Unlocking Savings: A Guide to Grubhub Student Discount Eligibility

For college students navigating the tightrope of budgeting and busy schedules, food delivery services can be a lifesaver. Grubhub, a popular platform connecting diners with local restaurants, offers a student discount program called Grubhub+ Student, providing cost-saving benefits tailored to the needs of university life. This article delves into the eligibility requirements, benefits, and key aspects of the Grubhub+ Student program.

What is Grubhub+ Student?

Grubhub+ Student is a membership program that provides college students affiliated with select universities through Grubhub Campus Dining with a range of perks. It's designed to make food delivery more affordable and convenient for students managing academic and social commitments.

Eligibility: Who Qualifies for the Grubhub+ Student Discount?

The cornerstone of accessing Grubhub+ Student benefits lies in meeting specific eligibility criteria, which primarily revolves around university affiliation and campus card integration.

University Affiliation: The program is exclusively available to college students enrolled at participating universities that have partnered with Grubhub Campus Dining.
Campus Card Integration: A crucial step involves linking your campus card (such as the CrimsonCard at Indiana University) to your Grubhub account. This verifies your student status and unlocks access to the Grubhub+ Student membership. For instance, at Indiana University, IU students, staff, and faculty who affiliate with an IU campus and add their CrimsonCard as a payment option are eligible to get the Grubhub+ Student Membership at no cost. Similarly, at St. Norbert College, students, faculty, and staff can access the benefits by connecting their SNC ID card in the app and opting into Grubhub+ Student.
Opt-In Requirement: After connecting your campus card, you'll be prompted to opt into the free Grubhub+ Student membership. Look for options like "Get free Grubhub+Student" or "I want in!" and select it to activate your membership.

Eligibility for Faculty and Staff:

It's worth noting that in some institutions like Indiana University and St. Norbert College, faculty and staff are also eligible for Grubhub+ Student. At Indiana University, all current faculty and staff are eligible after confirming their status in the app. This free membership remains valid until their employment at the university concludes.

How to Check Your Eligibility and Sign Up

The process for confirming your eligibility and signing up for Grubhub+ Student is straightforward:

Download the Grubhub App: If you don't already have it, download the Grubhub app from your device's app store.
Create an Account (or Log In): Create a new Grubhub account, or log in if you already have one.
Access Campus Dining: Navigate to the "Account" section of the app, then select "Campus Dining."
Select Your University: Choose your specific university from the list of participating institutions (e.g., "University of Houston," "Indiana University," or "St. Norbert College").
Add Your Campus Card: Follow the prompts to add your campus card information. This typically involves going to "Payment," then "Add new payment," and following the instructions.
Opt-In to Grubhub+ Student: After adding your campus card, you should be prompted to opt into the free Grubhub+ Student membership. Select the appropriate option to activate your membership.

Benefits of Grubhub+ Student

The Grubhub+ Student membership unlocks a variety of benefits designed to save students money and enhance their dining experience:

Free Delivery: One of the most significant perks is unlimited $0 delivery fees on orders of $18+ from eligible off-campus restaurants. Look for restaurants with the GH+ symbol by their names, or filter your search to find eligible restaurants.
Lower Service Fees: Grubhub+ Student members often enjoy reduced service fees on eligible delivery orders, further lowering the overall cost of each meal.
Grubhub+ Credit: Members can earn 5% back in Grubhub+ credit on eligible off-campus pickup orders, providing a direct discount on future purchases.
Exclusive Deals and Discounts: Grubhub+ Student members gain access to exclusive deals and discounts, providing additional opportunities for savings.
Donation-Matching: Grubhub often includes a donation-matching component, allowing students to support charitable causes with their orders.

Using Campus Cards for Payment

A key feature of the Grubhub+ Student program is the ability to use your campus card for payment, offering a convenient and integrated way to manage your food expenses.

CrimsonCard at Indiana University: At Indiana University, for example, students can use their CrimsonCard, the official photo ID, to make purchases on Grubhub. The CrimsonCard is linked to a CrimsonCash account, a declining balance account where funds must be present to make a transaction.
Adding Funds: CrimsonCard holders can deposit funds (CrimsonCash) into their CrimsonCash account via credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, JCB, or Discover), Bursar (for enrolled students), or Payroll Prepaid (for eligible employees). Note that a $2.50 transaction fee applies when using a credit card to deposit funds.
Making Purchases: When placing an order on Grubhub, the total amount (including fees, tax, and tip) will be processed in one transaction on your CrimsonCard.
Restrictions: It's important to be aware of any restrictions on using campus card funds. For example, at Indiana University, CrimsonCash may NOT be used for purchasing alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, e-cigarettes, lottery tickets, gift cards, money orders, or travelers’ checks.

Finding Eligible Restaurants

Identifying restaurants that participate in the Grubhub+ Student program is simple:

GH+ Flag: Look for restaurants with a yellow GH+ Flag in the Grubhub app. This indicates that they are eligible for Grubhub+ benefits.
Sorting and Filtering: Use the app's sorting and filtering options to specifically display GH+ restaurants at the top of the list.

What Happens After Graduation?

Upon graduation, your Grubhub+ Student membership will expire. You'll be prompted to select "Leave Campus Dining" in the app, which will revert the app interface to the standard version and terminate your free membership.

Using Grubhub+ Student Off-Campus

One of the advantages of the Grubhub+ Student program is its versatility. You can use your CrimsonCard on Grubhub not just on campus, but wherever you are in the United States. Simply edit your location in the Restaurants tab to see what's available in your current area.

Read also: Guide to UC Davis Student Housing

Paying with Other Methods

Even if you're eligible for Grubhub+ Student, you're not limited to using your campus card for payment. You can also use custom cash, a credit card, or a debit card and still receive the benefits of the program.

Tips and Considerations

Check Your Balance: Before placing an order, ensure that you have sufficient funds in your CrimsonCash account (or other campus card account) to cover the total cost, including fees, tax, and tip.
Contact Grubhub Support: If you encounter any issues with your Grubhub delivery or order, contact Grubhub Support directly through the app.
Tipping: As with any Grubhub order, you can adjust the tip amount to your preference. The app provides suggested percentages, but you can also enter a custom tip amount.
On-Campus Dining: At some universities, like Indiana University Bloomington, students with a meal plan can use their dining dollars on-campus for order ahead and pick-up at select locations, such as Campus Cafes, Campus Stores, and Starbucks in the Indiana Memorial Union.
Terms and Conditions: Be sure to review the terms and conditions of the Grubhub+ Student program for your specific university to understand any limitations or restrictions.

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