Latest news with #Grubhub
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Grubhub honors pandemic-born Chicago restaurants for reaching 5-year milestone
Like so many other people in the spring of 2020 — right as COVID-19 was becoming a pandemic — KFire co-owners Ben Kim and Eddie Hwang didn't imagine it would take longer than a couple of weeks to go 'back to normal.' 'They handed us the keys to start construction in March and at that time, no one really knew what the pandemic was, so Eddie and I were like, oh it'll probably be over in two weeks, right?' Kim said with a laugh. 'We asked our landlord 'hey, is this something we should be worried about — a lot of people are just halting opening businesses.' But everyone said 'No, this will be over in a month.'' Kim and Hwang proceeded to open their Logan Square fast-casual restaurant specializing in authentic traditional Korean BBQ in July 2020 — while many existing restaurants were in the throes of pivoting their entire business model. They've now hit the five-year mark and are one of the many pandemic-born restaurants in Chicago being honored by Grubhub's Established 2020 program for reaching the milestone. 'This program is our way of saying thank you to the entrepreneurs who took a big risk during the pandemic and created something meaningful,' said Lisa Belot, director of corporate affairs at Grubhub. 'Their stories show that resilience isn't just about getting through tough times, it's about building something even stronger.' The inaugural award recognizes 31 small business restaurants from 25 different neighborhoods across Chicago. So far, Grubhub is rolling out Established 2020 in Chicago only, with no public plans to explore the program in other cities. Belot said the program was designed to be inclusive, with as few hurdles as possible for the restaurant owners interested in submitting their story for a chance to win $2,500. 'If the Chicago restaurant scene is doing well, we see that as a sign of success for Grubhub. So we want everybody — whether a restaurant is on our platform or not — to be able to participate,' Belot said. 'It was open to any small business, restaurant in Chicago who opened a physical location in 2020, and is still open today. That was really it.' Grubhub asked businesses for proof of a business license in 2020 and that they paid taxes on their business in 2024. More importantly, organizers with the online food ordering platform wanted to know how restaurant owners would use the financial awards. Belot said most of the award recipients plan to reinvest in their operation by hiring more staff, upgrading kitchen equipment, refreshing dining spaces and expanding marketing efforts to attract more clientele. Kim and Hwang are among four restaurant owners who will receive $5,000 to invest back into their businesses, in part because of their partnership and help in rolling out the Established 2020 award with Grubhub, Belot said. For Kim and Hwang, one thing that played in their favor during the pandemic was that KFire's concept was heavily based on a quicker way to have Korean BBQ, but take-out only wasn't the ideal way to introduce it to a new clientele. 'Our biggest struggle was we were a brand new concept. We weren't pizza, fried chicken or cheeseburgers,' Hwang said. 'It was Korean barbecue — 1% of the world knows what that is. Us trying to be like, 'Hey, can you come eat us instead of all the cheeseburger and pizza places you guys have to order from,' was more of a struggle for us right away.' Other issues such as staffing and social distancing requirements exacerbated the challenges of operating a new business, Kim added. 'When COVID was going around, you didn't know if people were going to be able to make it to work — whether they had symptoms or were exposed — everyone was scared,' Kim said. 'There was also a lot of uncertainty around interacting with customers.' Kim, who has more than 30 years of restaurant experience, said running a business during those volatile times was new for everyone. 'It didn't really matter how much experience you had in the industry — it was a totally different game,' he said. Korean BBQ restaurant KFire seen on June 2, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)Hwang said they tried to home in on things that were especially important to the overall eating experience — such as plating food quickly while it's hot and trying to keep the food warm as long as possible, which meant reevaluating take-out containers and packaging techniques. And learning how to work together in a highly stressful environment was invaluable, he said. In 2023, Kim and Hwang opened the second KFire location in Old Town. 'For the last five years, every other week was something different, like one day you're all 'Oh, I think it's gonna be good.' And then, Tuesday comes — you're like, just kidding. That has been on repeat since we opened,' Kim said. 'We've definitely figured out that both of us have very strong wills and the adaptability between us has definitely helped us come to where we are now.' 10Q Chicken — Evanston 14 Parish Restaurant and Rhum Bar — Hyde Park Afro Joe's Coffee & Tea — Beverly Alynia Zushi & Karaoke Lounge — Bridgeport Basant Modern Indian — North Center Beautiful Rind — Logan Square Big League Burgers — Irving Park CheSa's Bistro & Bar — Avondale Dirty Tiff's Cafe — Bronzeville Doma — Near North Doughboy's Chicago — Bronzeville Eathai — Logan Square Evette's — Lincoln Park Flippin Flavors — Beverly Ground Up Cafe — River North Kapitan — Lincoln Park KFire — Logan Square Khepri Cafe — Albany Park Kimberli Sushi and Thai Cuisine — Lincoln Square La Parrilla Latin Food — Dunning Lexington Betty Smoke House — Pullman Monkey King Jianbing — Skokie Musashiya Ramen — Lakeview East Pastores and Brunch — Roscoe Village Polombia — The Loop Side Practice Coffee — Ravenswood Silk Road of Chicago — The Loop Similan Thai and Sushi Restaurant — Edgewater Tamales Rebe — West Lawn Tastee Rolls 2 — Chatham Thai Pastry Restaurant — Uptown Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. 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Chicago Tribune
18 hours ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Grubhub honors pandemic-born Chicago restaurants for reaching 5-year milestone
Like so many other people in the spring of 2020 — right as COVID-19 was becoming a pandemic — KFire co-owners Ben Kim and Eddie Hwang didn't imagine it would take longer than a couple of weeks to go 'back to normal.' 'They handed us the keys to start construction in March and at that time, no one really knew what the pandemic was, so Eddie and I were like, oh it'll probably be over in two weeks, right?' Kim said with a laugh. 'We asked our landlord 'hey, is this something we should be worried about — a lot of people are just halting opening businesses.' But everyone said 'No, this will be over in a month.'' Kim and Hwang proceeded to open their Logan Square fast-casual restaurant specializing in authentic traditional Korean BBQ in July 2020 — while many existing restaurants were in the throes of pivoting their entire business model. They've now hit the five-year mark and are one of the many pandemic-born restaurants in Chicago being honored by Grubhub's Established 2020 program for reaching the milestone. 'This program is our way of saying thank you to the entrepreneurs who took a big risk during the pandemic and created something meaningful,' said Lisa Belot, director of corporate affairs at Grubhub. 'Their stories show that resilience isn't just about getting through tough times, it's about building something even stronger.' The inaugural award recognizes 31 small business restaurants from 25 different neighborhoods across Chicago. So far, Grubhub is rolling out Established 2020 in Chicago only, with no public plans to explore the program in other cities. Belot said the program was designed to be inclusive, with as few hurdles as possible for the restaurant owners interested in submitting their story for a chance to win $2,500. 'If the Chicago restaurant scene is doing well, we see that as a sign of success for Grubhub. So we want everybody — whether a restaurant is on our platform or not — to be able to participate,' Belot said. 'It was open to any small business, restaurant in Chicago who opened a physical location in 2020, and is still open today. That was really it.' Grubhub asked businesses for proof of a business license in 2020 and that they paid taxes on their business in 2024. More importantly, organizers with the online food ordering platform wanted to know how restaurant owners would use the financial awards. Belot said most of the award recipients plan to reinvest in their operation by hiring more staff, upgrading kitchen equipment, refreshing dining spaces and expanding marketing efforts to attract more clientele. Kim and Hwang are among four restaurant owners who will receive $5,000 to invest back into their businesses, in part because of their partnership and help in rolling out the Established 2020 award with Grubhub, Belot said. For Kim and Hwang, one thing that played in their favor during the pandemic was that KFire's concept was heavily based on a quicker way to have Korean BBQ, but take-out only wasn't the ideal way to introduce it to a new clientele. 'Our biggest struggle was we were a brand new concept. We weren't pizza, fried chicken or cheeseburgers,' Hwang said. 'It was Korean barbecue — 1% of the world knows what that is. Us trying to be like, 'Hey, can you come eat us instead of all the cheeseburger and pizza places you guys have to order from,' was more of a struggle for us right away.' Other issues such as staffing and social distancing requirements exacerbated the challenges of operating a new business, Kim added. 'When COVID was going around, you didn't know if people were going to be able to make it to work — whether they had symptoms or were exposed — everyone was scared,' Kim said. 'There was also a lot of uncertainty around interacting with customers.' Kim, who has more than 30 years of restaurant experience, said running a business during those volatile times was new for everyone. 'It didn't really matter how much experience you had in the industry — it was a totally different game,' he said. Korean BBQ restaurant KFire seen on June 2, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)Hwang said they tried to home in on things that were especially important to the overall eating experience — such as plating food quickly while it's hot and trying to keep the food warm as long as possible, which meant reevaluating take-out containers and packaging techniques. And learning how to work together in a highly stressful environment was invaluable, he said. In 2023, Kim and Hwang opened the second KFire location in Old Town. 'For the last five years, every other week was something different, like one day you're all 'Oh, I think it's gonna be good.' And then, Tuesday comes — you're like, just kidding. That has been on repeat since we opened,' Kim said. 'We've definitely figured out that both of us have very strong wills and the adaptability between us has definitely helped us come to where we are now.' The full list of Established 2020 Award restaurant recipients includes:
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
United States Online Food Delivery Market Forecast Report and Company Analysis 2025-2033 Featuring Grubhub, Doordash, Uber, Postmates, Dominos, Kroger, Blue Apron, and HelloFresh
Driven by smartphone adoption, convenience, and evolving consumer lifestyles, this growth will be supported by platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub. Technological advancements, strategic alliances, and aggressive marketing are key factors fueling expansion, despite challenges like fierce competition. Major cities, including New York and Los Angeles, showcase the sector's vibrant dynamics. U.S. Online Food Delivery Market Dublin, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United States Online Food Delivery Market Size and Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2033" report has been added to States Online Food Delivery Market is expected to reach US$ 72.94 billion by 2033 from US$ 31.11 billion in 2024, with a CAGR of 9.93% from 2025 to 2033. The demand for delivery services is fueled by a number of factors, including the growing popularity of smartphones, convenience, a wide variety of food selections, technological advancements, and the development of busy lifestyles. With services like Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Postmates providing easy access to a large selection of eateries, online food delivery has become increasingly popular in the US. Consumers can purchase meals online or through mobile apps, with the option of pickup or delivery. These services frequently offer promotions or subscription plans, and they usually charge for delivery. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of online ordering has changed eating habits and made meal delivery a commonplace aspect of American the rise of busy lifestyles, and increased smartphone usage are the main drivers of the U.S. online food delivery market's expansion. Food ordering is now simple due to the growth of websites like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats. More customers are drawn to restaurants with a variety of menu alternatives, including healthier and specialty cuisine options. Usage is further increased via subscription models, loyalty benefits, and simple payment methods. Technological developments that continue to improve consumer experience, such real-time tracking and AI for tailored recommendations, are driving market April 2024: Amazon's new Prime monthly grocery delivery subscription service, available to Prime members and anyone with a registered electronic benefit transfer card, was welcomed in more than 3,500 American cities and towns. This subscription, which costs $9.99 per month for Prime members and pays for itself after one delivery order in a month, gives Prime members access to more convenient delivery and pickup options as well as unlimited grocery delivery on orders of $35 or more from Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, and a variety of local grocery and specialty stores that are all available on Drivers for the Online Food Delivery Market Strategic Alliances and InvestmentsThe growing emphasis on strategic alliances and acquisitions is a major factor driving the expansion of the US online food delivery sector. Leading businesses are partnering with grocery shops, restaurant chains, and other food service providers in an effort to expand their market share and enhance their service offerings. Through these partnerships, meal delivery apps can offer a wider variety of food options, catering to a wider customer base. Grubhub and Homewood Suites by Hilton teamed together in June 2023 to provide food options for visitors at about 500 locations throughout the US. Tourists may simply place orders from nearby restaurants using the Grubhub app's geolocation and rapid response (QR) codes, adding to their dining options and improving their overall prominent organizations can enhance their efficiency, fortify their position, and seamlessly integrate new technologies by purchasing smaller delivery and technology firms. In addition, partnerships with large supermarket chains lead to the launch of grocery delivery services, which benefit consumers and create new revenue streams. These strategic choices boost key players' competitive edge and encourage creativity and efficiency, which expands the market as a for Marketing and PromotionThe industry for online food delivery is mostly driven by aggressive marketing and promotional initiatives. In order to raise brand awareness and draw in new customers, businesses are making significant investments in advertising across a range of platforms, including social media, television (TV), and online channels, according to the outlook for the US online meal delivery market. Discounts, free shipping, and loyalty plans are examples of promotional offerings that are essential for keeping current customers and promoting regular use of the service. For instance, Grubhub and Amazon extended its free Grubhub+ deal for another year in June 2023 for American Prime members, providing exceptional savings on restaurant purchases and no delivery costs. This collaboration raised the value of Prime by giving members access to exclusive dining options and fantastic prices through Grubhub's working with well-known events or celebrities at particular seasons of the year boosts brand awareness and human engagement. Particularly effective are these marketing techniques in converting traditional in-person diners to online delivery customers. Delivery platforms can gain a competitive edge, boost user acquisition, and promote ongoing market expansion by employing creative marketing strategies to regularly engage their AdvancementsThe expansion of the online food delivery sector in the United States is mostly driven by technological developments. Customers may place orders with ease thanks to the growth of mobile apps and smooth online platforms, which provide real-time order monitoring, simple payment options, and AI-powered personalized recommendations. By cutting down on wait times and increasing customer satisfaction, GPS and route optimization technology increase delivery efficiency. The ordering process is further streamlined by integration with smart devices, such as voice assistants (like Alexa and Google Assistant). For instance, Uber Eats began deploying food delivery robots in a number of US locations in May systems can forecast demand, offer targeted discounts, and optimize menu offerings with the use of advanced data analytics. Additionally, artificial intelligence improves operational efficiency and helps with customer care through in the Online Food Delivery Market Intense CompetitionOne major obstacle in the US internet food delivery sector is fierce competition. Due to the dominance of some platforms, such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Postmates, it is challenging for new competitors to increase their market share. In order to draw clients, these well-known companies frequently use aggressive marketing strategies, providing loyalty plans, discounts, and alliances with well-known eateries. Due to the intense competition, platforms' and restaurants' profit margins are under strain as the emphasis moves from long-term sustainability to client acquisition. Differentiation and innovation are therefore essential for surviving in the competitive relianceOne of the biggest issues facing the online food delivery industry is third-party dependence. Restaurants depend on platforms for customer access and delivery services, but this creates a lack of control over the customer experience. Customer happiness may be impacted by order errors, delays, and uneven service quality. Furthermore, these platforms' exorbitant commission fees lower restaurant profit margins. Restaurants run the risk of being unduly dependent on outside parties as the market gets more competitive, which will hinder their capacity to interact directly with consumers and keep control over the quality of their brand and services. Company Analysis: Business Overview, Key Persons, Recent Development & Strategies, Sales Analysis Grubhub Doordash Uber Eats Postmates Dominos Pizza Inc. Kroger Co. Blue Apron Holdings HelloFresh Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2024 - 2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $31.11 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $72.94 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.9% Regions Covered United States Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction2. Research & Methodology3. Executive Summary4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.2 Challenge5. United States Online Food Delivery Market6. Market Share Analysis6.1 By Business Model6.2 By Platform Type6.3 By Payment Method6.4 By Cities7. Business Model7.1 Platform to customer delivery7.2 Restaurant to customer delivery8. Platform Type8.1 Websites8.2 Applications9. Payment Method9.1 Cash on delivery9.2 Online10. Cities10.1 Seattle10.2 Pittsburgh10.3 San Francisco10.4 Austin10.5 San Jose10.6 San Antonio10.7 Virginia Beach10.8 Miami10.9 San Diego10.10 Los Angeles10.11 Portland10.12 Atlanta10.13 Orlando10.14 Washington, DC10.15 Jacksonville10.16 Riverside10.17 Houston10.18 Sacramento10.19 Denver10.20 New York10.21 Tampa10.22 Tucson10.23 Dallas10.24 Salt Lake City10.25 Phoenix10.26 Others11. Porter's Five Forces Analysis11.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers11.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers11.3 Degree of Rivalry11.4 Threat of New Entrants11.5 Threat of Substitutes12. SWOT Analysis12.1 Strength12.2 Weakness12.3 Opportunity12.4 Threat13. Key Players Analysis For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment U.S. Online Food Delivery Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon's Grubhub deal is delivering big results
Amazon and Grubhub are entering the second year of a five-year commercial agreement that gives Amazon Prime members access to the food delivery platform's subscription program at no extra cost. Tesla's Cybertruck is officially a flop House Republicans just gutted the IRA. What happened to all the supposed holdouts? Trump's 4,000 meme-coins-per-plate crypto dinner is an American embarrassment As part of the deal, Grubhub's ordering tab was integrated directly into the Amazon app and website, allowing users to order burritos while shopping for face wash or streaming a show. That seamless experience appears to be paying off, say company executives. 'Amazon Prime customers are a very engaged customer cohort,' says Jamil Ghani, Amazon's worldwide vice president of Prime. More than nine out of 10 orders on or in the app are coming from Prime members returning to the order experience, the company says. Amazon plans to add food delivery through its Alexa+ service later this year, Ghani says. The collaboration arrives at a time when many companies are enhancing their subscription offerings. Amazon is competing with loyalty programs from Walmart and Target, hoping that added perks like Grubhub+ increase the appeal of its $139-a-year Prime membership. Amazon reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of this year, though it is one of the many retailers caught up in President Donald Trump's aggressive tariffs. Shares of the company were up almost 11% from this time a year ago, though they've decreased 7.8% year to date. 'The main benefit to Amazon of the Grubhub partnership is that it helps underscore the value of Prime outside all the benefits Amazon offers via its own services,' GlobalData managing director Neil Saunders tells Fast Company. 'Grubhub is a very complimentary service as meal delivery and pickup is not something Amazon does itself.' Grubhub operates in the same competitive space as Uber Eats and DoorDash—both of which also have loyalty programs bolstered by third-party deals, with companies like Delta and Chase, respectively. Although Grubhub's market share has declined steadily since 2021, integration with Amazon has introduced the platform to new users and increased awareness of Grubhub+. 'Grubhub's been on a mission over the last couple of years to transform our value proposition, adding more restaurants, better service,' says Grubhub CEO Howard Migdal. 'Ever since the partnership started one year ago, we've sort of step changed the value proposition to customers once again.' A Grubhub+ membership otherwise costs $120 a year and gives users $0 delivery fees and lower service fees. The companies claim that Prime members who use the service 'save an average of $300 per year.' Amazon declined to share specific numbers on signups, but the company said there's a more than 50% year-over-year increase in Grubhub+ signups since it integrated the platform 'For Grubhub, the partnership expands the audience and the number or orders it fulfills,' Saunders says. 'Amazon has a huge reach and Grubhub has been able to tap into this.' This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Sign in to access your portfolio
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Grubhub launches new food and shopping deals
By Published: | Updated: Grubhub has a bunch of food and shopping deals — as it fights back against delivery giants DoorDash and Uber Eats. The delivery app just kicked off its latest Gold Days of Grubhub+ , with four weeks of promos and perks for members. Fast food fans have missed week one, which brought savings at big-name chains like Popeyes, Chili's, Firehouse Subs and Little Caesars. But over the next three weeks, expect fresh deals from Wendy's, Burger King, Arby's, Dunkin', Sonic, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC — all running through June 8. Grubhub+ costs $9.99 a month or is free with Amazon Prime. For non-members, the company is offering a limited-time $30 annual membership — a 66 percent discount. On top of the deals, members already get $0 Priority Delivery fees, lower service fees, 5 percent back on pickup orders, and year-round exclusive deals. Amazon Prime members get one more perk. They can use the code 'GOLD10' to score $10 off a $20 order. Here's what's still on the table for weeks two, three and four.... Dubbed 'Midweek Mood Boosters,' Grubhub kicked off its second week of golden days on Monday. Members looking for something sweet can earn a free medium Frosty Fusion for an order that's $20 or more. Burger King fans can also take advantage of a buy one, get one (BOGO) deal on double cheeseburgers for orders starting at $15. The final restaurant chain featured in this week's deals is Sweetgreen, which includes a $5 discount on orders for $25 or more. Albertson's, PetSmart, and 7-Eleven deals are all included in the celebration this week only. Albertsons customers can take 40 percent off $40 or more orders, while animal owners can save 30 percent on purchases starting at $40. Grubhub+ members needing items from 7-Eleven can save 30 percent on orders that cost $25 or more. The week of 'Memorial Day Munchies' features offers from five chains that will go from May 26 to June 1. Customers can score a BOGO deal wings (up to $15) on orders starting at $20 from Buffalo Wild Wings . Grubhub members will also be able to save 20 percent on total purchases that cost $25 or more from Arby's. Dunkin' and Sonic Drive-In fans can go nuts that week for 25 percent discounts on orders starting at $20. Members who aren't foodies can enjoy a 30 percent discount on their shopping cart with goods totaling $35 or more. Grubhub is ending its golden days with a 'Feasting with Friends' week from June 2 to June 8. Members can snag a free 10-piece Nuggets on orders starting at $20 from Taco Bell that week. Customers will also be able to earn a free SmokeShack from Shake Shake by making a purchase of $25 or more.
