Grubhub Launched Rewards for Dine-in Dining

The new program incentivizes visits to local restaurants with personalized rewards and digital credits.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Dining Out

Bold vector editorial illustration showing brass cutlery on a white napkin next to a square metal plate. — Grubhub has launched a new rewards program, The Drop, in Chicago and New York City to incentivize local dine-in restaurant traffic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Grubhub has launched a rewards tool called The Drop, which is designed to incentivize dine-in restaurant traffic in Chicago and New York City. The platform uses technology acquired from the company Claim to bridge the gap between digital app engagement and physical restaurant visits.

Why it matters

The program aims to help merchant partners reach customers directly while providing diners with incentives for eating out. By tracking consumer engagement, Grubhub intends to boost foot traffic for its partner restaurants.

Users can select from 3 personalized weekly rewards through the app. Grubhub credits earned through the program remain valid for 30 days after issuance.

The players

Grubhub

This food delivery platform connects diners with local restaurants for order pickup and delivery.

Claim

This technology company provided the underlying software infrastructure for the new rewards platform.

The details

Consumers participate by linking their payment cards to the Grubhub app and selecting specific offers. Upon redeeming rewards at participating partners like Tacombi, Chopt, and 7th Street Burger, users earn credits applicable toward future pickup or delivery orders.

September 29, 2026: Grubhub launched The Drop for select app users.
October 1, 2026: The first rewards became live for participating users.
October 2026: The program will expand to all users in Chicago and New York City.

Culture Shift

This program reflects a shift toward integrating digital loyalty programs with physical-world retail behavior. By adopting the Claim social rewards technology, Grubhub is aligning its platform with broader consumer trends that prioritize personalized, interactive loyalty experiences over traditional points-based schemes.

Diners in Chicago and New York City can now earn credits for future orders by choosing to dine in at partner locations. Users should monitor their app weekly to select new personalized rewards and ensure they utilize earned credits before their 30-day expiration window closes.

The takeaway

This initiative represents a significant push to bridge the gap between digital app usage and the physical restaurant experience. Customers should link their cards early to maximize the potential of the new rewards system before it expands nationally.