Amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Grubhub has launched a "contact-free" delivery option for diners who'd prefer to have their order dropped off at their doorstep or building lobby.
In an effort to provide options for users who prefer less contact with their delivery person, Grubhub now allows the contact-free option at the checkout page. Users can select the delivery feature by checking a box on the order confirmation page in the Grubhub app or website.
"Using Contact-free delivery at checkout, you can safely continue to support your favorite local restaurants," Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney wrote in a note to users Monday. "For the safety of you and our drivers, drivers will call/text when they arrive and drop off your order on the doorstep, in the lobby or other area designated by you. This option is now available on the website and latest version of the app."
Delivery, pickup and curbside service are currently the only ways restaurants can serve patrons after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that all restaurants and bars in the state would close starting Monday night. That order is effective through March 30.
Illinois is one of several states that has shut down in-person dining, along with New York, Ohio, Massachusetts and North Carolina, among others.
DoorDash has a similar contact-free option, as does Domino's.
The coronavirus pandemic is expected to hit the restaurant industry especially hard, as restaurants that operate with already thin margins are faced with a drastic reduction in customers and revenue.
On Friday, Grubhub announced it will suspend the collection of up to $100 million in commission fees that independent restaurants pay, and it created a fund that will allow diners to donate to charitable organizations that support restaurants and delivery drivers impacted by COVID-19.
Grubhub's stock climbed more than 17% Tuesday afternoon and was briefly halted for a “volatility trading pause.”
