USA – Food delivery platform Grubhub has launched a tech-focused ordering solution where college students can use within campuses via their meal credits, access robot delivery and opt for reusable containers.
The solution is linked with 36- campuses across the US and reaches 4.5 million college students.
It is expected to cut wait times for meals, offering students smoother and more flexible dining experiences.
According to Grubhub, the current solution is an amalgamation of compounded improvements to its campus-specific innovations over the past few years.
The platform revealed the journey began five years ago with the acquisition of mobile commerce application Tapingo. The acquisition allowed the food delivery platform to integrate Tapingo’s ReusePass program that allows students choose zero-waste reusable packaging during checkout.
Grubhub then launched a collection of specific offerings tailored for college dining. The first campus integration allowed students to use their meal credits directly through the app.
This innovation allowed access to a wide range of in-campus venues and local restaurants.
The campus-specific solution continued in 2022 through the platform’s partnership with tech companies Starship Technologies, Kiwibot and Cartken that integrated robot delivery. The company revealed the partnership resulted in hundreds of thousands of robot orders, especially on larger campuses.
In September 2023, the food delivery platform acquired Amazon’s just Walk Out technology, which allowed students to scan a QR code at convenience stores within campuses, pick food and skip the checkout line.
Payment on this technology is deductible from their meal credits/dining dollars, or linked to their credit cards.
The most recent step in developing the holistic solution was Ultimate Kiosks, which gives students an estimated wait time of when their meal will be ready, eliminating lines at popular dining halls. The feature streamlines frontline operations, freeing up cashiers.
Students whose campuses have partnered with Grubhub are eligible for free delivery and lower service fees on eligible orders, 5% back in Grubhub+ credit on off-campus pickup orders and exclusive deals.
Rob DelaCruz, Vice President and General Manager of Grubhub Campus Business said, “Ordering food on demand is table stakes for younger diners, but our app goes much further than mobile ordering.”
“It integrates a number of functions into a single platform. Plus, we’re engaging students in a convenient and flexible dining experience and streamlining front-of-house operations so schools can go back to focus on feeding.”
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