GrubHub.com

David asked me to post a message explaining GrubHub.com and my relationship to it because I mentioned it in another post.

Disclosure:I am the owner, and developer of http://www.grubhub.com

Lets start with a little story... So, I was working for the man trying to put my wife through law school and I was on the way home on the 145 bus in February 2001. Many of you can picture the scene... you can't see out the windows because the CTA has given up fighting the salt and mud. you can smell the guy next to you who has somehow manueveured you into a yoga position and he has also given up fighting the salt and mud. you are thinking about cooking the chicken which you forgot to take out of the freezer...again... and I think "dag nab it all... I am so sick of wishing there was an easy way to find out who delivers to me. I'm not going to sleep tonight, i'm going to write the stinking website already!" Well, it took considerably more than 1 sleepless night to write the site, but I did. so. What is it exactly?

The main idea: Put in your address (via a map) and get a list of all the restaurants that deliver to you. They should have menus and coupons.

The next idea: add a way to add reviews. works pretty well. will work even better in the next release along with online ordering...

The new idea: one of my roomates from college is deaf, i wanted to provide a way for the deaf community (and everyone else online) in Chicago to order food, hence online ordering for all the restaurants i have signed up. The rather considerable effort i have put into this will go live with 2 restaurants Aug 1. and another 5-10 by September. This focused effort is the reason there are typos I haven't fixed on the website.

The personal crusade: I HATE POPUPS Notice the lack of ads and popups on the site. popups will never be there while i'm at the helm. other ads may be added, but only if they are relevant, charity, or pay me large sums of cashmoney.

The plea: Tell your friends. link to us from your site. I would also like recommendations, kudos, comments

Our sales to restaurants have skyrocketed as has our traffic. Ultimately, I would like to hire more salespeople so I can focus on development and marketing. Heck, I'd love to hire developers and marketers, but frankly, i'm not running this business like a 1999 dot.com. Since this is the professional forum, i'll have to give a bolder hint than i did in other places. i'm basically waiting for someone with enough initiative to find out ways to contact me and sell me on why they should be a salesperson. Seems like a reasonable test of their ability to me anyway.

Mike E,

Thanks for the GrubHub backstory. I think it's a fine idea though I'm a little bummed that Oak Park is currently off the GrubHub map - actually, it's technically on your map; there just seem to be none (or very few) restaurants that deliver to Oak Park.

I think the deaf-accessible feature is very interesting - it's the kind of angle that would make a news-worthy press release (which you've probably tried already).

Any way, thanks for posting the 'disclosure,' and I hope GrubHub works out for you.

David

PS. Good name.

Mike,

I applaud your efforts as well.

In particular, I like the disadvantaged or challenged aspect of your business model. Having avoided the 501 (c) 3 circuit for long enough, I am thrilled with certain new opportunities to re-think some business concerns.

I might suggest you contact a few social service agencies in town for focus groups on ways you can improve this part of your service.


Editor's note:

I am removing my off the cuff legal analysis and will pm you about it.

David Hammond wrote: I think it's a fine idea though I'm a little bummed that Oak Park is currently off the GrubHub map - actually, it's technically on your map; there just seem to be none (or very few) restaurants that deliver to Oak Park.

Ditto for Elmwood Park, the blue collar neighbor to the Northwest. (River Forest can fend for itself...)

It's Hell to be one block off the map!
Hell, I say!


Great concept, though. Kudos.