News Type: Newsroom Archive

GrubHub Seamless and HBO Collaborate on Food Personality Profiles and Promotions to Celebrate Season Three of GIRLS

Data Finds Nearly Half of Female Diners Best Match Up with Hannah Horvath’s Food Personality

CHICAGO, Jan. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — To celebrate the season three premiere of the critically-acclaimed series, “GIRLS,” GrubHub Seamless, the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company, teamed up with HBO to offer promotions and match the eating habits of GIRLS’ characters with those of GrubHub diners.

In addition to offering promotions, including a video Instagram contest, Free Grub and discount opportunities, GrubHub Seamless and HBO identified the food profiles of America’s favorite New York City twenty-somethings by considering personality traits and food moments in the show’s first two seasons. When compared to the past year of orders, GrubHub data shows that 48 percent of female diners are best aligned with the food personality of Hannah Horvath, followed by Shoshanna, Marnie and Jessa:

48% of female diners have a food profile similar to Hannah: Hannah is hungry in every sense of the word. Outspoken, creative and opinionated, she tends to crave sweet and salty foods – often together – and enjoys takeout after a night with her friends (Or during. Or before).

  • Go-to foods: Cupcakes, brownies, pizza, pasta, pad thai, fried chicken, tamales, pierogis, a single apple per month
  • Most likely to: Ask for extra condiments, salt already salty foods, alternate among several credit cards when paying for her order, order extra food for leftovers…even if they don’t make it to the next meal

25% of female diners have a food profile similar to Shoshanna: Equal parts girly, quirky and childlike, Shoshanna goes for food that is bite-sized and trendy. She lets herself indulge once in a while, but flogs herself emotionally for days afterwards. She tends to order off the diet menu when ordering takeout.

  • Go-to foods: Sushi, cake pops, sliders, smoothies, tapas, cauliflower pizza, vegan muffins, aspartame, iced coffee
  • Most likely to: Get distracted mid-bite, share food photos across her social media platforms, give her favorite delivery driver a nickname

20% of female diners have a food profile similar to Marnie: Marnie sets high standards for herself and others. Her diet is heavily moderated and she opts for fresh foods and crunchy vegetables, or anything she reads about in fitness magazines.

  • Go-to foods: Salads, pressed juices, steamed vegetables, “low-carb” foods
  • Most likely to: Blot her egg white omelet with a napkin, ask for her salad dressing on the side, consider red meat a luxury

7% of female diners have a food profile similar to Jessa: Unconventional, confident and international, Jessa craves exotic foods with lots of spice, color and heat. The more unknown the food is, the more psyched she is to eat it. She wouldn’t be caught dead with a chicken finger, but has no problem eating an entire baguette (it’s French, you know?).

  • Go-to foods: Ethiopian food, Pakistani food, bibimbap, gamey meats, massaman curry, cuttlefish soup
  • Most likely to: Eat fork foods with hands, eat finger foods with fork, never order from the same restaurant twice

To better understand the eating habits of female diners, GrubHub Seamless analysts also tracked gender differences in takeout preferences. In addition to being 26 percent more likely to include special instructions in each order, the analysis found that female diners are much more likely than men to order the following foods:

  1. Seaweed Salad –77 percent more popular with women
  2. Veggie Burger – 67 percent more popular with women
  3. Miso Soup – 66 percent more popular with women
  4. Shrimp Tempura Roll – 63 percent more popular with women
  5. House Salad – 63 percent more popular with women
  6. Cucumber Salad – 60 percent more popular with women
  7. Greek Salad – 60 percent more popular with women
  8. Tuna Avocado Roll – 60 percent more popular with women
  9. Garden Salad – 59 percent more popular with women
  10. Philadelphia Roll – 58 percent more popular with women

To find takeout restaurants available in your area, please visit GrubHub.com or Seamless.com. For more information on the GIRLS Instagram contest and diner discounts, please visit here.

About GrubHub Seamless

GrubHub Seamless is the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. GrubHub Seamless owns a portfolio of brands that includes GrubHub (www.grubhub.com), Seamless (www.seamless.com), MenuPages (www.menupages.com) and Allmenus (www.allmenus.com). The organization’s free online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners and 4,000+ corporate businesses to order directly from 26,500 takeout restaurants in more than 600 U.S. cities and London, and every order is supported by the organization’s 24/7 customer service. GrubHub Seamless is a privately held company with offices in Chicago, New York City, Salt Lake City and London.

About GIRLS

Created by and starring Lena Dunham (“Tiny Furniture”), the show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. Dunham wrote and directed the pilot of the series, which she executive produces along with Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner. The cast also includes Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Adam Driver and Zosia Mamet. Episodes were shot in New York. The series first debuted on HBO in April of 2012.

SOURCE GrubHub Seamless

For further information: Allie Mack, +1-773-250-0618, amack@grubhubseamless.com

GrubHub Data Highlights Thanksgiving-Themed Takeout Trends

Classic Dishes Show Exponential Order Growth for Takeout During the Holidays

CHICAGO, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Many Americans eagerly await Thanksgiving Day to feast with family and friends, but Thanksgiving-themed foods aren’t limited to day-of celebrations, according to GrubHub, a GrubHub Seamless brand. In fact, GrubHub data reveals that Thanksgiving classics spike in popularity throughout the holiday season, with dishes like pumpkin pie and stuffing showing order growth in excess of 100 percent.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131113/CG15771)

For a comprehensive understanding of Thanksgiving-themed takeout, GrubHub Seamless analysts compared year-round orders to those placed during the holiday season. Findings suggest that while female diners are 30 percent more likely to order traditional Thanksgiving staples throughout the year, the following classic dishes are most popular among all GrubHub diners during the week of Thanksgiving.

Most popular Thanksgiving-themed Foods:

  1. Pumpkin Pie: +230%
  2. Stuffing: +140%
  3. Green Bean Casserole: +59%
  4. Creamed Corn: +53%
  5. Cranberry Sauce: +21%
  6. Chocolate Pie: +14%
  7. Cherry Pie: +14%
  8. Cider: +13%
  9. Roast Turkey: +13%
  10. Brussels Sprouts: +11%

In addition to ranking the popularity of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, GrubHub analysts found that diners in the following cities are most likely to celebrate Turkey Day with takeout as opposed to a home-cooked meal. Further, data shows that men are 68 percent more likely than women to order takeout on Thanksgiving Day.

Most-Likely Candidates for Thanksgiving Day Takeout:

  1. Las Vegas
  2. Seattle
  3. San Francisco
  4. Lansing, Mich.
  5. Chicago

“Food and family may be the traditional centerpieces of the Thanksgiving holiday, but tradition means different things to different people,” said Mandy Pekin, vice president of brand marketing and communications, GrubHub Seamless. “No matter what you’re celebrating or how, GrubHub provides the food diners want 24/7, 365 days a year.”

For more information about GrubHub, or to find takeout restaurants available in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub Seamless
GrubHub Seamless is the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. GrubHub Seamless owns a portfolio of brands that includes GrubHub (www.grubhub.com), Seamless (www.seamless.com), MenuPages (www.menupages.com) and Allmenus (www.allmenus.com). The organization’s free online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners and 4,000+ corporate businesses to order directly from approximately 25,000 takeout restaurants in more than 500 U.S. cities and London, and every order is supported by the organization’s 24/7 customer service. GrubHub Seamless is a privately held company with offices in Chicago, New York City, Salt Lake City and London.

GrubHub Data Reveals Football’s Hungriest Fans and Favorite Foods

Seattle, Miami and New England Lead the Hunger Game with Chinese Favorites and Sports-Food Staples

CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — GrubHub, a GrubHub Seamless brand, knows that touchdowns and takeout go hand-in-hand, and an analysis of 2012 and 2013 data reveals that orders spike approximately 10 percent during professional football games. In addition to this cross-country order bump, GrubHub’s breakdown found that Seattle, Miami and New England fans are most likely to celebrate the big game by ordering takeout, with Chinese favorites and American staples topping the list of popular game-time eats.

To identify the ordering habits of football fans across the country, GrubHub analysts cross-referenced fan population data with orders placed during game times. Findings suggest the following fan bases are most likely to enjoy football with food, as they drive the highest order spikes during games:

Fans with Biggest Game-Time Order Growth*:

  1. Seattle: 16%
  2. Miami: 15%
  3. New England: 15%
  4. Chicago: 15%
  5. Philadelphia: 15%
  6. Green Bay: 15%
  7. Baltimore: 14%
  8. Cincinnati: 14%
  9. Detroit: 11%
  10. Pittsburgh: 9%

GrubHub’s breakdown also highlights the most and least popular football foods based on growth in game-time orders. Chinese favorites and sports-food staples like wings, pizza and Italian beef see the most significant growth in orders, while Mexican dishes and salads experience some of the biggest drops in popularity during select football games.

Most Popular Football Foods

Least Popular Football Foods

1.      Wings: +45%

1.      Guacamole: -20%

2.      Beef & Broccoli: +26%

2.      Tacos: -17%

3.      Pizza: +21%

3.      Mac & Cheese: -16%

4.      Italian Beef: +20%

4.      Salad: -12%

5.      General Tso’s Chicken: +20%

5.      Burritos: -12%

“With the growing number of choices available for takeout, the 45 percent spike in wing orders strengthens the food’s long-standing association with football,” said Mandy Pekin, vice president of brand marketing and communications, GrubHub Seamless. “It’s fun to see fans using GrubHub to help celebrate game time, and whether they’re looking for sports-food staples – like wings – or more exotic eats, the options are endless on GrubHub.”

For more information about GrubHub, or to find takeout restaurants available in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub Seamless

GrubHub Seamless is the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. GrubHub Seamless owns a portfolio of brands that includes GrubHub (www.grubhub.com), Seamless (www.seamless.com), MenuPages (www.menupages.com) and Allmenus (www.allmenus.com). The organization’s free online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners and 4,000+ corporate businesses to order directly from approximately 25,000 takeout restaurants in more than 500 U.S. cities and London, and every order is supported by the organization’s 24/7 customer service. GrubHub Seamless is a privately held company with offices in Chicago, New York City, Salt Lake City and London.

* Numbers are approximate and based on orders placed 1/9/2012-10/10/2013.

Urban College Students Are Early Risers in GrubHub’s College Rankings

Students at high-performing, urban schools rank highest in breakfast and coffee orders

CHICAGO, Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Often dubbed “the most important meal of the day,” breakfast is commonly linked to cognitive performance and academic achievement. By breaking down collegiate order data, GrubHub, a GrubHub Seamless brand, uncovered that students from historically high-performing, urban colleges lead the way in ordering breakfast and coffee for takeout.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130821/CG66956)

To uncover the schools with the most morning go-getters, GrubHub analysts reviewed orders placed by students in more than 350 college markets. When compared to the average GrubHub college diner, students at the following schools are three times more likely to get “up and at ’em” as early as 6 a.m., or three times more likely to order coffee throughout the day. Several schools appear on both lists.

College Early Birds*

Most Coffee Drinkers

1.      Columbia University

1.      Pratt Institute

1.      Hofstra University

2.      Columbia University

2.      University of Pennsylvania

3.      Hofstra University

3.      DePaul University

4.      Cornell University

4.      Cornell University

5.      New York University

“Balancing unconventional schedules, heavy workloads and demanding social lives can be a real challenge for college students,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub Seamless COO. “GrubHub’s website and mobile apps are free to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so students can find great food – and caffeine – when they need it most.”

To learn more about college eating habits and see how specific colleges fare in GrubHub’s complete list of college rankings (including categories such as healthiest and pickiest eaters), please visit here. Or, check out Grubhub.com to find takeout restaurants available in your area.

About GrubHub Seamless
GrubHub Seamless is the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. GrubHub Seamless owns a portfolio of brands that includes GrubHub (www.grubhub.com), Seamless (www.seamless.com), MenuPages (www.menupages.com) and Allmenus (www.allmenus.com). The organization’s free online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners and 4,000+ corporate businesses to order directly from approximately 25,000 takeout restaurants in more than 500 U.S. cities and London, and every order is supported by the organization’s 24/7 customer service. GrubHub Seamless is a privately held company with offices in Chicago, New York City, Salt Lake City and London.

* Early bird ranking based on universities with the highest percentage of students placing orders between 6-9 a.m.

GrubHub Seamless Announces T. Rowe Price Ownership Stake

Leading Investment Manager Becomes Shareholder Through Private Sale

CHICAGO, Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — GrubHub Seamless, the nation’s leading online and mobile food ordering company, today announced that strategies managed by T. Rowe Price, the Baltimore-based investment manager that manages more than $600 billion in assets, have become shareholders in the newly merged company through a private secondary sale.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130820/CG66276LOGO)

The T. Rowe Price shareholders, led by Portfolio Manager Henry Ellenbogen, gained an ownership stake in the company following the close of the GrubHub Seamless merger transaction by purchasing some shares from early investors. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled to add T. Rowe Price to our valued network of strategic stakeholders, further strengthening our position in the industry,” said Matt Maloney, GrubHub Seamless CEO. “Given their impressive track record of successfully investing in high growth, scalable businesses, we will no doubt benefit from their insights as we continue building our restaurant network, attracting new diners and generating profitable growth.”

“We are excited to become a shareholder of GrubHub Seamless,” said Ellenbogen. “The foundation laid by both companies prior to the merger positions the combined organization for incredible growth in a largely untapped market.”

About GrubHub Seamless
GrubHub Seamless is the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. GrubHub Seamless owns a portfolio of brands that includes GrubHub (www.grubhub.com), Seamless (www.seamless.com), MenuPages (www.menupages.com) and Allmenus (www.allmenus.com). The organization’s free online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners and 4,000+ corporate businesses to order directly from approximately 25,000 takeout restaurants in more than 500 U.S. cities and London, and every order is supported by the organization’s 24/7 customer service. GrubHub Seamless is a privately held company with offices in Chicago, New York City, Salt Lake City and London.

Seamless North America LLC and GrubHub Inc. Complete Merger

CHICAGO and NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Seamless North America LLC and GrubHub Inc. today announced they have completed their previously announced merger.

The combined organization, operating under the name GrubHub Seamless, will continue to support both the GrubHub and Seamless brands, connecting diners with approximately 25,000 restaurants for online and mobile ordering across the country and in London. In the first half of 2013, the combined organization processed approximately 130,000 orders a day.

“These companies are the standard bearers of online ordering and have been for more than 15 years, charting the course for takeout technology and generating billions of dollars for local restaurants,” said Matt Maloney, GrubHub Seamless CEO. “We are excited to take our collective experience and move forward together to set a new industry standard for restaurants, diners and corporate clients.”

About GrubHub Seamless
GrubHub Seamless is the nation’s leading online and mobile food-ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. GrubHub Seamless owns a portfolio of brands that includes GrubHub (www.grubhub.com), Seamless (www.seamless.com), MenuPages (www.menupages.com) and Allmenus (www.allmenus.com). The organization’s free online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners and 4,000+ corporate businesses to order directly from approximately 25,000 takeout restaurants in more than 500 U.S. cities and London, and every order is supported by the organization’s 24/7 customer service. GrubHub Seamless is a privately held company with offices in Chicago, New York, Salt Lake City and London.

GrubHub Data Highlights Growing Diversity in America’s Takeout Habits

Order Data Reveal Year-Over-Year Growth in Popularity of Pakistani, African and Halal Cuisine

CHICAGO, July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Picnics and barbecues may be the token foodie celebrations of the season, but summer also serves as a time to celebrate the nation’s cultural diversity. In fact, GrubHub order data reveals that America’s taste for takeout is continuing to grow beyond staples like pizza and pad thai, with Pakistani, Caribbean and Halal cuisines experiencing significant lifts in order popularity.

For an accurate snapshot of America’s food diversity, GrubHub analysts examined year-over-year orders in more than 500 cities across the country. While Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Mexican are the nation’s most popular ethnic cuisines, respectively; the following cuisines are experiencing the most significant growth in popularity this year.

Trending Ethnic Cuisines*

  1. Pakistani: almost 97 percent more popular
  2. Caribbean: more than 68 percent more popular
  3. Halal: almost 40 percent more popular
  4. Spanish: more than 36 percent more popular
  5. African: more than 30 percent more popular

In addition to uncovering Americans’ evolving ethnic dining preferences, GrubHub reviewed restaurant offerings on a local level to uncover which cities offered the widest variety of GrubHub’s 69 different ethnic cuisines.

Most Food-Diverse Cities (Ethnic Cuisines Available)

  1. New York City (56)
  2. Chicago (53)
  3. Los Angeles (45)
  4. Boston (44)
  5. San Francisco (42)
  6. Washington (41)
  7. Philadelphia (35)
  8. Miami (35)
  9. Denver (31)
  10. Houston (28)

“Food is an embodiment of culture, and GrubHub brings nearly 70 ethnic options to hungry diners across America,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “While classic takeout cuisines like American, Italian and Chinese will always be here to satisfy cravings, the volume of options available on GrubHub lets diners be adventurous without leaving the house.”

To learn more about the cultural diversity of American takeout and to see how specific trends are playing out in cities across the country, please visit GrubHub’s interactive map, or visit grubhub.com to find takeout restaurants available in your area.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* Based on year-over-year growth in orders placed between 4/1/12-6/19/12 and 4/1/13-6/19/13

Gluten-Free Trend Translates to Takeout; GrubHub Identifies Top Cities for Gluten-Free Ordering

Pacific Northwest, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles Rank Highest for Gluten-Free Takeout Orders

CHICAGO, June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — With approximately one in three Americans trying to cut back or avoid gluten in their diets*, the analysts at GrubHub, a leading online and mobile food ordering service, tracked the trend at U.S. takeout restaurants. An analysis of 2013 GrubHub orders reveals that menu items identified as gluten-free have grown in popularity with diners by nearly 60 percent since April 2012.

To better gauge the demand for gluten-free takeout, analysts examined orders from GrubHub’s network of more than 20,000 restaurants in 500+ cities. Findings suggest that diners in the Pacific Northwest lead the demand for gluten-free goodies, with Seattle, Portland and Eugene, Ore., topping the list of cities with the highest percentage of gluten-free orders.

Where Are Diners Going Gluten-Free?

  1. Seattle
  2. Portland, Ore.
  3. Eugene, Ore.
  4. San Jose, Calif.
  5. Chicago
  6. Raleigh, N.C.
  7. Denver
  8. Minneapolis, Minn.
  9. Los Angeles
  10. Albany, NY

In addition to identifying the U.S. cities with the highest gluten-free demand, GrubHub analysts determined the most popular gluten-free dishes. More than four percent of GrubHub restaurants now offer gluten-free options, and order data reveals specialty pizzas, salads, burgers, wraps and sandwiches to be the most-ordered gluten-free items.

“Local restaurants are continuing to meet the evolving needs of diners, and takeout is no exception,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “Whether our diners are searching for food that meets a dietary restriction, or are craving something very specific, GrubHub offers cuisine filters and smart searches that make it easy to find exactly what they want.”

For more information about GrubHub, or to find takeout restaurants available in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub

GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* Source: NPD Group, “Percentage of U.S. Adults Trying to Cut Down or Avoid Gluten in Their Diets Reaches New High in 2013, Reports NPD.” March, 2013.

GrubHub Unveils Common Spelling Errors for Food

Family Favorites Top the List of Most Misspelled Food Names

CHICAGO, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — While May’s National Spelling Bee is intended to foster the vocabulary and scholarship of America’s youth, the competition also serves as a reminder that proper spelling is a challenge, regardless of age. When it comes to food, GrubHub search data confirms that family favorites like fettuccine, Caesar salad and omelets top the list of words perplexing spellers across the country.

To better understand America’s spelling plight, the analysts at GrubHub delved into diner search terms* to uncover the most frequently misspelled food names and their probability of being misspelled:

Most Frequently Misspelled Food Words:

1.Fettuccine – misspelled more than 70 percent of the time

  • ‘Fettucine’ – more than 30 percent of misspellings
  • ‘Fettucini’ – almost 30 percent of misspellings

2. Caesar – misspelled almost 40 percent of the time

  • ‘Ceasar’ – almost 20 percent of misspellings
  • ‘Cesar’ – almost 7 percent of misspellings

3. Omelet/Omelette (French) – misspelled more than 17 percent of the time

  • ‘Omlette’ – more than 7 percent of misspellings
  • ‘Omlett’ – more than 7 percent of misspellings

4. Dessert – misspelled almost 10 percent of the time

  • ‘Desert’ – 100 percent of misspellings

5. Sandwich – misspelled more than 7 percent of the time

  • ‘Sandwhich’ – about 7 percent of misspellings
  • ‘Sandwitch’ – about 1 percent of misspellings

In addition to the top food misspellings, GrubHub analysts took a look at cuisines originating from non Latin-based languages (such as Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines) to identify the foods with the greatest number of alternate spellings. While there is no culturally “correct” spelling of certain dishes, GrubHub’s menu data confirms that Pad See Ew, Kabobs and General Tso’s Chicken have the highest spelling variance.

“When it comes to spelling, GrubHub doesn’t judge,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “In fact, if it wasn’t for spell check, this entire press release would look like it was written by a cat. We judge food by its flavor, not its name – so, misspell away. GrubHub will help you find exactly what you are looking for.”

Please visit GrubHub.com for more information about GrubHub or to find the restaurants available for pickup or delivery in your area.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

*Misspellings determined by search term data collected from (4/9/13-4/25/13).

Seamless and GrubHub Announce Merger

Combined Networks, Services and Products Will Drive Additional Restaurant and Diner Value

Enhanced Financial Strength Will Allow Organization to Better Scale in Rapidly Growing Food-Ordering Industry

CHICAGO and NEW YORK, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Seamless North America LLC and GrubHub Inc. today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to merge two of the nation’s premier services for ordering takeout. The merger will create a combined company well positioned to drive more orders to restaurants, deliver a better experience for hungry diners and enhance services to corporate clients.

The combined organization will enable diners and companies in more than 500 cities across the U.S. to order from more than 20,000 local takeout restaurants. In 2012, the online and mobile platforms of the two organizations sent approximately $875 million in gross food sales to local takeout restaurants, resulting in combined revenue well in excess of $100 million.

“We are excited to combine the strengths of these two dynamic organizations in an industry that is rapidly gaining traction. We believe the merger will enhance the products we are able to offer both our diners and restaurants,” said Matt Maloney, GrubHub co-founder and CEO. “GrubHub and Seamless share a common goal to generate more business for local takeout restaurants while providing the best possible service to diners. By combining our complementary restaurant and diner networks, we are well positioned for continued growth in a massive market.”

“By bringing together some of the industry’s most celebrated products, including Seamless’s award-winning iPad app and GrubHub’s innovative Track Your Grub, we will be able to drive more value to all company stakeholders,” said Jonathan Zabusky, CEO of Seamless. “Both companies also share a strong commitment to provide world-class service to restaurants, diners and corporate clients. This merger is an opportunity to glean the best from each platform and improve upon what we bring to all of our partners.”

Key strategic benefits of the merger include:

  • Broader network and product offerings. The expansive network and diversified products and services of the combined organization will strengthen the company’s ability to serve restaurants and diners across the U.S. and U.K.
  • Accelerated innovation. The anticipated pooling of the combined organization’s research and technology will help to streamline product development and better address the evolving needs of this dynamic industry.
  • Enhanced financial flexibility and strength. The merger will allow the company to pursue growth opportunities while continuing to invest in its current business.

Matt Maloney will serve as chief executive officer of the new organization, and Jonathan Zabusky will serve as president. GrubHub and Seamless shareholders will both have significant representation on the combined company’s Board of Directors. Brian McAndrews, an independent director on the Seamless board prior to this transaction, will serve as chairman of the new, combined board. The merger is subject to regulatory approval.

The combined company’s management team is expected to draw upon the experienced group of leaders from both companies. As well, the combined organization’s name and marketing brands are expected to be determined following regulatory approval.

Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal counsel to Seamless. Citi served as financial advisor and Goodwin Procter acted as legal counsel to GrubHub.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food-ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company headquartered in Chicago.

About Seamless
Seamless is a leading mobile and online service for ordering delivery and takeout food from more than 12,000 restaurants in the U.S. and UK. Seamless serves diners and many of the world’s largest companies across cities including New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Houston, Austin, Seattle, Portland, Miami, London and other major U.S. cities. The company offers mobile applications for iPad®, iPhone®, Android™, and BlackBerry® and owns MenuPages®, a comprehensive mobile and web provider of up-to-date menu content.