Ordering through Grubhub is convenient, but it also comes with risks. For example, your driver might take your food.
If that happens, you should know what you can do to get your money back or get the food you ordered. Then, you can make sure that the driver doesn’t steal food again.
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What Do You Do If a Grubhub Driver Steals Your Food?
If you think a Grubhub driver stole your food, contact the driver. You can ask if they stole your food or if there was a problem with the delivery. If you can’t reach the driver, contact Grubhub directly to report the issue.
Unfortunately, you can’t prevent a driver from stealing your food. But you can figure out why the food has yet to arrive in case it’s a misunderstanding.
When to Suspect a Driver Stole Your Food
If you’ve waited for a while, it can be easy to think the driver took your food and ran. However, you shouldn’t automatically suspect that’s the case. First, check your Grubhub app to view the delivery status.
As long as the status doesn’t say delivered, the driver might just be running late. But if the order status does read as delivered, your driver might have stolen the food. Then, you can contact Grubhub to report the issue.
Why a Grubhub Driver Stole Your Food
A few things can make it look like a driver stole your food. In some cases, that’s what happened, but the situation may be innocent.
Here’s what you should know.
They Actually Didn’t
One of the more likely scenarios is that the driver picked up your food and tried to deliver it. The driver could have had an issue finding your address or contacting you to be let in through a gate or something.
If a driver tries to deliver but can’t, they can mark the order as such in the app. Now, they shouldn’t mark it as delivered but should say the diner didn’t answer. After waiting for eight minutes, Grubhub allows drivers to leave the food and head out.
The Order Got Canceled
While it’s not likely, it’s possible that your order accidentally got canceled. Maybe you did so in the app, maybe the restaurant canceled it.
Whatever the reason, be sure to check your Grubhub app. Check to see if the order is still in progress or if someone canceled it.
The Driver Did Steal
Another less common situation is that the driver did steal your food. They might have driven to your house and even followed Grubhub policies. But they may not actually try to contact you even though they could say they did.
The reason this isn’t very likely is that it can get drivers banned. Sure, there will always be bad actors, but most Grubhub drivers want to keep using the app and won’t risk an account ban on a small order of food.
Someone Else Stole the Food
If the Grubhub driver leaves the food on your porch, a neighbor could steal it. This is becoming less likely as more people have video doorbells. But it could still happen, especially if the food sits on your porch for a while.
You might want to check your video doorbell footage if you can. Then, you’ll know if the driver tried to deliver the food and if someone else took it before you could.
How to Increase the Chance of Getting Your Food
While you can’t prevent others from stealing your food, you can decrease your risk. Ordering delivery isn’t going to be foolproof even with these tactics.
Still, give the following things a try to increase the chances that you’ll get your food.
Give the Correct Address
It sounds obvious, but make sure you give the correct delivery address. If you order to different addresses regularly, it’s even more important to check the address for each order.
You also might want to include delivery instructions, such as a code to the gate or building you live in. Or you can instruct the driver to contact you when they need to get in.
In some cities, there are streets next to each other with similar names. Make it clear which street you live on. And if you’re ordering to an office building, include the suite number for the driver.
Hang on to Your Phone
Similarly, you should include the correct phone number. If possible, keep the phone with you until you get the food.
Then, you can get any messages that your driver sends you asking about the delivery. If they have any questions, you can respond right away to ensure you get your food.
Hopefully, you included good delivery instructions. But even the best drivers might still want to ask questions, so you don’t want to miss those notifications.
Watch the Door
Another thing to do is to watch the front door, especially as the delivery time approaches. Then, you can make sure to grab the food as soon as the driver leaves it on your porch.
Doing this can help reduce the chance of someone else stealing your food. Even just a few minutes can be enough time for a neighbor to grab the order and run.
Why Would a Grubhub Driver Steal My Food?
A Grubhub driver might steal your food if they don’t mind getting banned from the app. In most cases, the driver had a problem delivering your order, or a neighbor stole your food. Be sure to also review the order status to see if you or the restaurant canceled it.