News Tag: Support

Introducing Grubhub’s 2025 Restaurant Leadership Council

Grubhub’s business is grounded in the idea that the technology we offer to restaurant partners helps them expand their own businesses. Along with providing tools to help restaurants succeed, we are equally committed to creating a space for peer connection, allowing restaurant owners to share experiences, insights, and feedback. This is where Grubhub’s Restaurant Leadership Council was born – and we are thrilled to welcome our 2025 cohort of restaurant leaders. 

In its fourth year, the Restaurant Leadership Council is a group of restaurant owners and operators who regularly meet with Grubhub to help us whip up new ideas on how to best serve our restaurants. We work with the council to better understand and serve the industry, listening and learning from professionals who eat, sleep, and breathe restaurant management. 

For the year ahead, we identified a group of nine small business owners – all Grubhub partners – who will join the 2025 council. These individuals own restaurants all across the country, including Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and more. To date, 50 restaurant owners have participated in the council. Throughout the council’s year-long term, we host several interactive sessions to give restaurant owners a chance to strengthen their peer relationships, provide industry insights, and share detailed product feedback to help us improve our product offering and platform for restaurant partners. 

“In the past four years, Grubhub’s Restaurant Leadership Council has become a critical channel for connecting with, offering support to, and receiving feedback from restaurant owners across the country,” said Victoria Anglin, Senior Manager, Merchant Engagement & Operations. “The restaurants on our platform have hands-on experience with using our product and technology day-in and day-out to help serve their customers and coordinate with delivery partners, so we take their feedback seriously. It’s exciting to take the first-hand feedback from our Restaurant Leadership Council meetings, and implement changes to make our platform more valuable for our restaurant partners.” 

Meet Grubhub’s 2025 Restaurant Leadership Council:

Bryan Tublin – Kitava in San Francisco, California

“Small-to-medium sized businesses are the heartbeat of American communities, and the hospitality industry is a critical contributor. My goal for joining this council is to advocate for and contribute to the health of the restaurant industry because I believe if our restaurants are strong, healthy, and vibrant, our communities will be as well!” 

Davin Wages – Malai Kitchen in Dallas, Texas

“I’m excited to share my experiences with the Grubhub platform, help with any new developments and improvements, and also network with others in the industry.

Jay Shin – Fibber’s Sports Bar & Grille in Philadelphia, PA

“I joined the council to see the direction of Grubhub and if there is anything I can do to help bring in more sales.”

Paolo Fontana – Sub-Ology in Cranford, New Jersey

“I joined Grubhub’s 2025 Restaurant Leadership Council because I’m passionate about shaping the future of the restaurant industry and supporting small business owners like myself. This council offers an incredible opportunity to meet new people from diverse businesses, exchange resources, and regularly share ideas. I look forward to collaborating, helping each other grow, and mentoring one another to achieve our goals. Together, we can address challenges, contribute innovative solutions, and drive success for restaurants across the board.”

Sergio Catinkagan – Antalia NYC in New York, New York

“I joined the Grubhub Council to contribute valuable insights that can help make Grubhub a more restaurant-owner-friendly platform. By sharing my own experiences, I hope to provide useful perspectives while also learning from the experiences of other restaurant owners.”

Taylor Mason – Taylor’s Tacos in Chicago, Illinois

“I joined the council so that I can be a liaison between the Grubhub communiTAY and the people. It is my duty to use my everyday experience and expertise to make both worlds better. Grubhub is a team of some epic individuals, and I am honored to be included.”

Tony Mekonen – Italian Kitchen in Washington, D.C.

“I joined the Restaurant Leadership Council to gain deeper insight into new product features and to provide feedback based on our experience with multiple third-party aggregator platforms. As a restaurant owner, I value opportunities to share my experiences and collaborate with like-minded business leaders from across the country. I’m excited to connect with my peers, exchange best practices, and stay ahead of industry trends that can help us grow and improve our business. Additionally, I look forward to using this platform to voice any questions or concerns regarding our experience on Grubhub, ensuring that both our customers and team continue to benefit from the platform’s innovations.”

Vinny Gallagher – Pizzata Pizzeria in Philadelphia, PA

“At Pizzata, we have a saying that goes: ‘I know something you don’t know, and you know something I don’t know. We can always learn from one another if we take the time to stop and listen.”

Wesley Li – Bowls of Rice in Chicago, Illinois

“I am excited to share my knowledge and insights with Grubhub and my peers, while also learning and growing together. Operating a ghost kitchen allows us to innovate quickly, and I’m excited to enhance our partnership by collaborating on fresh ideas that deliver even better experiences to our customers.” 

American Heart Association Social Impact Funds Awards Four Organizations with Support from Grubhub Community Fund

DALLAS, Feb. 19, 2025 — The conditions in which we are born, live, learn, work, play and age — the social drivers of health — are better predictors of health and life expectancy than our genetic code. In communities nationwide, people living in locations just a handful of miles apart can have a dramatic difference in life expectancy.

To help level the playing field, the Grubhub Community Fund awarded the American Heart Association® Social Impact Funds a $2 million grant to support food security, technology innovation and economic resiliency in New York City and Chicago.

“We are grateful for this generous support, which will help fill a critical resource gap and help communities overcome barriers to high-quality, accessible health care, food security and economic empowerment,” said Regina Benjamin, M.D., MBA, chair of the Social Impact Funds Impact Investment Committee and 18th U.S. Surgeon General. “With support from the Grubhub Community Fund and other generous funding, American Heart Association Ventures offers a unique opportunity to turn philanthropy into action that makes a real and exponential difference in peoples’ lives.”

The American Heart Association Social Impact Funds will use this new support to help up to 12 organizations and entrepreneurs with significant efforts focused in Chicago and New York City through proprietary sourcing, investment and performance management processes. Four focused on Chicago have already been identified:

  • CareYaya, based in North Carolina, an on-demand marketplace connecting families with more than 25,000 students in pre-health programs to be caregivers for affordable, flexible in-home care access, while helping to expand the care workforce amidst a critical caregiver shortage;
  • Farm Generations Corporation, based in New York, a farmer-owned cooperative that supports farm viability, food access and regenerative agriculture through technological innovation and community building. Its flagship product, GrownBy, is a SNAP-eligible, direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform connecting growers and consumers across America;
  • Nectar, based in Chicago, a platform that drives innovation in food security by delivering food as medicine in partnership with charitable food organizations; and
  • RiseKit, based in Chicago, a software platform that empowers untapped talent to find jobs and improve their economic well-being and address social drivers of health through community-based organizations and job training programs

“At Grubhub, we are committed to creating meaningful change in the communities where we operate, with a focus on supporting our largest market, New York City, and hometown, Chicago. With the American Heart Association being equally committed as us in advancing food security, technology innovation, and economic resiliency, Grubhub is proud of this ongoing work, made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund, to support organizations advancing equitable health in New York City and Chicago,” said Brianna Morris, senior manager, community impact for Grubhub. “We are excited for the four organizations that have received financial support thus far, and we look forward to seeing how their communities are positively impacted.”

Organizations are selected for funding by the Social Impact Funds based on their promising solutions to address social drivers of health and local barriers to achieving equitable health. The Funds evaluate opportunities to identify innovative, evidence-based candidates that align with the American Heart Association’s mission and demonstrate the potential for lasting community impact.

Learn more about the Social Impact Funds at heart.org/socialimpactfunds.

Additional Resources:

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About Grubhub
Grubhub is a leading U.S. ordering and delivery marketplace dedicated to connecting customers with their favorite local restaurants, merchants and convenience retailers. Grubhub elevates online ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms, and an improved delivery experience. Part of Wonder Group, Grubhub features 375,000 merchants in over 4,000 U.S. cities.

About the American Heart Association®

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

About the American Heart Association Social Impact Funds 

The American Heart Association’s Social Impact Funds, including the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund, channel capital to small and medium-sized organizations that know their community best and whose ideas accelerate innovation to address local community and national health challenges. With a focus on improving health equity and expanding access to capital, the Funds support accessible, high quality health care, food security and economic empowerment. Since launching in 2018, the Funds have provided $21.5 million in financial support to more than 130 local enterprises to positively impact the well-being of nearly 5 million people. Learn more about our work at heart.org/socialimpactfunds.

Grubhub’s Delivery Drivers Help Direct $310,000 in Grant Funding to 56 Nonprofits through the Grubhub Community Fund

Grubhub’s driver community grant program positively impacted nonprofits, from coast to coast – in more than 25 cities across the United States

At Grubhub, we want to have a positive impact in the communities where we operate, while helping our drivers do the same. As a part of last year’s 20th anniversary celebration, we launched a new driver community grant program, made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund, to help our top delivery partners support nonprofit organizations that are doing good in their local communities. 

We had more than 240 of our top delivery partners participate in the program by nominating a nonprofit organization of their choice for a grant. Through this program, our delivery partners helped direct $310,000 to 56 nonprofit organizations in markets all across the country – Chicago, New York City, and more. 

In alignment with Grubhub’s own community impact focus areas, these organizations offer food and meal programs, provide workforce development training and programming, and operate community-based programs aimed at helping their communities thrive and supporting the overall well-being of individuals and families. 

Association House of Chicago; Chicago, IL

Funding will be used to help fund the 9-week Commercial Culinary Training Program, which is designed for justice-involved individuals and returning citizens. It provides 200 hours of intensive, in-person instruction that covers essential culinary skills, including kitchen standards, knife techniques, food preparation, and industry terminology with graduates earning a ServSafe Food Handler Certification, a credential that significantly enhances their employability in the food service industry.  

“I was the student of this organization which helped me get a job in a bank to pursue my career in finance. It was an 8 week program building skills needed in banking.” – Senthil I. 

Hope Foundation of Binghamton; Syracuse, NY 

Funding will be used to implement a workforce development component into the organization’s program, which can play a crucial role in supporting individuals in recovery. This work will focus on enhancing essential job skills through workshops, establishing partnerships with local businesses for internships and job placements, and offering ongoing mentorship. Specifically, the funding will cover training materials, staffing, and operational costs.

“The Hope Foundation of Binghamton provides a place to stay and programs for men and women who are dealing with tough situations like homelessness, drug addiction, or domestic violence. I’m not a volunteer, but I do interact with the participants and can testify of the hope that is given.” – Timothy E.  

Second Step Housing; Seattle, WA

Funding will be used to help people maintain stable housing, specifically by starting the Resident Retention Program to assist households that might be heading toward an eviction. The program will help connect residents with the resources needed to retain their housing, work with residents to address housing challenges, and provide resident assistance in addressing lease violations that could result in an eviction. 

“I was helped during a very difficult time in my life, and have a very successful life today because of programs like Second Step Housing that help so many areas of a person’s life, such as housing, education, finance, and employment preparation.” – Angela H. 

NNEMAP Food Pantry; Columbus, OH

Funding will be used to help purchase an expanded selection of nutritious foods, including fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, and culturally relevant items, in addition to supporting a refrigerated locker system allowing families to access food outside traditional pantry hours, reducing logistical barriers and increasing convenience. Funding will also support food delivery services, for those who are unable to go to the food pantry in-person. 

“I helped volunteer for this food pantry a few years ago. They started to create a delivery system to get food to people who were not able to drive to the pantry. Everyone there was really nice and any questions I had they were more than happy to answer them”. – Christian T.

3 Betties Foundation, Inc; Greensboro, WV

Funding will be used to provide babysitting services for families dealing with a cancer diagnosis, specifically to help out when they have to go to doctor appointments. Families will have the ability to reach out to the program, which will help them schedule a sitter.

“I love this organization and everything they stand for in their mission. They assist individuals diagnosed with any type of cancer in the state of West Virginia with resources, financial help during treatment, support after treatment, and anything in between that an individual might need while going through treatment or after diagnosis. I volunteer any chance I get and also support any activity that they hold because they helped me and my family while I was going through my breast cancer diagnosis several years ago.” – Tabitha A.

Full List of Grantees 

$10,000 Grantees*

  • Alliance to End Hunger
  • American Heart Association Social Impact Fund
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of America
  • Food Bank For New York City
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository 
  • World Central Kitchen

*These organizations received multiple delivery partner nominations 

$5,000 Grantees

  • 3 Betties Foundation, Inc; Greensboro, WV
    • Nominated by Tabitha A. 
  • Angels Community Outreach; Trenton, NJ 
    • Nominated by Johnny M.
  • Association House of Chicago; Chicago, IL 
    • Nominated by Senthil I. 
  • Baltimore Children & Youth Fund, Inc; Baltimore, MD
    • Nominated by Ryan S. 
  • Beyond Shelter Frederick; Baltimore, MD
    • Nominated by Andrew S.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Pengfei X.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Scranton, PN
    • Nominated by Michael S.
  • Bridge Over Troubled Waters; Boston, MA
    • Nominated by Guilherme S. 
  • CAMBA, Inc; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Wynter S.
  • Casa de Esperanza; Omaha, NE
    • Nominated by Licet A.
  • ChildFund International; Chicago, IL 
    • Nominated by Sabah H. 
  • Children of Promise NYC; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Stephane K. 
  • Christian Herald Association, Inc. DBA The Bowery Mission; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Madou D.
  • Community Action Service Center dba Rise; Trenton, NJ
    • Nominated by James H. 
  • Community Service Center of Morgan County Inc. dba WellSpring; Indianapolis, IN
    • Nominated by Jodi A. 
  • Covenant House California; Los Angeles, CA 
    • Nominated by DeBreshadon H.
  • Dion’s Chicago Dream Inc NFP; Chicago, IL 
    • Nominated by Tiffany W.
  • FamilyFarmed dba The Good Food Catalyst; Chicago, IL 
    • Nominated by Adeeb M. 
  • Friends of the Children New York; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Mamadou M. 
  • God’s Love We Deliver; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Adesoji A.
  • Good Shepherd Services; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Shawn C. 
  • Green Team Helping Hands; Greensboro, NC
    • Nominated by Crystal M. 
  • Hays County Food Bank; Houston, TX
    • Nominated by James S. 
  • Hope Foundation of Binghamton; Syracuse, NY
    • Nominated by Timothy E. 
  • House of Hope; Miami, FL
    • Nominated by Robbin D.
  • Mama’s Kitchen; San Diego, CA
    • Nominated by Manuel F.
  • Marion County Veterans Helping Veterans Inc; Orlando, FL
    • Nominated by Larry B.
  • Meals on Wheels West; Los Angeles, CA
    • Nominated by Ramil S.
  • NNEMAP Food Pantry; Columbus, OH
    • Nominated by Christian T.
  • Ozarks Food Harvest; Kansas City, MO
    • Nominated by Lorelei V. 
  • PORYALMA INC; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Boukari T.
  • Realities For Children; Denver, CO
    • Nominated by Matthew W.
  • Rescuing Leftover Cuisine; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Forhad A.
  • Roadrunner Food Bank; Albuquerque, NM
    • Nominated by Melissa J.
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oklahoma City, Inc; Oklahoma City, OK
    • Nominated by Sharie H.
  • Sacramento Loaves & Fishes; Sacramento, CA
    • Nominated by Jason K.
  • San Francisco Food Bank; San Francisco, CA
    • Nominated by Zhiqiang D.
  • Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana; New Orleans, LA
    • Nominated by Atakan D.
  • Second Step Housing; Seattle, WA
    • Nominated by Angela H.
  • Student’s Clothing Bank DBA “Locker #505: Student’s Clothing Bank; Albuquerque, NM
    • Nominated by Terri T.
  • The Bakari Foundation; Chicago, IL 
    • Nominated by Guljemal H.
  • The Compton Initiative; Los Angeles, CA
    • Nominated by Washington S.
  • The Midnight Mission; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Vi L. 
  • The Opportunity Center; Orlando, FL
    • Nominated by Hilda G.
  • UA3, Inc; NYC, NY
    • Nominated by Jing J. 
  • United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, Inc; Charlotte, NC
    • Nominated by Joseph J. 
  • United Way of Metropolitan Chicago; Chicago, IL 
    • Nominated by Hamza S.
  • Urban Food Initiative dba Daily Table; Boston, MA
    • Nominated by Mahmoud S.
  • Visalia Rescue Mission; Fresno, CA
    • Nominated by Nate G.
  • Youth Villages; Atlanta, GA
    • Nominated by Sandee A.

Grubhub Grows its Marketing Platform with New Advertising Placements for Merchants and Brands

Since our earliest days in 2004, Grubhub’s mission has been to help connect consumers to nearby merchants, while giving these merchants a platform to grow their businesses. We’ve done this through our Grubhub Marketplace, which is a marketing platform at its core that gives our more than 375,000 merchant partners access to tens of millions of consumers across the country looking for takeout. We provide our merchant partners with a variety of marketing packages to choose from depending on their business goals, and they only pay when they generate orders on our Marketplace. Today, we’re expanding how merchants and brands can use Grubhub as an advertising channel.

Grubhub Pre-Checkout Ads for Merchants
We frequently hear that our merchant partners are looking for more control and flexibility over how their business shows up on the Grubhub Marketplace. They want to reach more people at the earliest point in the decision-making process and add incremental value throughout the customer experience. With Grubhub Ads, they can now run and manage listings on the homepage, search results list and cuisine category page to reach more customers throughout the ordering process.

Differing from our existing sponsored listings that Grubhub manages for merchants as an add-on to our Premium marketing package, these new ad placements give all partners, regardless of their marketing package, control over the frequency, location and targeting of their ads.

Powered by Koddi, Grubhub Ads are managed within the merchant’s portal in Grubhub for Restaurants. Merchants can choose their audience, the dates and times the ad will run, the duration of the ads and their monthly budget. Once the ad is live, they can edit, pause or end the campaign at any time and they only pay when customers click on their listing.

“We’re a newer restaurant in our area, and with all of the competing restaurants around us, it’s important that we are able to advertise our restaurant so that we attract customers and gain visibility on the Grubhub Marketplace. Since running ads on Grubhub, our sales are up 30 to 40 percent, and that’s just in the summer alone. As we get into fall and winter when people tend to order out more, I know we will see even greater results.” — Cindy Lech, co-owner of Lenoxthai, a Thai restaurant on the Upper East Side in NYC

“I’m a big believer of advertising, especially in a city like New York where there’s no shortage of restaurants and you have people coming and going at all times. In order for people to notice your restaurant, you better be in one of the top 10 placements. Since running ads on Grubhub, I’ve seen a 15 to 20 percent increase in orders, and it’s a huge plus to know if a customer is new or returning. Having a 4 or 4.5 star rating on Grubhub and the ability to run ads keeps you on top. I don’t think it gets any better than that.” — Edon Vokshi, owner of Pizzeria L’ Antica in NYC

Post-Checkout Ads for Brands
Tens of millions of customers use Grubhub regularly, and they eagerly pay attention to our delivery confirmation and tracking page as they wait for their order to arrive. Now in partnership with Rokt, we’re offering consumer brands access to market to this captive audience of customers on Grubhub’s order tracking page. Through Rokt’s AI technology, brands can showcase relevant and non-intrusive offers to Grubhub’s customers at a time when they are highly engaged (post-checkout) with offers that range from cash back and rewards to fitness memberships, video, music and audio subscriptions, and more.

“As a marketplace with tens of millions of customers, we’re excited to give merchants and brands more opportunities to grow their business through Grubhub,” said Kyle Emmett, senior director of retail media and merchant solutions at Grubhub. “These new advertising tools are a natural extension of our long-standing efforts to make Grubhub an effective marketing channel for our merchant partners to acquire more consumers and a further step to reach our full potential as an advertising channel.”

These new tools for merchants and brands complement Grubhub’s existing suite of marketing capabilities for merchant partners. By selecting from our range of marketing packages, merchants unlock access to promotions, loyalty and promoted placements and receive actionable information about their business through Order Frequency Insights. These tools allow merchants to better target customers to strategically grow their sales while giving them visibility into what’s performing well across different customer segments.

For more information on how to get started with ads, please visit here.

Grubhub Deepens Partnerships to Combat Food Insecurity During Hunger Action Month

Helping close the hunger gap is one of Grubhub’s key community impact focus areas. With the support of the Grubhub Community Fund,* we serve as a community partner and industry leader in the effort to reduce food insecurity, and recover and redirect food that would otherwise go to waste. 

To recognize Hunger Action Month, a campaign designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of hunger in the United States, Grubhub is deepening our partnerships with organizations who are equally committed to closing the hunger gap on every level – from advocating for federal policies in Washington to supporting the communities we serve. 

At the national level, Grubhub supports and advocates for policies that combat food insecurity and strengthen federal feeding programs. This year, we engaged our restaurant partners in the fight against hunger through existing programs like the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. We worked with our restaurants to educate them on updates made to the Act and provide guidance on how to safely donate excess food to communities in need. In partnership with Food Systems Collaborative, we submitted feedback on the Biden Administration’s first-ever National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss Waste and Organics, providing recommendations on how to make the food donation process more accessible and better leverage restaurants in the fight against food insecurity. 

Because expanding existing options and increasing opportunities to get affordable meals into the hands of those in need is a focal point for our federal work, we are also collaborating with policymakers to further support the modernization of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to expand access to meals in underserved areas across the country by leveraging innovating technologies. 

At the local level, we support neighborhoods and address food insecurity everywhere we operate, but specifically in our hometown of Chicago and in our largest market, New York City. Two of our key Grubhub Community Fund partners in this work include:

  • The Greater Chicago Food Depository, a one-year Grubhub Community Fund partner that is a critical resource and advocate for those experiencing food insecurity in Chicagoland with a network of more than 800 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other programs.
  • The Food Bank for New York City, a four-year Grubhub Community Fund partner supporting families and individuals across the five boroughs through its partner network of more than 800 local pantries and community organizations. 

In Chicago, we are partnering with the Greater Chicago Food Depository for Hunger Action Month as an anchor donor, providing $50,000 in matching funds for their September campaign and nearly $1 million in Grubhub Community Fund grant support since 2023. This funding aids the Food Depository’s partner network and prepared meals programs, in addition to helping distribute meals to local shelters working to house and support the influx of migrant families and individuals within the city.

This year, we hosted our first-ever office-wide volunteer day in our hometown of Chicago, where more than 100 Grubhub employees repacked shipments of 25,000 pounds of peppers, bread and beans into smaller quantities to help the Food Depository properly and efficiently distribute quality food to participating food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in Cook County.

In New York City, Grubhub with support from the Grubhub Community Fund, returned as the Food Bank for New York City Hunger Action Month, providing $25,000 in matching funds to amplify September’s donations and more than $2 million in Grubhub Community fund grant support since 2020. This funding directly contributed to the scaling of the organization’s capacity to address critical needs across New York City’s five boroughs including program expansions, meal distributions, and partner network support. 

“At Grubhub, we are committed to being a resource and partner in standing up solutions that increase the accessibility to nutritious food and meals for individuals and families facing food insecurity,” said Brianna Morris, senior manager of community impact at Grubhub. “From advocating for new and improved food policies at the federal level to supporting regional and local food banks and pantries through the Grubhub Community Fund and employee volunteerism, our commitment to helping close the hunger gap stands strong to ensuring our neighbors and communities have access to the resources they need to thrive.”

Along with our work with Greater Chicago Food Depository and Food Bank for New York City, we also support additional food recovery efforts, and food distribution and meal programs though Grubhub Community Fund partnerships with:

As part of our year-round efforts to help close the hunger gap, we continuously look for ways to deepen and expand our community impact partnerships at all levels. We always keep our primary goal in mind to achieve the greatest real-world impact across all of our philanthropic focus areas, including how we support independent restaurants and create opportunities for individuals working in the hospitality industry.

*The Grubhub Community Fund is a donor advised fund at a national sponsoring organization. The Grubhub Community Fund is made possible through donations from our customers through our Donate the Change feature. Grubhub matches contributions on eligible orders from our Grubhub+ members.

 

Grubhub’s Food Feastival to Celebrate Hometown Restaurants at Chicago’s Daley Plaza

As a part of Grubhub’s 20th anniversary, the company is hosting a FREE food festival to show appreciation for small business restaurant partners

This year Grubhub turns 20, and we are celebrating with thank yous to our merchants, delivery partners, diners, and employees for all they do to make our business possible. To show appreciation for our hometown restaurant partners, we will host a food festival or “feastival” in Chicago to celebrate the small business restaurants that make up our iconic food scene – while also treating customers to a free lunch experience.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2024 from 11:30am – 1:30pm CT, the Grubhub Food Feastival will showcase several small business restaurants, including some of our longest-tenured partners. All hungry Chicagoans are invited to this free lunchtime event at Daley Plaza to connect with some of Grubhub’s restaurants serving their favorite local eats. 

The Grubhub Food Feastival will spotlight more than 20 local restaurants (full list below) from across the city and each will offer small bites of their most popular dishes including everything from empanadas and shrimp & grits to the Windy City’s most iconic foods – Chicago dogs and deep dish pizza.

The Grubhub Food Feastival aims to celebrate our small business restaurant partners, and it offers an opportunity to support our neighbors and communities in a way Grubhub is uniquely positioned to do.

As part of our commitment to help close the hunger gap, we are partnering with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, to safely rescue any food not consumed at the event and redistribute it to our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. As a nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine is a longstanding Grubhub Community Fund partner that will transport any leftover bites from the food fest to local nonprofit organizations. 

More event details are here and the full list of restaurant partners include: 

  • 5411 Empanadas
  • Bon Bon Sandwiches
  • Byron’s Hot Dogs
  • The Clark Street Dog
  • Connie’s Pizza 
  • Elevated Subs
  • El Mariachi 
  • The Fat Shallot
  • Firenze Italian Street Food
  • The Jibarito Stop
  • KFire Korean BBQ
  • Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
  • Luella’s Southern Kitchen
  • Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen
  • Manzo’s Burger
  • Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta Express
  • Portillo’s
  • Star of Siam
  • Red Hot Ranch
  • Taylor’s Tacos 
  • The Vulgar Vegan
  • Wow Bao

Grubhub Selects 64 Food-Focused Chicago Nonprofits in Inaugural Full Plate Microgrant Program

The Grubhub Community Fund is bringing holiday cheer to Chicago nonprofits who are feeding the community by announcing nearly $650,000 in grants.

This holiday season, Grubhub has selected 64 nonprofit organizations in our hometown that provide food and meal services to receive microgrants of up to $10,000 through our new Full Plate Program. In total, Grubhub has recommended nearly $650,000 in grants through the Grubhub Community Fund to nonprofit organizations across Cooke, DuPage, and Lake counties that are providing access to nutritious groceries and meals to those experiencing food insecurity in Grubhub’s hometown.

“The Full Plate Program is Grubhub’s first open grant program and made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund. This grant funding comes at a critical time for the 64 Chicagoland nonprofits in various communities supporting our hometown neighbors by ensuring they have access to food and essential needs,” said Brianna Morris, Grubhub’s Senior Manager of Community Impact. “We are grateful to all of our grant recipients who are working day-in and day-out to close the hunger gap across the city of Chicago, and we look forward to providing future opportunities to organizations creating meaningful change in our local communities.” 

The grant recipients will use the funding for everything from purchasing groceries and meals for community members to investing in equipment and resources needed to distribute food and keep programming up and running. This will help feed our hometown neighbors in more than 75 neighborhoods across the Chicago area, including Austin, Back of Yards, Englewood, Garfield Park, North Lawndale, Pilsen, Uptown, Sauk Village, Waukegan, and West Chicago. 

Hear from a few of our 2023 Full Plate Program grantees: 

“Good Food Catalyst is thrilled to receive funding from the Full Plate Program to help distribute free meals on the South and West Sides of Chicago,” said Jeannine Wise, Director of Good Food is Good Medicine. “Our meals utilize local produce grown by BIPOC urban farmers and incorporate expert nutrition and flavor guidance from chefs, doctors, and registered dietitians.With the Full Plate grant, we will be able to purchase nutritious meal ingredients that will help us reach our goal of producing 20,000 meals for community members in 2024, in addition to covering some of the program’s staffing costs.” 

“The microgrant Just Roots received from the Grubhub Community Fund’s Full Plate Program will help us feed countless community members on Chicago’s South Side, specifically in Bronzeville, Chinatown, Englewood, South Shore, South Loop, Kenwood, and Bridgeport,” said Sean Ruane, Director of Operations & Development with Just Roots. “Through our program, we operate sustainable urban farms that produce fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are provided directly to local community members. In this coming year, we aim to provide 12,500 pounds of fresh, organic, culturally affirming food from our farms to South Side food pantries, mutual aid organizations, and senior and public housing facilities.”

“The Glen Ellyn Food Pantry is extremely grateful to receive funding from the Grubhub Community Fund’s Full Plate Program as it will help support our “Extraordinary Dairy Program,” said Laura Glaza, Executive Director of The Glen Ellyn Food Pantry. “Our community has growing needs for food and can especially benefit from dairy products, like milk and eggs, which are an extraordinary source of nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet – but have become increasingly expensive. Thanks to Grubhub’s program, we will be able to purchase a six-month supply of dairy products for our neighbors.”

The Full Plate Program is made possible through the Grubhub Community Fund*, and is administered in partnership with Greater Chicago Food Depository and Nourishing Hope. Grubhub, Greater Chicago Food Depository and Nourishing Hope partnered together to review and evaluate the applications based on need, impact, and demonstration of fiscal responsibility.

“The Greater Chicago Food Depository is proud to support the Grubhub Community Fund’s Full Plate Program,” said Deborah Clair, the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Director of Corporate Relations. ”As a nonprofit committed to connecting our neighbors with healthy food and advancing solutions that address the root causes of hunger, we understand how meaningful the programs offered by the grant recipients are for local community members. In the coming year, we are excited to see the number of meals provided and the number of our neighbors whose lives will be impacted through the Full Plate Program.”

“Thanks to the Grubhub Community Fund, the Full Plate Program will help the grantees feed countless Chicagoans experiencing hunger,” said Kellie O’Connell, CEO of Nourishing Hope. “We’re proud to have partnered with Grubhub on this exciting new initiative.” 

As part of our effort to help close the hunger gap and to give back to our hometown, Grubhub is committed to supporting local, community-centered programs that provide access to nutritious foods and beverages to individuals and families in need. Thank you to Greater Chicago Food Depository, Nourishing Hope, and all of our selected Full Plate grantees for helping feed our neighbors!

2023 Selected Full Plate Grantees:

  • Above & Beyond Food Pantry
  • Allen Metropolitan CME Church
  • American Association of Single Parents, Inc.
  • Barbara W. Smith Family Life Center
  • Bryn Mawr Community Foundation
  • Care for Friends
  • Catholic Bishop of Chicago dba St. Thomas of Canterbury
  • Chatham-Avalon Ministries Food Pantry
  • Chicago Dream Center
  • Chosen Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Church
  • Christian Life Center AOG Church
  • Common Pantry
  • Community Feast at United Church of Rogers Park
  • Coppin Community Center
  • Cultivate Collective
  • Edward G. Irvin Foundation
  • Elmhurst Yorkfield Food Pantry
  • Evangelism Outreach Ministries
  • Evanston Vineyard Church
  • Faith Feeds Food Pantry
  • Figueroa Wu Family Foundation
  • First Baptist Church of Melrose Park Food Pantry
  • First Presbyterian Church of Chicago
  • Food Access Project 
  • Food Pantry of Messiah-St Bartholomew Episcopal Church
  • For Your Consciousness Ministry
  • GAP Community Center
  • Glen Ellyn Food Pantry
  • Good Food Catalyst
  • Grace Housing Complex
  • Grace United Church of Christ
  • Grant A Wish Inc
  • Harmony Community Cares NFP
  • Harris Temple A.O.H. Church Food Pantry
  • Irving Park Community Food Pantry
  • Just Roots
  • Martin Temple Community Foundation
  • Mihut Romanian Charitable Mission
  • Neighborhood Food Pantries
  • New Christian Joy Full Church Food Pantry
  • New Eclipse Community Alliance
  • New Hope House Community Food Pantry
  • Operation Blessing of SW Chicagoland
  • Our Daily Bread Food Pantry
  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish
  • Our Shining Stars Foundation
  • Parkway Garden Christian Church Food Pantry
  • Seeds Center of Maple Park United Methodist Church
  • Sheldon Heights Food Pantry
  • Shepherd’s Hope LTD
  • Sisters Working It Out
  • Society of Arab American Neighborhood Development
  • St. Moses the Black Food Pantry
  • St. Paul and the Redeemer Episcopal Church
  • The Addison Township Foundation Food Pantry
  • The Outreach House
  • The Salvation Army Corps and Community Des Plaines
  • The Salvation Army Norridge Citadel
  • The Southwest Collective
  • Trinity Charities
  • Trinity Resurrection United Church
  • Valley Kingdom Community Development Corporation
  • Wayne Township Pantry
  • Windsor Park Evangelical Lutheran Church

*The Grubhub Community Fund is a donor advised fund at a national sponsoring organization. The Grubhub Community Fund is made possible through donations from our customers through our Donate the Change feature. Grubhub matches contributions on eligible orders from our Grubhub+ members.

Grubhub Revamps Ultimate Kiosks

Back in 2020, we launched our Ultimate kiosk technology, a first-of-its-kind proprietary hardware and software solution that integrates all restaurant ordering channels into one system. Error-prone handwritten scribbles and shouts were replaced with a digital workflow solution that connects the front- and back-of-the house directly with diners, creating a transparent view into their order status.

Today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve given Ultimate a facelift by way of new hardware, powered by Elo Touch, and payment processing and card readers powered by FreedomPay. You can read more about the updates in Campus ID News.

Grubhub Marks Hunger Action Month with New Chicago Initiatives and Expands Existing Programs

At the start of this year, Grubhub outlined three areas of focus for its philanthropic giving model, including an emphasis on helping to close the hunger gap. During Hunger Action Month this September, we are making an impact with new partnerships and efforts in Chicago, New York and in other key cities.

According to this year’s August Consumer Food Insights Report, the U.S. continues to confront food insecurity, with 14 percent of the population considered food insecure. In addition to our year-long programs and partnerships that help bridge the hunger gap, this month we are rolling out several new efforts. These include a new Grubhub microgrant program that will support Chicago nonprofits, a partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository (Food Depository) that will significantly increase meal distribution in areas of the city with high levels of food insecurity, serving as the official Hunger Action Month sponsor of Food Bank for NYC’s (FBNYC) activities and hosting a series of Serving the City (STC) events. 

Here’s how Grubhub is showing up in communities across the country.

In our hometown of Chicago we’re introducing two new initiatives.

  • New $1 million microgrant program to support local nonprofits tackling food insecurity. Grubhub is introducing a microgrant program, with operational support from the Food Depository and Nourishing Hope, benefiting Chicago-based nonprofits. The program, made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund*, will direct up to $1 million in grant funding to organizations providing access to food and meal services. We’ll open up the application period for interested nonprofits in early October.
  • More nutritious, made-from-scratch meals distributed through the Food Depository’s expanded prepared meal programs. We are partnering with the Food Depository to aid in the expansion of their prepared meals program. These meals support Chicago families, older adults, people with disabilities and individuals with medically tailored diets. In early 2024, the Food Depository will open an expanded facility with eventual plans to prepare, source and distribute up to 10,000 meals per day. The partnership will also support the Food Depository’s work with food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters as they meet elevated demand for food assistance. 

“Hunger Action Month is all about raising awareness and taking action to alleviate food insecurity for our neighbors. Currently, one in five households in the Chicago Metro area faces food insecurity. We are incredibly grateful for valued partners like Grubhub whose support will allow us to continue ramping up our daily production of healthy, made-from-scratch meals as we plan to open our new prepared meals kitchen in 2024,” said Jill Zimmerman, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “We’re also excited by the microgrant program and Grubhub’s commitment to support a strong and resilient network of food access programs across Chicago and neighboring communities.”

We’re bringing the STC program to Boston and sponsoring FBNYC’s Hunger Action Month campaign.

  • Expanding our STC program in Chicago, New York and Boston. Since launching the program in 2022, we’ve held nearly 70 STC events across the country and distributed nearly 35,000 meals to communities. Now, we will expand the program to Boston, distributing meals to public schools in the area.
  • Partnering with FBNYC as the official Hunger Action Month sponsor in New York City. $100,000 in matching funds, made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund, will support FBNYC’s Hunger Action Month awareness effort. The donation match campaign aims to bring attention to FBNYC’s mission to end hunger by organizing food, information and support for community survival and dignity. 
Grubhub’s Serving the City purchases and provides meals in communities across New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia, with a Boston expansion coming soon.

Raising awareness about hunger in America and inspiring everyone to take action and help close the hunger gap expands far beyond Hunger Action Month.  

  • Advocating for systemic change with policymakers in Washington. While our direct programs and partnerships are primarily at the city level, our team also advocates for policies and programs at the federal level to help achieve national impact. This past year, the Grubhub Government Relations team has continued efforts to advance the implementation of the Food Donation Improvement Act and specific policy recommendations to address food insecurity within the Farm Bill.
  • Extending and deepening our work with food-focused GCF partners. For several years, we have partnered with organizations like MEANS Database, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, Tacombi Foundation, Union League Boys and Girls Club in Chicago to support various food rescue and hunger relief programs that directly support communities across the country. In 2022, we partnered to distribute over 500,00 meals and rescued over 2.8 million pounds of food through partnerships funded by the Grubhub Community Fund, and we are on track to grow our impact helping more individuals and families get access to the food and additional program services.

“Grubhub is focused on partnering with local and national organizations to build out and support meaningful programs directly impacting individuals, families and communities, ” said Brianna Morris, Grubhub’s Sr. Manager of Community Impact. “Through the Grubhub Community Fund and other efforts, we are growing our impact in our hometown of Chicago, expanding our existing partnerships, and creating access to essential needs and opportunities within the communities we serve. ”

Hunger Action Month is a time to build awareness, but this work continues throughout the year in communities all across the country. As we deepen and expand our partnerships, we’ll continue to look at how we can achieve the greatest impact across all of our impact focus areas, including how we support independent restaurants and create opportunities for individuals working in the hospitality industry. 

*The Grubhub Community Fund is a donor advised fund at a national sponsoring organization. The Grubhub Community Fund is made possible through donations from our customers through our Donate the Change feature. Grubhub matches contributions on eligible orders from our Grubhub+ members.

Grubhub Expands Services to Restaurants With On-Demand Delivery

Self-delivery restaurants can now request Grubhub Delivery in real time

CHICAGO, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Grubhub, a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery platform, announced today that it is offering a new product feature, On-Demand Delivery. This service gives self-delivery restaurants on the Grubhub Marketplace the option to request a Grubhub delivery driver to facilitate the last-mile logistics on a per-order basis whenever needed. 

This feature is currently in pilot in markets across the country, including Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, D.C., Seattle, Chicago and Denver. Previously, restaurants couldn’t toggle between self-delivery and Grubhub delivery, but with the new automated feature, they can switch between both options on orders. Restaurants in the pilot program that use Grubhub delivery will be charged a flat delivery fee of $5 per order.

“Whether a restaurant could use extra support to keep up with demand during peak hours or cover for a driver who called in sick, we want to give restaurants even more help to run their business and deliver a great experience to customers,” said Liz Bosone, vice president of restaurant success at Grubhub. “We’ve heard from our restaurant partners that they welcome the convenience of this feature and like having alternate fulfillment options that don’t require hiring additional staff. We’re proud to add this feature to our suite of tools and services.”

On-Demand Delivery joins the suite of services that Grubhub offers its restaurant partners, including Supplemental Delivery, which allows self-delivery restaurants to expand their delivery boundary and reach more diners with the help of Grubhub drivers. For more information on Grubhub’s delivery services, please visit here.

About Grubhub
Grubhub is part of Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY), and is a leading U.S. food ordering and delivery marketplace. 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 more than 365,000 restaurant partners in over 4,000 U.S. cities.

 

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