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Alcohol Delivery

At times, you may get orders containing alcoholic beverages. The following information is intended to help you lawfully deliver alcohol. Please note that you could be held liable if you deliver alcohol to a minor or someone who is visibly intoxicated, so it’s important that you follow this process fully to protect yourself and the diner.

Current Grubhub Alcohol Delivery Markets

Currently, Grubhub only permits alcohol delivery in the below states. You are not authorized to deliver orders containing alcohol outside of these states:

Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa,  Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Texas (Austin, Houston, San Antonio only), Virginia, Washington D.C.

Age and ID Verification

When an order contains alcohol, the law requires you to verify the age of the diner before you hand over the alcohol. You can only deliver alcohol if the diner is 21 years of age or older. To verify age, ask the diner to see a valid ID. Check every diner’s ID every time, even if the diner clearly appears to be over 21. A valid ID must include a photograph and date of birth.

For example, acceptable forms of ID may include:

  • A valid driver’s license issued by federal, state, county, or municipal government;
  • A valid passport; or
  • An identification card issued by the Armed Forces of the United States that contains the name, date of birth, description, and picture of the person.

(IMPORTANT CORRECTION: IDNYC is not an acceptable form of ID to buy alcohol in the state of New York. When checking diners’ IDs, please ask to see one of the above acceptable forms of identification.)

Next, make sure the ID is not invalid or fake:

  1. Check the expiration date. Do not accept an ID that is expired.
  2. Compare the diner at the door to the photo in the ID. Examine facial features: are the height, eye shape, ear and nose shape or placement similar? Ignore weight, hair and makeup as these may change.
  3. Feel the edges of the ID – a legitimate ID will have smooth, uniform edges. A fake ID may have rougher edges and perhaps may be coming apart.
  4. Look for glue lines or bumpy or uneven surfaces. A real ID’s surface should be consistent.

Next, use the app to scan the customer’s ID to complete the verification process. If the app won’t scan the ID, you can manually enter the customer’s birthdate as printed on the valid government ID. Use your best judgment. You have the right to refuse to deliver the alcohol if you suspect that a customer is underage, even if they provide an ID that says they are 21+.

Check for Intoxication

Do not deliver alcohol if the diner is visibly intoxicated or drunk based on factors you can see, smell, and/or hear. Here are some signs to help you determine if a person is intoxicated:

  1. Clumsiness, staggering, unsteady gait
  2. Poor coordination, slowed reflexes, diminished reaction times
  3. Bloodshot eyes, impaired tracking ability
  4. Slurred speech, incoherent speech patterns
  5. Odor of alcohol on breath
  6. Behaving in an overly bold, disruptive manner

Restricted Locations

Do NOT, under any circumstances, deliver alcohol to the following locations:

  1. Public or private school (K-12) (e.g. an elementary school, middle or high school);
  2. College campus (e.g. a dorm, Greek or other club house);
  3. Prison, reformatory, veterans’ home, or state capitol grounds;
  4. Locker or similar package storage service (e.g. a storage facility);
  5. Business that sells alcohol (e.g. liquor store);
  6. Any location where the customer is not present and/or you are asked to leave the alcohol unattended.

Use Your Judgement

Lastly, use your judgment. If you have any doubts about the ID, the diner, or encounter a situation in which it does not seem reasonable to deliver alcohol (e.g. there is a party with minors present), do not complete delivery. Mark the order as Delivered and follow the return flow in the Grubhub for Drivers app to return alcohol to the restaurant.

What Can I Expect in the App?

1. Accept the offer

If an order contains alcohol, you will see a note when you receive the offer that states the Order contains alcohol.

If you meet requirements, tap Accept.

2. Verify ID and Confirm Age

When you arrive at the diner, you will be prompted to check the diner’s ID. If you verify that the:

  • ID is valid
  • The diner is the individual in the photo, and
  • The diner is 21+, by checking his/her date of birth against the date displayed
Tap Yes.
 
If the diner is under 21, tap No. Leave the other items with the diner and return the alcohol to the restaurant.

3. Scan the customer’s ID to complete verification

After confirming that the diner is 21+, you will be prompted to scan the ID. If the app won’t scan the ID, you can manually enter the customer’s birthdate as listed on the valid ID.

4. Complete the Delivery

After properly scanning the diner’s ID and confirming they are over 21 and not intoxicated, you will be able to confirm that the order is complete by tapping Delivered.