Grubhub Expands Robot Delivery Service in Philadelphia

Wonder food halls will now utilize Avride autonomous robots for customer deliveries in the Philadelphia area.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Robotics

Bold flat-color editorial illustration featuring a geometric delivery robot on a sidewalk, representing urban autonomous logistics integration. — Grubhub is expanding its autonomous delivery robot partnership with Avride, bringing automated logistics services to Wonder food halls in Philadelphia. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you support the use of autonomous delivery robots on your local sidewalks?

Grubhub is expanding its partnership with manufacturer Avride to include food delivery services for Wonder food halls. Customers located within active service areas can now select robot delivery directly through the Grubhub mobile app.

Why it matters

This partnership integrates autonomous delivery technology into the existing restaurant marketplace, allowing more local dining options to leverage automated logistics.

The autonomous robots weigh 150 pounds and are restricted to 12 mph on sidewalks and 25 mph on roadways. Avride currently operates its delivery technology across 25 college campuses.

The players

Avride

Avride is a robotics manufacturer that produces autonomous vehicles designed for last-mile delivery services.

Grubhub

Grubhub is a major online and mobile food ordering and delivery platform that connects diners with local restaurants.

Wonder

Wonder is a food hall and restaurant platform that prepares meals from various culinary brands for pickup and delivery.

Carolyn Marvin

Carolyn Marvin is a retired professor who was arrested for obstructing the path of a delivery robot in Center City.

The details

Under state law, these autonomous units are classified as pedestrians and must yield the right-of-way to cyclists and human foot traffic. Restaurants using the Grubhub marketplace can opt in to the service, following a previous test program conducted in Jersey City.

March 2026: Avride began operating its robot fleet in Philadelphia.
May 2026: An incident occurred when a robot collided with a woman in Center City.
October 2026: A professor was arrested for blocking a delivery robot in Center City.

The Tech Race

This rollout reflects a wider industry shift toward automated last-mile logistics as companies move beyond initial testing phases on university campuses. By integrating with established food halls like Wonder, robot manufacturers are competing to replace human-driven delivery for short-range orders.

Local residents within service zones will now see more autonomous units on sidewalks, though these machines must yield to pedestrians at all times. Users ordering through the Grubhub app can choose robot delivery if their local Wonder outpost has opted into the service.

The takeaway

Autonomous delivery services are increasingly becoming a part of urban logistics as companies navigate local safety regulations. Residents should be aware that these robots are legally required to operate at pedestrian-safe speeds and prioritize human right-of-way.