USA – Food ordering and delivery platform Grubhub has partnered with e-commerce giant Amazon to offer deliveries to access-restricted areas in the US.

Grubhub delivery partners will utilize Amazon Key’s one-click access technology to enter common areas in buildings equipped with the system, according to the companies.

Amazon announced that it began piloting this program with Grubhub last year in selected markets, subsequently working to expand it for delivery partners across the country.

The collaboration between Amazon and Grubhub has previously evolved to allow Amazon customers to order Grubhub restaurant deliveries directly through Amazon’s website and shopping app. Also, Amazon Prime members receive a complimentary Grubhub+ membership, valued at US$120 annually.

This latest integration marks a deeper partnership that began in 2022. Through this initial partnership, Grubhub offered Prime members a year of free Grubhub+ membership. As part of this initial agreement, Amazon received warrants for over 2% of Grubhub’s fully diluted common equity.

Grubhub has reportedly completed nearly 1 million deliveries using Amazon Key, resulting in a 50% reduction in delivery partner team calls and a 22% decrease in order cancellation rates.

Delivery partners assigned to Amazon Key-enabled buildings are granted timed access to the common areas of those buildings.

Property managers must opt into the third-party delivery service and maintain control over Grubhub’s access, with the ability to revoke it at any time. They can also monitor delivery partner access history via Amazon Key’s dashboard.

An internal survey indicated that 72% of drivers felt Amazon Key facilitated faster access to delivery locations, with over two-thirds rating their overall experience as a five out of five.

Megan Mergener, Senior Director Of Logistics at Grubhub, said, “Drivers are completing deliveries more efficiently and with fewer issues, which has translated to smoother experiences for our customers. The reduced need for coordination means less friction at every stage.

According to Jitse Groen, CEO of parent company Just Eat Takeaway, Grubhub’s partnership with Amazon has been beneficial, especially the integration of Grubhub into Amazon’s platforms.

Groen noted that costs related to the New York City fee cap have made it challenging to market nationally, adding that the Amazon integration offers a more straightforward way to engage customers.

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