Grubhub, a major player in the food delivery industry, is introducing a new feature that allows partner restaurants to seamlessly switch between in-house delivery and Grubhub drivers. This move is reminiscent of DoorDash’s similar feature, introduced in 2021, which empowers restaurants to alternate between using their own delivery staff and relying on DoorDash drivers.

The flexibility to shift between delivery types has proven highly beneficial for restaurant chains such as Papa John’s, which utilize their own delivery teams but rely on third-party aggregators like DoorDash during peak hours. This strategy has helped Papa John’s achieve growth in same-store sales, distinguishing it from competitors like Domino’s, which faced challenges in increasing delivery comp sales in recent years.

Grubhub’s new option aims to provide much-needed support to restaurants, especially those with limited budgets for expanding their own delivery fleets. This feature allows restaurants to cope with surges in demand during peak hours or address staffing issues, such as when a driver is unavailable.

Liz Bosone, Vice President of Restaurant Success at Grubhub, expressed the company’s commitment to helping restaurants efficiently manage their operations and provide excellent customer experiences. She stated, “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.”

In addition to the introduction of this versatile delivery option, Grubhub has been enhancing its suite of merchant features throughout the year. In May, the company updated its Grubhub for Restaurants portal, offering customer insights, self-serve requests, and self-serve photo access. Three months earlier, it expanded its Direct platform, enabling commission-free branded ordering for independent restaurants. This included integration with Google Business profiles, a $0 delivery fee per order, and the ability for customers to use Grubhub credentials for checkout.

Grubhub’s latest offering demonstrates its commitment to empowering restaurants with flexible and efficient solutions, addressing the evolving needs of the food delivery industry.