Restaurant Guide
How to Get More Orders on Grubhub
Get more Grubhub orders with 7 tips based on Grubhub's own figures. Covers menu photos, Grubhub+ diners, Smart Promotions, ads, and portal data.
How to get more orders on Grubhub
- Add photos and descriptions to every item. Grubhub says restaurants that follow its menu best practices, which include both, get up to 70% more orders.
- Schedule the free professional menu photoshoot that Grubhub lists on each of its plans. Then plan how you make photos for new dishes.
- Plan offers for Grubhub+ members. Grubhub says they order 4 times a month on average, almost 70% more often than non-members.
- Know your fees. Grubhub lists a marketing commission of 5%, 15% or 20%, plus a delivery fee from 10% with Grubhub Delivery.
- Set a monthly budget for Smart Promotions or ads, and check the results in your dashboard. Grubhub says you pay for ads only when diners click.
See the difference professional photos make
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
| Market share | 6.3% of U.S. food delivery, third-largest (end of 2024, Consumer Edge) |
|---|---|
| Customers | Tens of millions of diners (Grubhub, October 2026) |
| Partners | Not published by Grubhub |
| Commission | 5%–20% marketing commission, plus a delivery fee from 10% (Grubhub, October 2026) |
| Average order | Not published by Grubhub |
| Menu photo | 1600 x 1200 pixels (menu items); 4:3 for menu items and the header; 2:1 for the profile and search image |
Why Grubhub Matters for Your Restaurant
Grubhub says tens of millions of diners use it to order delivery and takeout. Consumer Edge data shows Grubhub held 6.3% of U.S. food delivery at the end of 2024, behind DoorDash (60.7%) and Uber Eats (26.1%). Its share is higher in some cities: Consumer Edge puts it at 17.6% in the New York City area.
Wonder Group completed its $650 million acquisition of Grubhub in January 2025. This guide keeps to the steps that published figures support. It covers menu photos, Grubhub+ diners, promotions, ads, and your portal data.
How Grubhub's Algorithm Ranks Restaurants
Grubhub's search decides which restaurants a diner sees when they open the app or search for a cuisine. The order is different for each diner, because it uses what that diner ordered before. The two factors below are the ones that a published Grubhub figure supports. Start with them.
| Factor | Weight | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Menu completeness and photos | medium | Grubhub says restaurants that follow its menu best practices, which include photos and descriptions, get up to 70% more orders. |
| Promotional activity and Grubhub+ participation | medium | Grubhub says Grubhub+ members order 4 times a month on average, almost 70% more often than non-members (August 2023 to January 2024). |
The rest is steady operations. Set a prep time that your kitchen can meet. Confirm each order fast. Keep the menu up to date, so diners do not order items that you cannot make.
A diner who has ordered from you before is more likely to see your restaurant again. Each good order helps you win the next one.
7 Proven Ways to Increase Your Grubhub Orders
1.Add photos to every menu item
Grubhub says restaurants that follow its menu best practices receive up to 70% more orders and 65% higher sales. Those practices include photos and descriptions.
Grubhub lists a free professional menu photoshoot on each of its plans. It does not publish how many dishes the shoot covers. For new dishes and menu changes, you still need a way to make photos between shoots. Grubhub checks every image automatically before it appears.
Up to 70%[1]
more orders for restaurants that follow Grubhub menu best practices, which include photos and descriptions
2.Plan for Grubhub+ diners
Grubhub+ costs $9.99 per month, and Amazon Prime members get it for free. Members pay a $0 delivery fee on eligible orders over $12. Grubhub says Grubhub+ members order 4 times a month on average, almost 70% more often than non-members (August 2023 to January 2024).
Open the Customer Insights tool in your Grubhub for Restaurants portal. It splits your orders into Grubhub+ and non-Grubhub+ customers. Plan your offers around what members order.
$336/year[2]
average savings for Prime members who order with Grubhub+ at least once a month (Grubhub)
3.Use Smart Promotions to win new and repeat customers
Smart Promotions is an always-on tool. You set a monthly budget and your goals. You choose a percentage off, a dollar amount off, or a free menu item with purchase. The tool then targets three groups: new customers, lapsed customers, and active customers.
Start with a small monthly budget. Your dashboard shows new customers, repeat orders, and total spend for each promotion. Raise the budget only when those numbers work for you.
4.Use Sponsored Listings when you need more visibility
Sponsored Listings place your restaurant at the top of search results and category pages for an extra cost. Grubhub does not publish one price for them. Grubhub says its Ads tool runs on a monthly budget that you set, and you pay only when diners click.
Its pricing page also lists a monthly ad credit equal to your commission rate for ads that you buy. Ask your account manager what the ads cost in your market.
5.Write menu descriptions that match what diners search for
Diners type queries such as "chicken tikka masala" or "gluten-free pizza" into Grubhub search. A title such as "House Special" matches none of them. Put the main ingredient and the cooking method in each title.
Then add two to three sentences on the protein, key ingredients, sauce, and dietary attributes. Grubhub counts descriptions, together with photos, among its menu best practices.
6.Use the data in the Grubhub for Restaurants portal
Restaurant Dive reported in May 2023 that partners can view up to a year of aggregated data in the portal. Customer Insights splits your customers into new and returning diners. Grubhub says the portal also shows how your business performs compared to local merchants.
You can also dispute a refund in the portal. Grubhub said in May 2023 that this takes about one minute, down from about ten minutes through customer support.
7.Know who owns Grubhub now
Wonder Group completed its $650 million acquisition of Grubhub in January 2025. Wonder runs food halls where several restaurant brands cook under one roof for delivery and pickup.
Restaurant Dive reported in May 2025 that Wonder raised $600 million at a valuation of over $7 billion. Wonder planned to grow from 46 to over 90 locations in 2025. Wonder's own brands may compete with yours on Grubhub, so keep your menu complete.
$650M[4]
Wonder Group acquisition price for Grubhub (2025)
Better menu photos from your own phone photos
MenuPhotoAI turns a photo of your own dish into a professional menu image in minutes. You decide where to use it. Start with 5 free photos (watermarked), no credit card required.
Try MenuPhotoAI FreeGrubhub Photo Requirements
| Minimum resolution | 1600 x 1200 pixels (menu items) |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 for menu items and the header; 2:1 for the profile and search image |
| Max file size | Not published by Grubhub |
| Accepted formats | PNG, JPEG |
| Photos per item | Multiple photos per item supported |
| Hero/cover image | Header: at least 2400 x 1800 pixels (4:3) |
Grubhub checks every image automatically before it appears, including a reverse image search for copyright. Photos must show food only: no hands or people, no stock photos, limited text. These sizes come from the Grubhub developer specification; the help centre also lists 1:1 and 200 x 200 px, which matches the logo size. Grubhub says it offers a free professional photoshoot to Marketplace partners. In February 2024 Grubhub told 404 Media that it does not allow AI-generated images. Checked in October 2026.
Full rules and sources: photo requirements guide.
Grubhub says restaurants that switched from text-only menus to photos saw conversion rates rise by about 25% on average. For menu items, Grubhub asks for a 4:3 shape, at least 1600 x 1200 pixels, in PNG or JPEG. Photos must show food only: no hands or people, no stock photos, and limited text.
MenuPhotoAI turns a smartphone photo of your dish into an image in the 4:3 shape that Grubhub asks for. Grubhub told the news site 404 Media in February 2024 that it does not allow AI-generated images. Where you upload your photos is your decision.
Up to 70%[1]
more orders for restaurants that follow Grubhub menu best practices, which include photos and descriptions
Grubhub Promotion Tools
Smart Promotions
Monthly budget that you setAn always-on tool that targets new, lapsed, and returning customers. You set a monthly budget and choose a percentage off, a dollar amount off, or a free item.
Sponsored Listings
Not published by GrubhubPaid placement at the top of search results and category pages. Grubhub does not publish one price. Ask your account manager what the ads cost in your market.
Loyalty Program
Cost of the rewardDiners earn a reward after they spend a set total at your restaurant. You define the spending threshold and the reward. Grubhub tracks the progress of each diner.
Grubhub+ Targeted Offers
You fund the discountPromotions that only Grubhub+ members see. You choose the offer and you pay for the discount. Ask your account manager whether your plan includes them.
Self-Service Advertising
Monthly budget; you pay when diners clickGrubhub says its Ads tool runs on a monthly budget that you set, and you pay only when diners click. You manage campaigns in the Grubhub for Restaurants portal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Setting prep times that your kitchen cannot meet
A short prep time looks good, but drivers then wait and orders run late. Set a prep time that matches your real kitchen. Extend it during a rush.
Ignoring the free professional photoshoot offered by Grubhub
Grubhub lists a free professional menu photoshoot on each of its plans, yet some restaurants never schedule it. Schedule it in your Grubhub for Restaurants portal. Start with your highest-margin dishes.
Running promotions without checking the results
Your dashboard shows new customers, repeat orders, and total spend for each promotion. If you do not read these numbers, you cannot tell whether the budget pays for itself.
Overlooking Grubhub+ members
Amazon Prime members get Grubhub+ for free. Grubhub says Grubhub+ members order almost 70% more often than non-members. Check in your portal that your restaurant takes Grubhub+ orders.
Your Action Checklist
Profile and Menu Setup
- Complete your profile: address, hours, delivery radius, and cuisine tags
- Schedule the free Grubhub photoshoot
- Add a photo to every menu item
- Write a description of two to three sentences for every item
Grubhub+ and Eligibility
- Check in your portal that your restaurant takes Grubhub+ orders
- Review Customer Insights for your Grubhub+ and non-Grubhub+ orders
- Track your share of Grubhub+ orders each month
Promotions and Marketing
- Start Smart Promotions with a small monthly budget
- Set up a loyalty program with a reward that diners can reach
- Ask your account manager what Sponsored Listings cost in your market
- Check the results of each promotion in your dashboard
Operations and Performance
- Set a prep time that your kitchen can meet
- Give one person the Grubhub tablet during peak hours
- Confirm each order as soon as it arrives
- Check each order against the ticket before the driver takes it
Reviews and Reputation
- Read your new reviews each week
- Reply to negative reviews in a professional way
- Dispute unwarranted refunds through the portal
Key Takeaways
- -Add photos and descriptions to every item. Grubhub says restaurants that follow its menu best practices, which include both, get up to 70% more orders.
- -Schedule the free professional menu photoshoot that Grubhub lists on each of its plans. Then plan how you make photos for new dishes.
- -Plan offers for Grubhub+ members. Grubhub says they order 4 times a month on average, almost 70% more often than non-members.
- -Know your fees. Grubhub lists a marketing commission of 5%, 15% or 20%, plus a delivery fee from 10% with Grubhub Delivery.
- -Set a monthly budget for Smart Promotions or ads, and check the results in your dashboard. Grubhub says you pay for ads only when diners click.
Frequently Asked Questions
Better menu photos from your own phone photos
MenuPhotoAI turns a photo of your own dish into a professional menu image in minutes. You decide where to use it. Start with 5 free photos (watermarked), no credit card required.
Try MenuPhotoAI FreeSources
- [1] Restaurants that follow menu best practices such as adding pictures and descriptions receive up to 70% more orders and 65% higher sales.. Grubhub for Restaurants Help Center. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [2] Active Prime Grubhub+ members save an average of $336 a year. Grubhub bases this on Prime members who placed at least one Grubhub+ order per month for 12 months.. Grubhub. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [3] By the end of 2024, DoorDash held 60.7% of the U.S. food delivery market, Uber Eats 26.1%, and Grubhub 6.3%. Published 19 February 2025.. Consumer Edge. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [4] Wonder completes acquisition of Grubhub for $650 million. Published 7 January 2025.. Restaurant Business Online. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [6] Grubhub plans: marketing commission of 5% (Basic), 15% (Plus) or 20% (All-access). Delivery fees start at 10%. Each plan lists a free professional menu photoshoot. Grubhub+ members order 4 times a month on average, almost 70% more often than non-members.. Grubhub for Restaurants. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [7] Grubhub marketing tools: Ads, Promotions, and Loyalty Programs. Ads run on a monthly budget, and merchants pay only when diners click.. Grubhub for Restaurants. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [8] Grubhub adds customer insights, self-serve refund requests, and self-serve photo shoot access to its restaurant portal. Published 19 May 2023.. Restaurant Dive. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [9] Wonder raises $600 million at a valuation of over $7 billion and plans to grow from 46 to over 90 locations in 2025. Published May 2025.. Restaurant Dive. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [10] Grubhub photo submission guidelines and menu imagery specifications.. Grubhub Developer Portal. Accessed 2026-02-20.
Guides for Other Platforms
Also see our photo requirements guide for detailed upload specifications.
This guide is reviewed and updated quarterly. MenuPhotoAI is an AI food photo enhancement platform. While we believe professional food photography helps restaurants succeed on delivery platforms, this guide aims to provide comprehensive, unbiased advice for restaurant owners regardless of the tools they use.