Olo Teams Up With Grubhub to Streamline Delivery and Digital Orders for Restaurants

Orders through Grubhub now injected directly into restaurant point-of-sale via Olo Rails

NEW YORK & CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Olo (NYSE: OLO), a leading on-demand commerce platform powering the restaurant industry’s digital transformation, today announced an engagement with Grubhub (NASDAQ: GRUB), a leading U.S. food-ordering and delivery marketplace, to integrate digital orders directly into the point-of-sale (POS) of tens of thousands of restaurant brand locations via Olo Rails.

Rails is Olo’s solution that makes it easy for restaurant brands to publish their menus, prices and location information on participating third-party marketplaces in order to drive incremental sales, simplify workflows and manage orders from multiple channels into one place. The solution also allows orders placed by consumers on the Grubhub website or app to be injected directly into the order stream at the restaurant to improve order accuracy and operational efficiencies for restaurant operators. Restaurants can do away with the need for multiple digital ordering tablets in the kitchen to improve tracking and profit accountability.

“Restaurants have experienced an influx of digital and delivery orders like we’ve never seen before given current industry tailwinds accelerated by the necessity for safety and convenience over the last year. We’re proud to welcome Grubhub to our growing network of marketplace partners and know the ability to have digital orders from the Grubhub platform directly enter into our restaurant customers’ POS, in addition to ensuring consistent menu display for consumers, will greatly benefit them operationally and financially,” said Andrea Coe, VP & General Manager of Olo Rails.

“Our longstanding priority at Grubhub is to serve restaurants, and we’re constantly looking for ways to make it easier for restaurant brands to partner with us and better fit online ordering into their operations,” said Kevin Kearns, Senior Vice President of Restaurants at Grubhub. “By teaming up with Olo, our restaurant partners can now use Rails to provide a reliable and streamlined behind-the-counter process for restaurant team members, while also ensuring order accuracy and a great experience for diners.”

“The digital landscape is rapidly expanding as guests continue to enjoy the convenience of ordering ahead. This makes it more important than ever for information like menus and pricing to be reflected accurately and updated in real time across all of our channels,” said Dan Harmon, President & COO of Smoothie King. “With Grubhub’s marketplace and delivery capabilities now integrated with Olo’s Rails solution, our store teams can better streamline their operations, eliminate human errors and duplication, and focus on providing great service to our valued guests.”

About Olo
Olo is a leading on-demand commerce platform powering the restaurant industry’s digital transformation. Millions of orders per day run on Olo’s enterprise SaaS engine, enabling brands to maximize the convergence of digital and brick-and-mortar operations. The Olo platform provides the infrastructure to capture demand and manage consumer orders from every channel. With integrations to over 100 technology partners, Olo customers can build digital experiences with the largest and most flexible restaurant commerce ecosystem on the market. Over 400 restaurant brands use Olo to grow digital sales, maximize profitability, and preserve direct consumer relationships. Learn more at olo.com.

About Grubhub
Grubhub is part of Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY, NASDAQ: GRUB), a leading global online food delivery marketplace. Dedicated to connecting more than 33 million diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features more than 300,000 restaurant partners in over 4,000 U.S. cities.

National ACE Launches AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund in Partnership with Grubhub to Help Struggling AAPI-owned Restaurants

Independent restaurants across the country can apply for a grant up to $10,000 through AAPISTRONG Restaurant program

CHICAGO and WASHINGTON, D.C., August 4, 2021 — Grubhub, a leading food-delivery marketplace, and National Asian Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (National ACE) have announced a new grant program to support independent, AAPI-owned restaurants. With the industry facing new challenges post-pandemic, the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund is available to help restaurants respond to those challenges and recover from the effects of the pandemic through monetary grants, such as paying employees’ wages or repairing damage to the restaurant caused by discrimination or bias.

“Our AAPI-owned restaurants have experienced severe losses throughout the pandemic and even worse, are victims of hate, discrimination, and bias at their place of business,” said Chiling Tong President and CEO of National ACE. “Grubhub’s ongoing commitment to AAPI-owned restaurants is demonstrated by the support they provided during AAPI Heritage Month. The contributions from Grubhub and its diners will provide hope for AAPI restaurant owners that were not eligible for PPP or RRF funds.”

The AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund will be supported with a $2 million donation from their “Donate the Change” program. Throughout the month of May, Grubhub customers opted-in to round up their bill at checkout and donate the difference to support AAPI-owned restaurants, with Grubhub also matching donations from Grubhub+ members. Eligible restaurants across the country will be able to apply for a $10,000 or $8,000 grant with nearly 200 restaurants being awarded in October. AAPI-owned restaurants were among the hardest hit during the pandemic’s early days. By April 2020, roughly half of the Chinese restaurants in the U.S. had closed because of the pandemic, coupled with consumer prejudice and misperceptions.

“The unparalleled diversity of cuisines offered by restaurants is an important part of the cultural fabric of every city across the country,” said Kevin Kearns, senior vice president of restaurants at Grubhub. “While every restaurant has been impacted by the pandemic, the AAPI community and its businesses have experienced a horrific and unacceptable rise in hate crimes and discrimination. That is why we are proud to partner with National ACE to give back to AAPI-owned restaurants that need a little extra help to get back on their feet.”

Starting August 4, 2021 through August 31, 2021, the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund will accept grant applications from all AAPI-owned restaurants across the country. To qualify for grant assistance, AAPI-owned restaurants must satisfy all of the following requirements: The restaurant must be Asian American/Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian (AAPI) majority-owned (at least 51%), based in the United States, must have been operational in 2019, be currently in operation, show proof of their primary licensed activity as “the preparation and serving of food,” and operate in a maximum of three locations.

Applications will open at 3pm ET on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 via www.NationalACE.org.

The application period will close on August 31, 2021 and grants will be fully distributed to restaurants by early October. Interested restaurants can learn more about the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund and the full application process at https://www.nationalace.org/aapistrong-restaurant-fund.

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About National ACE

National ACE’s mission is to serve as a strong advocate of AAPI business interests and effect positive change on all issues that enhance and advance the goals and aspirations of AAPI business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders. With over 70 affiliate chambers of commerce and minority business organization partners throughout the country, National ACE strives to support and promote issues that impact the AAPI business community by improving economic development and impact, advancing coalitions and enhancing community building, and fostering the next generation of AAPI entrepreneurs and executives. National ACE provides a unified voice for the business interests of AAPIs nationally. Learn more at: www.nationalace.org

About Grubhub

Grubhub is part of Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY, NASDAQ: GRUB), a leading global online food delivery marketplace. Dedicated to connecting more than 33 million diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features more than 300,000 restaurant partners in over 4,000 U.S. cities.

Grubhub Launches “We Serve Restaurants” as Restaurants Reopen Their Doors and Evolve Post-Pandemic

New initiative reignites Grubhub’s long-standing commitment to restaurants, launches with national marketing campaign and builds upon recent product updates and partnerships to help rebuild the industry

CHICAGO, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Grubhub today unveiled the company’s latest initiative, “We Serve Restaurants,” a reaffirmation of our commitment to restaurants and support of the industry. Built out of in-depth research with restaurateurs and diners, this initiative marks a return to Grubhub’s roots, helping restaurants build business by leveraging digital tools to enhance diner relationships and drive demand.

“Since my early days knocking on restaurant doors in Chicago more than 15 years ago, Grubhub’s sole focus has been helping restaurants grow. Restaurants were, and always have been, vital to our every day, and now their recovery is crucial,” said Matt Maloney, founder and CEO of Grubhub. “As communities reopen and we enter this next chapter, we’re dedicated to helping restaurants do what they love while successfully building their business.”

“We Serve Restaurants” builds on recent product updates and partnerships, launching with a 360-degree marketing campaign. As its centerpiece, the campaign features a “love letter” to restaurants, a national television spot highlighting the true labor of love that goes into every order. Filmed in pizzerias, burger joints, and white tablecloth fine dining restaurants, the content focuses on the mouth-watering dishes diners know and love, and the care from restaurateurs behind-the-scenes that make them special. In addition to the television spot, the campaign will be brought to life across other channels including social media and out-of-home across the country.

“We Serve Restaurants” was created out of Grubhub’s commitment to put restaurants and their needs first. In conversations and surveys with owners of small- and mid-sized restaurants and diners who use food delivery, we heard eagerness to know more about how Grubhub plans to help the restaurant industry flourish. In response, Grubhub is demonstrating to small and independent restaurants that they are the company’s priority.

In addition to the national marketing campaign, “We Serve Restaurants” encompasses restaurant-focused partnerships and product offerings, including the recently-launched Grubhub Direct, a platform to help independent restaurants better compete online through commission-free ordering and access to customer data, and the Restaurant Stronger grant program with Restaurant Strong Fund. In the weeks to come, Grubhub will announce additional product updates that prioritize the important restaurant-diner relationship.

“We Serve Restaurants” was filmed by Academy Award-nominated American filmmaker and Emmy Award-winning commercial director Henry-Alex Rubin and developed in partnership with 72andSunny and APCO Worldwide.  To view the television spots, visit the Grubhub YouTube page. Restaurants interested in learning more about Grubhub Direct, visit https://get.grubhub.com/grubhub-direct.

About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as 33 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with over 280,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

Grubhub And Restaurant Strong Fund Program Gives $2 Million To Help Restaurants Reopen

Independent restaurants in more than a dozen cities across the country can apply for a $5,000 Restaurant Stronger grant

CHICAGO and BOSTON, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Grubhub, a leading food-ordering and delivery marketplace, and The Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund announced the latest phase in their commitment to supporting restaurants: the Restaurant Stronger program, a new initiative to provide $5,000 grants to eligible independent restaurants. As the industry faces new challenges post-pandemic, the Restaurant Stronger grants will help restaurants fully reopen their doors, including staff hiring and training, COVID-related requirements, and inventory purchasing.

“Over the last 14 months, the support that Grubhub has given to the restaurant community has been extraordinary,” said Greg Hill, Founder of The Greg Hill Foundation. “They have ensured that the Restaurant Strong Fund was able to provide millions of dollars in grants to restaurants and their employees to help them survive. This next step will help the industry with what is hopefully a final step toward getting back to their normal.”

The Restaurant Stronger Grant program will be supported with a $2 million donation recommended from the Grubhub Community Relief Fund (GCRF), a donor-advised fund created by Grubhub to support charitable organizations helping restaurants, drivers and those in need impacted by COVID-19. This second phase of the program follows the Winterization Grants launched late last year from a $2 million donation that funded grants to nearly 200 independent restaurants. Upon being awarded one of the Winterization Grants, the team at S&G Restaurant in Chicago said, “This allowed us to keep the current employees we brought back on this summer and to give them an opportunity to earn a little during the holidays. I cannot tell you how opportune this grant was.”

“As we start to see the country open up after more than a year of uncertainty, we’re focused on supporting our restaurant partners as they are welcomed back into their communities in full,” said Kevin Kearns, senior vice president of restaurants at Grubhub. “However, we know that reopening comes with its own expenses, so it’s important for us to come together with the Restaurant Strong Fund again to help lift up the industry in this next, and hopefully final, phase of returning to our new normal post-pandemic.”

Starting May 25 through June 5, the Restaurant Strong Fund will accept grant applications from all restaurants with five or fewer locations in Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley), Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, the Los Angeles area (Los Angeles, Anaheim, Long Beach), New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. The application period will close on June 5 and grants will be fully distributed to restaurants by June 11. Interested restaurants can learn more about the Restaurant Stronger Grant program and the full application process at https://www.restaurantstrong.org/restaurantstronger.

About The Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund
The Greg Hill Foundation responds to the immediate needs of families that have been touched by tragedy. Since its inception in 2010, the foundation has provided over $11,000,000 in grants to families and individuals in need. With more than 1 million restaurants in the U.S. employing over 15 million people nationwide, the foundation created the Restaurant Strong Fund to be able to assist restaurant owners and employees who have been impacted by Covid-19.

About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as 33 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with over 280,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

 

Grubhub Unveils Grubhub Direct, a Commission-Free Platform to Help Restaurants Reach Loyal Diners and Build their Brands Online

Independent restaurants can now use Grubhub technology for their own standalone personalized and branded ordering websites to take commission-free orders, market to their diners and control their customer data

CHICAGO, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Grubhub today announced Grubhub Direct, a platform to help independent restaurants better compete online through commission-free online ordering and access to their customer data. With nearly 10 years building branded ordering and loyalty experiences for large restaurant chains, Grubhub is leveraging its expertise to help independent restaurants develop their own customized ordering websites, empowering them to market directly to their diners, receive their diner data and manage their branded website—all without any marketing fees.

 

“We’re constantly listening and learning from our independent restaurant partners, and we’ve heard them. Restaurants want more options to build their brands online and maintain a loyal base of diners through their own channels,” said Matt Maloney, founder and CEO of Grubhub. “That’s why we’re opening our pipes and allowing restaurants to leverage our technology to grow their own brands and communities online. With Grubhub Direct, we’re further supporting restaurants as they rebound from COVID shutdowns into a much larger digital world, by giving them the tools to control their relationships with their diners.”

Grubhub Direct makes it easy for restaurants to develop a unique, highly customizable ordering website and start taking orders by leveraging Grubhub’s best-in-class technology. Restaurants receive access to a powerful suite of solutions at no extra cost, including:

  • Website design: Choose the fonts, colors and images that fit the restaurant’s brand for a consistent look and feel.
  • Customer relationship management (CRM): Access diner data including names, email addresses and order history (menu items, lifetime spend, order sizes and fulfillment methods).
  • Order management: Receive, confirm and cancel orders through the Grubhub platform.
  • Management portal: Manage menu, hours, financials and other restaurant settings; access reporting and performance insights; and identify future growth opportunities.
  • Loyalty and promotions: Attract new diners and create loyal ones with Grubhub’s loyalty tools; targeted and ROI-driven promotions; and analytics.
  • Care support: Benefit from Grubhub’s support team for help via phone, chat or email.

Grubhub Direct reflects our commitment to better support restaurants and help them build their business online, drawing from our deep experience building and powering ordering and loyalty platforms for leading brands such as Smoothie King. Now, independent restaurants can leverage the tools to connect directly with their diners, in addition to Grubhub’s existing Marketplace capabilities, to expand their marketing reach.

“Restaurant owners today are focused on what it takes to run their business and recover from the pandemic,” said Amy Le, owner and chef of Saucy Porka. “They often do not have the time that it traditionally takes to develop and manage their own ordering website, which is why tools like Grubhub Direct will give us a way to build our online brand presence and thoughtfully grow the relationship with our diners.”

“Our guests are always looking for the best loyalty and rewards, and through our branded ordering app, we have access to the tools and insights that enable us to create personalized promotional campaigns to help our guests on their health and fitness journey,” said Rebecca Miller, chief marketing officer at Smoothie King. “In today’s digital age, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of our guests and their ordering habits for acquisition and engagement efforts, and Grubhub’s technology solves for that—empowering our brand to grow and stand out in a crowded landscape.”

Grubhub will not charge any marketing or commissions to restaurants on Grubhub Direct orders. Restaurants will pay standard credit card processing fees and optionally, a highly competitive delivery fee, only if the restaurant chooses to have Grubhub drivers deliver for them. Tens of thousands of Grubhub restaurant partners deliver their own orders and would pay no delivery charge on Grubhub Direct. Additionally, we’re waiving setup and monthly hosting fees for Grubhub Direct through April 2022. Access to diner data, loyalty programs and promotions through Grubhub Direct is always free.

For more information and to sign up for Grubhub Direct, please visit get.grubhub.com/grubhub-direct.

About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as 33 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with over 280,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

Grubhub Expands Commitment to Women Culinary Leaders Through Partnerships with World Central Kitchen and Women Business Collaborative in Fourth Year of RestaurantHER

CHICAGO, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In recognition of Women’s History Month, Grubhub is strengthening and expanding its commitment to grow the number of women-led restaurants, especially those impacted by COVID. It was four years ago with the creation of RestaurantHER that Grubhub first started using its technology platform to drive change and respond to the issues facing women in the restaurant industry. The company pledged to champion and support women-led restaurants, raise awareness about inequality in the industry and help improve things for the better.

As Grubhub kicks off its fourth year of RestaurantHER, we’re working with World Central Kitchen (WCK) and the Women Business Collaborative (WBC) to support and help amplify our ongoing efforts for women in the culinary industry.

RestaurantHER comes this year as women have lost the most jobs during the pandemic. In January 2021, women were still down 5.4 million jobs, which makes up 55 percent of total jobs lost. The restaurant industry was among those most impacted by COVID, and a majority of the workforce are women. Before COVID, female restaurant workers (especially owners and chefs) struggled to grow due to lack of sponsorship, funding and even workplace harassment. As a result, there are fewer women at the leadership level in restaurants. And now those numbers are dwindling even further.

“We are hopeful that across the country, RestaurantHER will spark a movement of support for women-owned and operated restaurants,” said Devry Boughner Vorwerk, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Grubhub. “Women restaurateurs are highly capable business leaders in the industry, and they often face barriers that their male counterparts do not. This month, and every month, at Grubhub, we want to shine a light on women-led restaurants and all the benefits these women bring to their communities through their dedication, their creativity and their cuisine.”

Since Grubhub began the RestaurantHER initiative in 2018, we’ve seen talented and aspiring chefs who have been able to succeed in part because of the resources and programs of RestaurantHER. Our incredible partners and diners have played a significant role in helping Grubhub work toward change. We worked with organizations such as the James Beard Foundation and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs to provide grants and tools for female chefs and culinary leaders to navigate and address the specific challenges they face in the industry. Additionally, Grubhub created a RestaurantHER map where diners can find a women-led restaurant near them.

To continue our efforts, Grubhub is supporting World Central Kitchen‘s Restaurants for the People program and specifically restaurants that are women-owned and operated. Grubhub will support these efforts through the Donate the Change program during Women’s History Month, where diners are invited to join us in helping these women. Grubhub’s Donate the Change feature allows diners who opt-in to round up their change on every order. All proceeds will go to World Central Kitchen to provide nourishing meals to help vulnerable communities impacted by the pandemic. Last year, Grubhub diners across the country generously donated a total of $21 million to support various organizations and communities in need through Donate the Change.

“We are grateful for Grubhub’s support and belief in our mission, and recognition that restaurants are a key part of the solution to the ongoing health, economic, and humanitarian crises. Their support will specifically help women-owned and operated restaurants that are a part of our Restaurants for the People program, which pays restaurants directly to help keep their business afloat while also providing tens of thousands of meals to people in need,” said Erin Gore, Vice President of Development at World Central Kitchen.

Grubhub is also excited to kick off a partnership with the Women Business Collaborative, an alliance of more than 44 women business organizations and thousands of individuals who are committed to gender equality in the workplace. Together, we’ll raise awareness and encourage Americans to support local women-owned restaurants throughout the month of March and throughout the year. We’ll also form an advisory board in 2021 composed of female restaurant owners to discuss issues in the industry and ways Grubhub and others can help.

“The time is now for all of us to commit to order from women-owned restaurants and tell the stories of our support in every community across this nation. We are devoted to this effort with RestaurantHER and Grubhub,” added Edie Fraser, CEO of Women Business Collaborative.

World Central Kitchen will also be Grubhub’s donation partner for our popular virtual concert series Sound Bites, which will feature performances by Megan Thee Stallion, Noah Cyrus and King Princess. Fans tuning in will be encouraged to scan customized QR codes that will pop up throughout the show to receive special discounts and Perks, along with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from King Princess. For every QR code scanned at one point during the live stream, Grubhub will donate $1 (up to $100,000) to World Central Kitchen. The free Sound Bites concert will take place on Friday, March 26 at 7 p.m. ET on the Grubhub YouTube channel.

Grubhub’s commitment to support women in the restaurant industry will continue as long as it takes to see equality, and we hope our community of diners will join us by supporting female chefs and owners, and their delicious culinary creations, year-round. Visit the Grubhub app, Grubhub.com or RestaurantHER.com to find a women-led restaurant near you.

About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as over 31 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with over 265,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

Grubhub Invites Diners to Help Celebrate and Support the Black Restaurant Community

Food is at the heart of all communities and cultures, and this month Grubhub is honoring the diverse culinary plates from the Black community. To support and celebrate our many Black-owned restaurant partners, we are working alongside two organizations who have made an incredible impact in this community, Feed the Soul Foundation and Black Restaurant Week, LLC. Feed the Soul, the non-profit arm of Black Restaurant Week, will be the beneficiary of Grubhub’s February Sound Bites concert featuring Anderson .Paak, The Soul Rebels, Big Freedia, Trombone Shorty and Tarriona “Tank” Ball. In addition, we’re unveiling a new search filter, powered by Dine.Black, to help diners discover nearby Black-owned restaurants.

During February, all proceeds from Grubhub’s Donate the Change program benefit Feed the Soul Foundation, which aims to aid marginalized entrepreneurs in the culinary industry with business development resources and support sustainable business growth. They provide business development training, consultation services to improve business operations, and business resources including programming, funding, technology, workforce training and more. Feed the Soul Foundation will use our diner donations toward the following:

  • Multiple $10K grants will go to restaurant owners for business development, such as menu consultation, operations or marketing initiatives.
  • Restaurant emergency funds to support restaurants in the event of an unexpected emergency such as flooding or a break-in. Feed the Soul Foundation will help provide  resources to help restaurants re-open and get back on their feet.
  • Scholarships to marginalized hospitality management college students, creating a pathway to help grow the next generation of restaurant entrepreneurs.

Our Donate the Change feature allows diners who opt-in to round up their change on their orders. Last year, Grubhub diners across the country donated more than $20 million dollars to various organizations and communities in need of support through the same program. Grubhub also matches Donate the Change contributions by Grubhub+ members. We invite more diners to opt-in to Donate the Change and join us this month to help make an impact in supporting the Black culinary community.

Grubhub is also partnering with Black Restaurant Week, LLC beginning with Black Restaurant Week in the Pacific Northwest on Feb. 19-28th. The partnership will promote Black-owned businesses and help local diners discover and support Black-owned restaurants in Oregon and Washington, with plans to continue with Black Restaurant Weeks in major markets across the country.

Feed the Soul Foundation will also be Grubhub’s donation partner for our popular virtual concert series Sound Bites, which will feature performances by Anderson .Paak and The Soul Rebels, with special guests Big Freedia, Trombone Shorty and Tarriona “Tank” Ball. During the live concert, fans tuning in will be encouraged to comment during the live stream, and Grubhub will donate $5 for every comment (up to $100K) to Feed the Soul Foundation. Sound Bites will take place on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. ET on the Grubhub YouTube channel.

Finally, Grubhub is also excited to unveil a new search filter that will help diners easily find and order from Black-owned restaurants in their area. With the help of Dine.Black, this new filter will showcase thousands of restaurants nationwide on the Grubhub platform.

We have a responsibility to do our part in raising up our fellow foodies and that starts with discovery. We invite our diners to join our efforts by ordering from these incredible restaurants while at the same time supporting other culinary efforts. Visit the Grubhub app or Grubhub.com to find a delicious restaurant near you.

Grubhub gives restaurants expanded commission-free ordering solutions

As restaurants face uncertain and challenging times this winter, Grubhub is introducing a new package of marketing commission-free solutions to make it easier for restaurants to do online ordering through their own digital channels or on-premise properties. These solutions build upon the hundreds of millions of dollars we’ve devoted since March to restaurant support and demand generation, and give restaurants more ways to leverage our Grubhub technology to fulfill orders.

This new package – the Direct Order Toolkit – gives restaurants free access to three solutions to help them drive online orders without any marketing fees:

  • Direct Order Link: An ordering link for restaurants to use in their email marketing or to post on their social media accounts
  • Direct Order Button: A customizable “Order Now” button for restaurants to put on their own websites
  • Direct Order QR Code: A unique QR code for restaurants to include in printed materials like mailers or signs<

 

Above: Direct Order Toolkit available within the Grubhub for Restaurants Dashboard

Grubhub does not charge any marketing fees to restaurants on these orders – just an order processing fee, which the restaurant would face regardless for credit card processing, and a delivery fee if the restaurant wants to use our drivers for delivery. Leveraging our drivers – for these direct order solutions or on our marketplace – is always optional, and tens of thousands of our restaurant partners choose to do their own deliveries with no delivery charge by Grubhub.

“It’s never been more important than right now for Grubhub to find and develop ways for our independent restaurant partners to serve their customers and drive online orders,” said Seth Priebatsch, Grubhub’s chief revenue officer. “The Direct Order Toolkit delivers on that commitment and makes it easy for restaurant owners to offer takeout and delivery on their own channels by adding these commission-free online ordering capabilities.”

Above left: Customizations for the Direct Order Button. Above right: Download options for the Direct Order QR Code

The Direct Order Toolkit is available to restaurants directly on their Grubhub for Restaurants Dashboard. These solutions improve upon Grubhub’s previous online ordering link solutions, offered since 2013 and used for millions of marketing commission-free orders to restaurants.

This is just one step of many to enable restaurants to build loyalty and drive orders in the best way for their unique business. With deep experience through our in-house agency LevelUp, we power websites, apps, loyalty programs and ordering platforms for restaurants. And in the coming months and beyond, we’re committed to providing even more solutions to give restaurants options to drive more orders and serve their communities.

Grubhub And Restaurant Strong Fund Announce New Program To Provide $2 Million In Restaurant Support This Winter

Program offers independent restaurants in Chicago, New York City, Boston and Philadelphia $10,000 Restaurant Winterization Grants

CHICAGO and BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Grubhub, a leading food-ordering and delivery marketplace, and The Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund announced the Restaurant Winterization Grant program, a new initiative to provide $10,000 grants to eligible independent restaurants. With indoor dining limited in many cities to combat a resurgence of COVID-19, this financial support will help restaurants prepare for winter, including by helping restaurants address needs for additional infrastructure and equipment to extend outdoor dining, increased personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect their employees, and other necessities to get them through the cold-weather months.

The program will be supported with a $2 million grant recommended from Grubhub Community Relief Fund (GCRF), a donor-advised fund created in March by Grubhub to support charitable organizations helping restaurants, drivers and those in need impacted by COVID-19. Restaurant Strong Fund will also be accepting donations for the Restaurant Winterization Grant program, helping extend the program beyond the initial launch.

“What Grubhub has done already to support thousands of restaurant owners and their employees has been instrumental in helping them make it through work interruptions during the pandemic,” said Greg Hill, Founder of The Greg Hill Foundation.” With this next phase, they will ensure that countless restaurants have a fighting chance to make it through winter. We can’t thank them enough for their initiative and drive to help.”

“This winter will be different than any one before, with the restaurants we know and love needing more support to get through the season,” said Seth Priebatsch, chief revenue officer at Grubhub. “Our partnership with the Restaurant Strong Fund – already instrumental in providing grants for restaurant employee relief earlier in the pandemic – is now responding to the needs of restaurants and providing valuable support to help them survive the challenging months ahead.”

Starting November 9 through November 21, the Restaurant Strong Fund will accept grant applications from all restaurants located in Chicago, New York City, Boston or Philadelphia with five or fewer locations. The application period will close on November 21 and grants will be fully distributed to restaurants before the end of November. Interested restaurants can learn more about the Restaurant Winterization Grant program and the full application process at https://www.restaurantstrong.org/winterize/.

Throughout the pandemic, Grubhub has raised more than $13 million through Grubhub’s Donate the Change program, where diners are able to round up their total at checkout and donate the difference to fund the Grubhub Community Relief Fund. Grubhub matches eligible donations of Grubhub+ members that are opted in to Donate the Change. A snapshot of organizations supported include:

  • Boys & Girls Club of America: Grubhub’s on-going support has helped Clubs reopen their doors across the country, providing a safe environment for parents to bring their children while they are working on the frontlines, whether as healthcare workers, restaurant workers, and delivery personnel. Reopening Club doors supports an array of needs within the community, including helping kids with academics, virtual learning opportunities and providing access to meals for families in need.
  • MEANS Database: Through MEANS Database, Grubhub’s support is used to purchase leftover food from independent restaurants in cities across the country to provide to local nonprofits, including Open Door Missionary Church, World Harvest Food Bank, Common Pantry and Providence Rescue Mission.
  • Rescuing Leftover Cuisine (RLC): With support from the GCRF, RLC purchases meals from Black-owned restaurants that are then donated to food insecure students and their families who need it most. With our restaurant partners also facing hardships due to COVID-19 and reduced in-person dining capacity, this program also provides local restaurants an opportunity to remain active and receive revenue from the meals purchased by RLC.
  • The Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund: In addition to the current Restaurant Winterization Grant program, Grubhub also supported the Restaurant Strong Fund’s grant program earlier this year, providing micro-grants to independent restaurants and their employees across the country.

About The Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund
The Greg Hill Foundation responds to the immediate needs of families that have been touched by tragedy. Since its inception in 2010, the foundation has provided over $10,000,000 in grants to families and individuals in need. With more than 1 million restaurants in the U.S. employing over 15 million people nationwide the foundation created the Restaurant Strong Fund to be able to assist restaurant owners and employees who have been impacted by Covid-19.

About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as nearly 30 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with approximately 245,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

Statement in support of indoor dining in NYC

“Grubhub strongly supports efforts to allow indoor dining in New York City. Opening doors to local restaurants opens doors to our communities. This step will have a positive and lasting economic ripple effect across the city – helping restaurant workers and families in every community. Equally as important, allowing indoor dining will give New York City nightlife a major shot in the arm. It’s the right policy at the right time.”