our efforts align with Grubhub’s broader goals to build value, selection, and service. We’ve structured our team around problem spaces—each led by a single-threaded leader, or STL, who is responsible for specific domains like consumer experience or merchant solutions. This structure allows us to scale while staying focused on what matters most: adding value to our customers.

Our process is deeply rooted in metrics. We measure both input and output metrics to track our progress. For example, if we’re focusing on customer growth, we’ll measure outputs like new and returning sessions on the app, but we’ll also look closely at actionable input metrics that drive those outcomes.

Collaboration is key to success in any organization. How does your team collaborate cross functionally to drive product success?
It’s definitely a tricky part of the job. One of the ways we address this is by creating “functional triads” that bring together business, product, engineering, and design to ensure alignment to solve specific challenges. This structure, combined with quarterly planning cycles, ensures that everyone is on the same page and that we are consistently aligning on strategic goals and execution plans.

How do you prioritize innovation while maintaining core product stability?
Innovation is critical to Grubhub’s future, but it’s a balancing act. We don’t have infinite resources, which means we have to be strategic about where we invest our time and energy. One of the ways we drive innovation is through partnerships—whether it’s working with language learning models or exploring robot deliveries and Amazon’s Just Walk Out technologies. Hackathons with our internal team members are another mechanism we use to encourage innovation, and they’ve led to some exciting developments over the years.

Grubhub has ambitious goals for returning to growth. How does your team align with the company’s broader strategy?
We work backward from the overall Grubhub goals, aligning our product strategy with the company’s growth objectives. For instance, if we’re targeting specific growth metrics, we bake those into our planning cycles and prioritize accordingly. Ruthless prioritization is key in this environment, where we at times have more work than capacity. We constantly ask ourselves, “What will move the needle the most?” and adjust our plans based on data-driven insights while staying strategic.

What are the main areas of focus for the rest of the year and moving into next year?
Our partnership with Amazon is a major focus, particularly through our Grubhub+ program, which remains central to our strategy. We’re also focusing on winning in our core markets, with a specific emphasis on value and selection. On the selection front, we’ve added a handful of large brands to our Marketplace, including CVS, Albertsons, and Starbucks.

How do you see Grubhub’s product evolving to meet future customer needs?
Our product philosophy is built around three pillars: 1) offering the best value (in terms of price, selection, and partnerships), 2) providing a seamless shopping experience, and 3) ensuring a strong brand perception. This applies not only to our customers but also to our merchants and drivers. We’re constantly refining our approach to ensure we meet the needs of all three sides of the marketplace.

As a leader, how would you describe your leadership style?
I lead with vision and focus on positioning our product to meet customer needs. I’m very much a people-first leader, encouraging my team to take calculated risks, fail fast, and learn quickly. I believe in walking the floor and understanding our customers firsthand. I also foster a culture where the best idea wins, regardless of where it comes from. Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of my approach.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?
Two key pieces of advice come to mind. First, foster a culture of innovation where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. It’s crucial to encourage risk-taking, especially when it comes to low-impact, high-velocity decisions. Second, focus matters. When you identify what resonates with customers, be decisive and bring it to market as quickly as possible. It’s all about prioritizing the vital few over the trivial many.

To showcase different perspectives and give an inside look into Grubhub, we’re spotlighting leaders across the organization. For this edition, we caught up with Michael Wireko, Vice President, Care.  

Michael’s team is responsible for Grubhub’s Care function, which provides customer service to our diners, drivers, restaurants, and corporate partners.  

Michael, you’ve been at Grubhub for 10 years now. That’s a long time! Can you tell us a bit about your journey?
I joined Grubhub in June 2014, right after the company went public. I transitioned from Discover Financial Services, where I worked in customer service. When I first started at Grubhub, I initially worked on the finance team, working closely with Care to understand our contact patterns and staffing needs. Over the years, I moved into various roles, including managing financials, workforce management, and analytics. By 2019, I was leading the Care Support team, and in 2021, I began leading the entire Care team, including our front-line support for customer, merchants, couriers and corporate clients.

Our Care team handles inbound contacts from diners, merchants, couriers, and corporate clients. We have thousands of agents globally, primarily outsourced, with some specialists in-house. Our focus is on resolving immediate issues, improving self-service options, and utilizing data to eliminate the root causes of contacts. We work closely with product and tech teams to enhance the overall customer experience to drive retention and loyalty, which Care and service greatly impact.

What are the top challenges your team deals with?
Missed deliveries, missing items, and order status inquiries are the top three areas we typically deal with for customers. We’ve automated many of these processes to create a better and faster experience for customers, especially for missing items and order statuses. To address these types of contacts, we focus on understanding the customer’s concern, providing compensation when necessary, and ensuring the restaurant is informed about any issues—whether it’s related to the food a customer received or a delivery snafu.

How do you measure the impact and effectiveness of your team’s contributions to Grubhub’s business?
We measure our impact through various metrics, including customer satisfaction, retention rates, and the effectiveness of our self-service tools. We’ve implemented diner retention metrics to track how contact with Care affects customer retention. This allows us to invest in improving the customer experience and reducing churn. For restaurants, we focus on reducing attrition by offering self-service options and friendly policies.

You recently spoke at Customer Contact Week in Las Vegas. Can you share your experience and key takeaways?
The experience was fantastic. I talked about our strategy of linking contact center performance to business outcomes, which garnered a lot of interest. Key takeaways from the conference included how self-service is being leveraged and AI in customer service. We are ahead in many aspects, but there’s always room for improvement, especially with AI’s potential to revolutionize the industry.

What are your team’s focus areas for the second half of the year and beyond?
Our main focus is continuing to help Grubhub return to growth. This involves improving our service, personalizing the customer experience, and reducing waste. We’re expanding our self-service options, enhancing fraud prevention, and continuing to expand on personalization. By streamlining these processes, we’re improving customer satisfaction and retention.

What is one area that your team will need to address in the years ahead?
Balancing ease of use for customers with fraud prevention is a significant challenge. Making it easy for honest customers while deterring fraudulent activities requires careful planning and data analysis. Additionally, AI will play a crucial role in the future of customer service, helping to automate processes and improve efficiency, so our team is looking into how we use the technology to improve the experience for our customers and agents.

Having been at Grubhub for a decade and growing into a senior leader, how do you foster a culture that resonates within your team?
Learning at Grubhub for 10 years in multiple departments has been extremely constructive – I’ve learned that there are several ways to operate and that there are several opinions on everything. Based on this, I have tried to create an environment that promotes being customer-obsessed by putting yourself in the shoes of the customer and understanding how and what you do impacts customer behavior. Additionally, to help align opinions, ensuring that we use data to drive decisions rather than feelings. This includes having clear target metrics for the team and ensuring that we can best represent customer pain points to the rest of the organization by tying them directly to data.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?
You have to understand what’s important to the people you’re working with and relate to your stakeholders. For example, when working with Finance and Product, being able to make business cases on customer retention and revenue goes further than talking about the impact on the customer satisfaction metric. This approach has helped me align with stakeholders and drive successful initiatives. This also ties to making things easy. Whether it’s for customers or internal teams, meeting customers where they are and putting in extra effort to make resolutions simple for others fosters cooperation and efficiency.

To showcase different perspectives and give an inside look into Grubhub, we’re spotlighting leaders across the organization. For this edition, we caught up with Launika Raykar, Vice President, Loyalty and Marketing.

Launika’s team is responsible for Grubhub’s loyalty program, Grubhub+, as well as our efforts to reach more merchants, drivers, campus administrators and corporate clients.

Tell us about your journey at Grubhub so far. 

I joined Grubhub in April 2022, and my mission was to build the best loyalty program that engages diners to order more and stay exclusive with Grubhub. When I started, our Grubhub+ membership base was small but growing. However, within a month of joining, Amazon came on board, and my first big project was launching our partnership with Amazon and Grubhub+. This was a massive cross-functional effort and the fastest-moving project I’ve ever been a part of. Since then, we’ve relaunched Grubhub+ and continued to grow with Amazon; having just announced last week that we’ve made Grubhub+ an ongoing benefit for Prime members and have enabled Grubhub ordering on Amazon.com and the Amazon Shopping app. 

In your opinion, what are some key factors driving customer loyalty in today’s market, and how do they align with Grubhub’s goals?

Customers today look for value, recognition, and exceptional service. At Grubhub, our loyalty program is designed to meet these needs. We’re focused on delivering tangible value, recognizing frequent customers, and providing elevated services to our top-tier members. This approach aligns with our goals of increasing retention and deepening customer engagement.

What are the key areas of focus for the loyalty team in 2024?

One of our key objectives is to improve the actual and perceived value of Grubhub, with Grubhub+ being a significant part of that. We’re focused on growing our Grubhub+ membership base and ensuring these members are active and engaged. Retention is a major goal for us, and our strategies are designed to keep customers ordering month over month.

Any upcoming projects or initiatives the Loyalty team is working on in the year ahead?

One exciting initiative is the launch of a priority delivery feature for Grubhub customers. With this feature, customers can upgrade to Priority Delivery at checkout to have their meal delivered faster than the standard Grubhub delivery time. And for Grubhub+ customers, we’re currently offering it at no additional cost. This feature will save our customers time while adding to the monetary savings Grubhub+ members already receive. It’s an investment in our members, showing them that we value their time as much as their money. We’re also focused on better merchandising our loyalty program, celebrating customer savings, and reminding them of their benefits to drive deeper engagement.

Let’s talk about Gold Days of Grubhub+. We saw the announcement in May. In case folks missed it, what are Gold Days of Grubhub+ and what should we all know about the campaign?

Gold Days of Grubhub+ is Grubhub’s member appreciation month where we give our most loyal diners exclusive freebies and savings on restaurant and convenience items. We held our first-ever Gold Days of Grubhub in October 2023, and earlier this month we announced the second one that is running from May 13 through June 9!

During the month-long event, Grubhub+ members will receive even more value with 20K+ deals from local favorites, on top of dozens of high-value offers from popular national restaurants and convenience stores such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Sweetgreen, Chipotle, Wendy’s, KFC, Dunkin’, Pizza Hut, Popeyes and 7-Eleven. 

How does the loyalty team at Grubhub collaborate with other departments?

At Grubhub, everyone touches loyalty in some way. While there are people focused specifically on loyalty within my team, we work closely with almost every department. For example, our product and engineering teams focus on member insights, experience and customer retention, while our brand and marketing team works on raising program awareness and deepening member engagement. We also collaborate with analytics, PR, legal, and merchant network teams to ensure our strategy is integrated in broader decision making. This integrated approach ensures that loyalty is a priority across the entire business and that we make progress in a material way.

How do you as a leader foster a dynamic and collaborative culture within the Loyalty team?

I emphasize the three E’s: envisioning what’s possible, energizing the team to achieve this vision, and helping develop frameworks so the team can successfully execute. Creating an energized, high-tempo team environment is crucial. We hold regular team meetings and working sessions to ensure collaboration and cross-functional engagement, given that everyone has a role to play in loyalty. 

To showcase different perspectives and give an inside look into Grubhub, we’re spotlighting leaders across the organization. For this edition, we caught up with Katie Armistead, Vice President of Legal & Deputy General Counsel.

The legal department serves as a critical business partner, helping enable the success of Grubhub’s strategy at every level of the organization. 

You have some tenure here at Grubhub. What was your trajectory like after law school?

Backing up a bit, I went to law school out East and made my way to the Midwest after graduating. My first job out of school was at Jones Day, a large international law firm. I spent three and a half years there before I moved in-house and joined Grubhub. My seven year anniversary was last week! And it’s funny, I’ve been here seven years and I feel like I’m at a new company every six months since there’s always a new initiative that’s important to Grubhub or a new legal risk which makes this job so fun yet challenging. My team is always having to stay up to date on business initiatives and what’s happening in the industry which keeps us constantly learning and evolving as legal professionals.

There’s a common misconception that legal teams can be a blocker to great ideas. How do you fight off that perception?

We consider ourselves real business partners and are here to support whatever the business needs. That’s been true since day one when we were a small but mighty team to today where we are a much larger function. Generally speaking, the legal team at companies can often get a bad reputation and is viewed as the “no” team more often than not. That’s not our goal or the team we want to be. I make sure that my team is part of every conversation from day one so that we can identify risks early on while learning about the opportunities an effort presents. 

It’s easy to call out what can go wrong, but identifying what can go right and help the business and our partners grow is equally important and something we place a lot of emphasis on. To do that, my team spends a lot of time building relationships with folks across the business to understand their priorities so we can best advise them and be viewed as a trusted partner.

The best analogy someone on my team said was that we are the pit team during a NASCAR race. When you’re watching NASCAR, you see the cars go around the track and then stop so that the pit team can come in and fix the car so it’s ready to race. That’s the legal team. We consider ourselves the pit team — we went to be helpers.  

Talk to me about work-life balance. As a lawyer and mom of two (almost three), how do you prioritize personal time and work and promote that within your team?

As a mom of a four-year-old and a two-year-old with another on the way, I have a lot going on in my life. Here’s my take: we all have other things that make us who we are outside of work, and when the team comes to work, we ask them to bring their full selves. We aren’t robots, so there’s no need to show up to work on Monday and immediately dive into contract negotiations. I want to hear about your weekend and the things you’ve been up to. Or, if you’ve been going through some challenges, I want you to know I’m here to support you. 

I’m a believer that a full personal life makes you a better lawyer, and I tell our lawyers that sometimes the best ideas I’ve had about our legal challenges have happened when I’m on a run or out to brunch with my girlfriends. 

What advice do you have for people who are pursuing a career in the legal field?

I hear a lot from more junior female attorneys and women in law school who want to know how they can get to where I’m at now. And I tell them all the same thing — work really hard and try to have some fun. The legal profession can be a lot of fun, but it has a bad reputation for being too hardworking or having too many naysayers which I mentioned earlier. You also need to work somewhere that aligns with your values.

One of the reasons I love Grubhub is because the people here are just so fabulous. Our leadership — specifically our chief legal officer, is an incredible leader and really champions junior lawyers. Loving the team you’re on makes coming to work every day fun and easy, and I would encourage people getting into the law profession to seek out law firms and companies that match their values and interests. You have to love what you do considering how much time you spend doing it.

You’re known within your team for having a lot of catchphrases. What are some of them?

Oh boy, there are a lot. Two of my favorites are “How many tacos did this cost us?” and “Lean into the chaos.”