Grubhub offers drivers an excellent way to make extra money. However, you still have to play by the app’s rules if you want to enjoy the flexibility of it.
If you don’t follow the rules, Grubhub could suspend you. Consider what that means and how you can keep it from happening to you.
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What Does a Grubhub Temporary Suspension Mean?
A Grubhub temporary suspension happens if a driver doesn’t deliver enough orders. The app lets you schedule a block so that it knows when to expect drivers to work. But if you decline too many orders, it can keep you from scheduling blocks so that others have a chance.
The suspension usually lasts 30 days, and you can still work. However, you can’t schedule blocks, so you might get lower-priority orders.
The Grubhub Suspension Notification
If Grubhub suspends you, they’ll send you an email. The email will tell you that you’ve been accepting fewer orders than other drivers in your area. If there are a lot of drivers looking to take orders, it will also say that.
You’ll see the date when the suspension will end and you can start scheduling blocks again. The email should also explain that you can still drive for Grubhub when you want but that you can’t schedule your shifts.
Because the email mentions other drivers that want to take orders, drivers in some areas may be more at risk of suspensions than others. If you live somewhere without a ton of drivers, you might be able to take fewer orders without risking a suspension.
Why Grubhub Suspends Drivers
Grubhub can suspend drivers for a variety of reasons. Most of the reasons have something to do with a driver declining too many orders.
Here are some more specific reasons why Grubhub might suspend you.
Manage Supply and Demand
Grubhub uses scheduling blocks to get an idea of the availability of drivers. That can help it and restaurants manage delivery orders. Since there are a limited number of scheduling blocks, Grubhub wants to give them to people who can handle the work.
If you constantly decline orders during a block, that doesn’t look good. Grubhub can’t trust that you’ll take a lot of orders the next time.
So the app might suspend you from taking a block. That way, someone with a better history of accepting orders can schedule their shift. Of course, another driver can decline their orders, but it gives Grubhub and its customers some peace of mind.
Reduce Delivery Times
Another reason for the suspension is that Grubhub gives priority to drivers who schedule their shifts. So if they can keep that pool of people to drivers who take most of their orders, they can make sure the orders get delivered sooner.
If drivers constantly decline orders, that can push back the delivery time. That doesn’t look good for any party that uses Grubhub.
While Grubhub can’t force drivers to accept orders, it can incentivize you to. And offering the option to schedule shifts and get better orders is one way to encourage people to accept orders and reduce the delivery time.
Keep Everyone Happy
By prioritizing drivers who take more orders, everyone can be happy. Restaurants won’t have food sitting for a long time and getting cold or wasting shelf space. Customers will get their food quicker and when it’s fresher.
Finally, drivers who want to take orders can get better-paying orders. Then, they can make more money while on the road.
Of course, all of this allows Grubhub to continue to operate and make a profit. When everyone’s happy, people are more likely to continue to use Grubhub as a customer, driver, or restaurant owner.
Is Suspending Drivers Fair?
Now, you may wonder if it’s fair for Grubhub to suspend drivers who don’t take a high percentage of orders. On the one hand, it punishes drivers for looking after their own time and trying to increase their earnings.
However, it also allows other drivers a chance to schedule shifts and get those priority orders. Some drivers might not have had a chance to schedule blocks before. But if Grubhub suspends enough other drivers, it gives new people the option to plan their shifts.
Contractors vs. Employees
One of the potential problems with suspending drivers is that they’re contractors rather than traditional employees. Contractors have more control over their work.
Sure, you can still drive for Grubhub during a suspension. You could still make good money if you just use the toggle to tell Grubhub you’re open to taking orders.
But some have argued that if Grubhub wants to control drivers, they should hire them as employees. It’s a good argument because the company could manage their delivery orders and know that all customers will get their food.
Should You Take More Orders?
You might be wondering if you should take more orders to avoid a suspension. The only person who can answer that question is you.
As a contractor, you’re responsible for paying for gas and car maintenance. So you might not want to take orders that are a long distance or that may involve gravel roads that could damage your vehicle.
But you shouldn’t feel like Grubhub is forcing you to complete orders. If you want to increase your earning potential, you might want to try other apps, like DoorDash or Uber Eats. Then, you can take the best orders from all of those apps to help earn more money.
Plus, driving for other apps means a Grubhub suspension won’t be as devastating. You might still be able to schedule shifts in the other apps, and you can drive for Grubhub when you don’t have a shift with another app.
What’s a Grubhub Temporary Suspension?
A Grubhub temporary suspension lasts for 30 days, and it keeps you from scheduling blocks for you to deliver food. You can receive a suspension if you decline too many orders during a block. Throughout the suspension, you can still deliver, but you might get worse orders than if you were able to schedule your shift.