Grubhub and Avride Bring Robot Deliveries to Jersey City with Wonder Pilot

• Grubhub is testing autonomous sidewalk robots for the first time beyond college campuses.
• The pilot uses Avride vehicles to deliver orders from Wonder’s multi-kitchen storefront.

Grubhub has launched a new pilot with Avride and Wonder to test autonomous food delivery in Jersey City. This is the first time Grubhub is offering robot delivery beyond college campuses, and the first time Wonder is using the technology for its customers.

“This pilot represents the next step in our mission to provide diners with fast, reliable, and delightful delivery experiences,” said PJ Poykayil, SVP of Customer Delivery Operations at Wonder and Grubhub, in an official news release.“By combining Grubhub’s marketplace, Wonder’s culinary innovation, and Avride’s advanced robotics, we’re delivering the future of convenience.”

Customers placing orders from Wonder’s Jersey City location through Grubhub can now select robot delivery if their address falls within a designated area. Meals are prepared fresh across more than 20 restaurant brands operating inside the same Wonder facility, then handed off to a nearby Avride robot for sidewalk delivery.

The pilot uses Avride’s most advanced robots to date, designed for dense urban settings with AI systems that navigate traffic, weather, and obstacles in real time. Each unit has a compact four-wheel design that allows sharp turns and smooth travel on crowded sidewalks. On campuses, Avride has already completed over 100,000 deliveries, including a daily fleet of 120 robots at The Ohio State University.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Grubhub is using learnings from closed environments like campuses and small pilots like this to prepare for larger rollouts. These contained tests let them refine operations before going fully public.

Source: Grubhub