Food & Restaurant · head to head
Grubhub vs Caviar
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Grubhub commission fees of 15-30% significantly reduce restaurant profit margins; Caviar limited availability to 20 major metropolitan areas
- They diverge on capability: Grubhub covers Delivery network, Caviar covers Premium delivery.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Grubhub and Caviar actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (transaction), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Food & Restaurant).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Grubhub
- Delivery network
- Customer reach
- Marketing tools
- Loyalty programs
- Olo
- Omnivore
Only in Caviar
- Premium delivery
- Curated marketplace
- Quality-focused
- DoorDash
Both cover
- Order management
- Analytics
- Toast
- Square
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Grubhub
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Caviar
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Grubhub
- Commission fees of 15-30% significantly reduce restaurant profit margins
- Limited geographic coverage compared to competitors like DoorDash
- Driver availability issues in some areas leading to canceled orders
- Limited independent restaurant partnerships compared to competitors
- Average delivery time of 40 minutes is slower than Uber Eats (33 minutes) and DoorDash (38 minutes)
Caviar
- Limited availability to 20 major metropolitan areas
- Service fee of 18 percent applied to all orders
- Not available in all regions as standalone service
Pricing, plan by plan
Grubhub
$15/order- Basic$15/percent
- Marketplace listing
- Order management
- Standard$20/percent
- Delivery
- Marketing
- Premium$25/percent
- Priority placement
- Promotions
Caviar
$20/order- Standard$25/percent
- Premium delivery
- Curated placement
Which should you pick?
Choose Grubhub if
- You need delivery network.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want customer reach.
Choose Caviar if
- You need premium delivery.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want curated marketplace.
Questions people ask
- Is Grubhub or Caviar better?
- Neither clearly leads. Grubhub starts at $15/order and Caviar at $20/order, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Grubhub or Caviar?
- Grubhub starts at $15/order and Caviar at $20/order.
- Does Grubhub or Caviar run on more platforms?
- Grubhub runs on Web, Ios, Android. Caviar runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Grubhub best used for?
- Grubhub is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
- What can Grubhub do that Caviar cannot?
- Grubhub covers Delivery network, Customer reach, Marketing tools, Loyalty programs. Caviar covers Premium delivery, Curated marketplace, Quality-focused, DoorDash. Both handle Order management, Analytics, Toast, Square.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Grubhub: How much does Grubhub charge restaurants?
Grubhub charges restaurants a marketing commission of 5%, 15%, or 20% depending on the Marketplace plan, plus a processing fee of $0.30 plus 3.05% per order.
SourceCaviar: What does Caviar charge for delivery?
A service fee of 18 percent is applied to each Caviar delivery order. The delivery fee ranges from $1.99 to $8.99 depending on distance and demand. Customers ordering for pickup pay no order minimums, service fee or delivery fee.
SourceGrubhub: What does Grubhub cost customers?
Grubhub charges customers a $2.25 order processing fee plus $0.99 for delivery. A subscription offers $6.95 or $19.95/month for unlimited free delivery on eligible orders.
SourceCaviar: Is Caviar available as a standalone service?
No. Caviar was acquired by DoorDash in October 2019 and now operates as part of the DoorDash platform. DoorDash members with DashPass enjoy waived delivery fees and reduced service charges on Caviar orders.
SourceGrubhub: Does Grubhub offer promotional tools for restaurants?
Yes, Grubhub offers Sponsored Listings (3-10% premium on commissions) and Boost Programs (10-20% additional cost per order) to increase restaurant visibility.
SourceGrubhub: Is Grubhub available in all cities?
No, Grubhub delivery service is not available in all cities, and the platform is less convenient in small cities with limited driver availability.
Source