I signed up for GrubHub sometime in May of 2021 and was put on a waiting list. Word on the street was that GrubHub was the best delivery app and I thought "Well if that's true, then no wonder the wait". At the end of June I was finally given the green light from GrubHub but didn't start using them until a few days later.
On a hot summer Saturday afternoon, I decided to do a trial run with GrubHub. I was a tad bit hungover, but not so much that I couldn't do deliveries and was slowly coming out of it. I was able to take the butt end of a 2 hour block that day and went on about 1:30pm sitting in a commuter lot near a regular hot zone I normally sit in (Across the street from a restaurant). Within seconds of logging on I received my first ping. It was my intention that on this test run I wouldn't decline any orders and I didn't. In 2 hours I made $80. I thought "Not bad" for a Saturday afternoon.
Block Scheduling Versus Working Off Block With GrubHub
There are two ways to work GrubHub. Either schedule yourself a block (Usually in advance) or you simply slide the 'Available to take orders' option and work off block. Blocks normally run 1 1/2 to 2 hours in length, which is usually how much time I devote each time I do deliveries anyway (I do food delivery gigs as a part time side hustle).
Now when it comes to blocks, as a beginner level user, you're limited as to when you can schedule them. But if you maintain a certain status level (Such as a high acceptance rating, order completion rating and low block drop rating) you are given a broader selection.
The difference between working off block versus on block is that when on block you're supposed to be given first selection of orders. Working off block (Without GrubHub actually using the terms) you get the bread crumbs of rejected orders.
When working on block, it's almost impossible to multi-app. At least in my market, because I usually receive a ping for the next delivery just prior to completing the one I'm currently on. I like the fact that it keeps the money wheels spinning, but I'm not really thrilled with the idea that in order to maintain block status, you can't decline too many orders because it will affect your acceptance rating. So it limits you. As a 1099 worker, I don't like that kind of limitation. Yes it's strictly voluntary, but still it's not entirely voluntary if you know what I mean. I also don't like the fact that you can't work a certain area within your specified zone. And the zone is broad. For example, I usually like to stick to a particular town near where I live because of familiarity and because of short delivery distances. Yes that area is within my GrubHub zone BUT so are about 4-6 other town that are a lot further away. While on block, you really don't get to pick and choose if you want to maintain block scheduling privilege's. I find this a hindrance to my freedom as a 1099 worker.
But if you work off block, you can choose more freely, and if you don't care about block scheduling (Which I learned to not care about it and I'll explain that in a moment) then you can decline all you want and stay within the area you wish to work.
My experiences with working on block versus off block is that working on block is way overhyped. I've received equally great orders on block and off block. There were times where working on block, I got lousy offers and sometimes it was slow and there were times I made more money off block than on block. So really block scheduling is just a scheme for GrubHub to get you to be their bitch for 1 1/2 -2 hours . Totally counterproductive to what 1099 work is supposed to be about. So I no longer worry about my acceptance rating when working GrubHub because block scheduling no longer interests me.
The GrubHub App
Of the 3 major platforms I find the GrubHub app to be the least stable. It often freezes up and as far as connectivity is concerned it's very shaky. When an order comes in a cowbell rings. In my market area (Though this might be changing as I write this), GrubHub does not divulge to you the total mileage of an order. You can zoom the map on the order to locate pickup/drop off points, but they don't give you the drop off address until after you've arrived at the restaurant for pickup. So you have to literally guess distance based on the map. I haven't used GrubHub in over a week, but I'm starting to see others from around the internet saying that they are now showing mileage.
What should be a totally awesome feature on the app turns out to be a disappointment. Some restaurants will notify you through the app when an order is ready for pickup and it will ping your phone. And some restaurants actually do a great job of that. In my area, one particular Japanese restaurant that I like to pick up from, has specific instructions for the driver to wait in their car until they hear the 'Order ready for pickup' tone, then proceed to the building for pickup. They use it properly. But 95% or more of the other restaurants will send that notification out to you before they even start working on the order so you think that you'll just walk in, pick it up and walk out only to find out you might have a bit of a wait ahead of you. I'm not sure if GrubHub sometimes sends those pings out but it doesn't matter their highly unreliable in most cases.
Now back to app stability. The app for some reason, disconnects from the internet often even when in a full service range. I don't know why this is but it's a damn nuisance (And it always seems to do this at the most inconvenient times-which gets my conspiratorial wheels spinning). One time I tried to unassign myself from an order (I think it was the only order I ever tried to unassigned myself from using that app) and the app cut out on me. It said 'Out of range' or something of that sort. Even though all the other apps, texting and calling worked just fine, the GrubHub app froze up. I couldn't unassign myself. I couldn't even contact driver care by calling or through texting. I had no choice but to stick the order out. Then lo and behold as soon as I got the order, it became fully functional again. Very shady GrubHub! I also ended up losing money on that order because of the whole ordeal. It really upset me and I figured, since GrubHub is costing me money right now, I'm going off block and shutting down the app. I made up the difference with DoorDash that night.
Also, I've missed a few pings because of connectivity issues. If that weren't bad enough, GrubHub penalizes your acceptance rating as a result of it. Like it's my fault! I remember one order came in for a $30 payout. Of course I was going to accept it! But as I hit 'Accept' the app cut out for about 15-20 seconds and it never received my acceptance of the order. Then I received a notification that I need to move to a better service area because I've missed some pings?? Really?? I was in a 5G full bar area! Not good GrubHub! Get your shit straight!
Earnings and Transparency
One thing I will give GrubHub credit for, is that, even though they're not 100% transparent they are indeed the most transparent out of all 3 major platforms (Uber Eats and DoorDash being the other two).
Basically, the earnings amount for each order that displays on your screen is what you will make after completing the order. There's no guess work. What you see is what you will get. It includes tip, mileage, bonuses and base rate. It's fully transparent when it comes to that (And I find it interesting how GrubHub's payouts are usually always better than the other 2 platforms based on tips alone-which makes me highly suspicious of UberEats and DoorDash when others accuse them of hiding or stealing tips-just saying!).
Now you won't see the break down of the order until after it's completed but you can't help but notice the payout amounts are indeed higher, even for fast food, than the other 2 major platform delivery apps. Now if only they show mileage when an offer comes in, then they deserve even higher marks for transparency, because I'll admit GrubHub has tripped me up on the mile:pay ratio due to their lack of transparency in that area. But for the most part (95% of the time) I've always earned a higher pay:mileage ratio at the end of my shift. ALMOST to the point where you don't really have to worry too much about it.
I also find that very few orders they send me are worth declining. Most of the time when I declined a ping is because I either didn't want to end up in that particular area of town due to the neighborhood or I just don't like the restaurant. Normally, its normally never anything to do with low pay. And to be honest, I've rarely ever seen a ping come through that's under $5.
Driver Support
It's not perfect. It can be a little better, but compared to DoorDash and UberEats they win the most points in this area.
Normally (With a few exceptions) I found dealing with their driver support specialists to be mostly pleasant and respectful. They also are somewhat reasonable. For example, I was sent to a pickup location for a restaurant that didn't exist at that address. When I contacted driver support they verified it didn't exist at that address and cancelled the order. Which of course had me thinking 'Why would I get an order for a restaurant that doesn't even exist? Hmmm'. Anyway, that's a side issue. I told them that I drove 7 miles to get to it and that's a waste of time and gas and that I really needed to be compensated for it. Well, they did compensate me for it (Though it was too low. They told me $4, I ended up getting $3.50....but for 7 miles? Come on man!).
Another time, a customer put in an order for a pickup at a pizza place on a Tuesday night. When I got there the pizza place was closed (The sign on the door said they last minute decided to close on Tuesday's instead of Mondays). So I'm thinking they closed the restaurant but didn't go offline with GrubHub-therefore the mix up. Driver support was pleasant to deal with and compensated me $5 for my time (The original payout would have been $11). I still made money on that one because when I received the ping I was only a few miles away.
Compared to the other 2 app delivery platforms, while there still can be some improvements made, GrubHub beats DoorDash and UberEats in driver support.
Other Thoughts
Does GrubHub live up to their hype? Honestly, while they are slightly better than DoorDash and UberEats I have to say no. They just sin differently. Drivers are often lured in by high payout amounts only to find out that it takes them far out of the area they wish to work in and since mileage transparency is non-existent, it sometimes fools drivers that the mile:payout ratio is worth it. That's a big problem as a 1099 worker in my opinion.
I also don't like that they hold their 1099 workers to higher standards as if they were employees. They find ways to trap you so you can't multi-app, the limit you to a broader area rather than a more localized area, while you won't get deplatformed for maintaining a low acceptance rating you do get penalized in other ways. If you schedule a block then decide to drop it, you risk losing block scheduling privilege's (Even though blocks are overrated) and that's a big problem being an independent 1099 worker who enjoys the freedom of picking and choosing when and where to work. And unassigning orders are a bigger 'No-No' than other platforms. While all 3 platforms can indeed deplatform you if you unassign too many orders, GrubHub's tolerance is a lot lower.
If you really sit down and do the math, the payouts aren't really THAT much better than the other platforms. Yes, they're more transparent, but completing an order can be more time consuming and put more wear and tear on your car.
As I've said in a previous post, all 3 food delivery app platforms are basically the same in nature. They all sin the same, just at different moments. GrubHub just sells you a different brand of snake oil even though it's really the same snake oil.
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