In September, we hosted our first-ever Food Feastival at Chicago’s Daley Plaza to celebrate 20 years of Grubhub and say thank you to the local restaurants partners who make our business possible.

The Food Feastival brought together 20 local Chicago merchants who served more than 12,000 free bites of their signature dishes – including everything from deep dish pizza and Chicago-style dogs to pad thai and shrimp & grits. The event was free and open to the public, so we had a great day celebrating with our hometown diners, who lined up at Daley Plaza to try samples from their favorite local restaurants.

Taylor Mason, the owner of Taylor’s Tacos, brought her iconic street tacos to the Food Feastival. Taylor’s Tacos was able to expand their street taco business with the help of a grant from the Grubhub Community Fund and Feed the Soul Foundation. Since then, Taylor’s Tacos has grown from a small test kitchen in the Hatchery to a catering company and restaurant in Little Italy.

Community support has been essential to Taylor’s Tacos’ success. The Food Feastival gave small business owners like Taylor the opportunity to connect with diners and fellow merchants in the heart of the city.

“It’s great being a part of the Chicago staples here and being a part of something special Grubhub is doing,” Taylor said. “Being able to connect with the people of Chicago is great.”

Taylor’s Tacos was joined by other Chicago restaurants including, Bon Bon Sandwiches, Byron’s Hot Dogs, The Clark Street Dog, Connie’s Pizza, Elevated Subs, El Mariachi, The Fat Shallot, The Jibarito Stop, KFire Korean BBQ, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, Luella’s Southern Kitchen, Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen, Manzo’s Burger,, Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta Express, Portillo’s, Star of Siam, Red Hot Ranch, Taylor’s Tacos, The Vulgar Vegan, and Wow Bao. Water was provided by Jewel-Osco.

“Grubhub’s turning 20 and they threw us a party,” Taylor said.

20 years of Grubhub

Grubhub has evolved tremendously over the last 20 years – from the first digital marketplace for local restaurants to the full-scale delivery, marketing, and business services we offer today. Today, we are grateful for the 375,000 merchants, 200,000 delivery partners, and 2,400 employees that have helped the business serve nearly 100 million customers over the past two decades.

“Grubhub started 20 years ago as a business that helped restaurants digitize their menus to reach more diners online. Today, we help millions of customers get whatever they want, whenever they want it, delivered right to their doorstep,” said Howard Migdal, chief executive officer, Grubhub. “This year, we’re not just celebrating this milestone by recognizing what we have accomplished but we’re also showing our gratitude to the people who made it possible – our merchant partners, couriers, diners, and employees – and looking ahead to the exciting things to come in Grubhub’s future.”

This year, we’re not just celebrating this milestone by recognizing what we have accomplished but we’re also showing our gratitude to the people who made it possible

Howard Migdal, chief executive officer, Grubhub

Grubhub’s Food Feastival is part of our ongoing 20th anniversary celebration. We kicked off anniversary festivities in the summer with 20 Years of Deals, providing customers with 20,000 free items* from some of the most-loved national restaurants. We also introduced a new grant program to assist delivery partners in supporting local nonprofits, along with an expanded employee giving campaign centered on hunger relief, hospitality, and independent restaurants.

Helping local businesses grow

At Grubhub, we’re invested in continuing to help small businesses grow. With 20 years of experience working with local merchants, we’re here to connect businesses with customers in their communities. Our technology is evolving to bring more visibility to your business and drive more orders all year long.

Ready to grow your business? Partner with Grubhub today.

*Terms and conditions apply