Grubhub, in partnership with robotics company Avride and multi-restaurant operator Wonder, has launched an autonomous food delivery pilot in Jersey City, marking the food delivery platform’s first use of self-driving robots outside university campuses.
The pilot, operating from Wonder’s Jersey City location, introduces AI-powered delivery robots designed by Avride to Grubhub’s marketplace. Customers ordering from Wonder’s more than 20 restaurant brands — including Tejas Barbecue, Alanza, and Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson — can now select robot delivery if they live within the designated service zone.
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“This pilot represents the next step in our mission to provide diners with fast, reliable, and delightful delivery experiences,” said PJ Poykayil, Senior Vice President of Customer Delivery Operations at Wonder and Grubhub. “By combining Grubhub’s marketplace, Wonder’s culinary innovation, and Avride’s advanced robotics, we’re delivering the future of convenience.”
Avride’s latest autonomous units feature AI-driven navigation, real-time obstacle detection, and precision steering that enables rapid 180-degree turns — allowing the robots to navigate dense urban environments and varying weather conditions. “We’re proud to be Grubhub’s trusted partner as they bring robot delivery beyond campuses for the very first time,” said Avride CEO Dmitry Polishchuk.
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The initiative builds on the companies’ existing collaboration at U.S. universities, where Grubhub and Avride have completed over 100,000 robot deliveries, including at The Ohio State University — the nation’s largest single-site fleet.
Grubhub said results from the Jersey City pilot will help inform plans for future expansion to additional U.S. cities, reflecting the company’s push toward scalable, AI-driven logistics in urban food delivery.
