Grubhub's New Partnership Includes Convenience Store Deliveries

Grubhub, which was acquired by Just Eat Takeaway last year, is making life a little more "convenient" as the food ordering and delivery app continues to grow its services. The pioneer of ordering restaurant takeout online made its debut in the early 2000s (via Business of Apps), and they recently announced they're partnering with convenience store pioneer 7-Eleven to provide "on-demand convenience delivery" to its customer base through the new Grubhub Goods brand. The competitor to Uber Eats and DoorDash explained that, after a pilot run including more than a dozen Grubhub Goods locations in Manhattan that delivered Big Gulps, Slurpees, sweet and savory snacks, and more to New Yorkers, they're now taking the concept to scale.

It's a funny change of events since, in 2016, Grubhub's CEO Matt Maloney told Forbes.com food delivery is "the dumbest business you could ever be in," though Market Watch suggests the pandemic drastically changed that outlook as Americans "more than doubled" their use of delivery apps. In fact, according to McKinsey.com, the global food delivery market is currently valued at $150 billion. Cha-Ching! However, as Marketplace explains, as things return to normal, consumer "habits" will change, and it appears Grubhub is responding to that shift with this latest addition to its portfolio of services. So, what can customers expect?

Per Grubhub's announcement, there are currently more than 3,000 Grubhub Goods spots located throughout the United States, and these locations are expected to deliver some of 7-Eleven's "most popular" convenience items, which include "energy drinks, ice cream, and personal care products." To entice customers to use this new service, Grubhub Goods is dangling a 50% off promo for orders of $15 or more; however, before you jump on the chance, remember that, according to the Washington Post, convenience store prices tend to be higher in the first place. Add on the Grubhub delivery fee and you will be paying a pretty high premium. 

Of course, they are called convenience stores for a reason, so why not make it a little more decadent and have a delivery service layered into the equation, right? Kyle Goings, director of growth and new verticals at Grubhub said, "We've been working with 7-Eleven for years to offer their locations on the Grubhub marketplace, and it was a no-brainer to team up with the convenience leader again and bring their operational expertise and scale to Grubhub Goods. Together, we are making it even easier for diners to order convenience items and satisfy any quick cravings right from the Grubhub app." The app leaders also believe the more their users order items from 7-Eleven, the more they will also order up from local restaurants. Still, Grubhub was not first to this space. As Tech Crunch notes, Door Dash launched a similar service called Dashmart last year.