You’re sitting there on a Tuesday night, staring at a half-empty fridge, wondering if you should just eat another bowl of cereal or actually get something real. Then you remember that your Amazon Prime membership isn’t just for getting cat litter delivered in 24 hours. Most people are completely sleeping on the fact that Amazon Prime Grubhub free delivery is a permanent fixture now. It’s not a trial anymore. It’s not a "limited time offer" that’s going to vanish next month. It is a fundamental part of the Prime ecosystem that saves you about twelve bucks a month if you’re a regular takeout person.
Seriously.
Amazon and Just Eat Takeaway.com (Grubhub's parent company) basically got married last year after a long engagement of "trial" offers. If you pay for Prime, you get Grubhub+ for free. No strings. No weird hidden fees that pop up at the last second—other than the ones the restaurants themselves set, obviously. But that $0 delivery fee makes a massive difference when you’re just trying to grab a $15 burrito without it turning into a $30 ordeal.
Why Amazon Prime Grubhub free delivery is a bigger deal than you think
Let’s be honest: the food delivery market is a mess of subscriptions. You’ve got DashPass, Uber One, and whatever else is trying to bleed your bank account dry every month. But the integration of Amazon Prime Grubhub free delivery changed the math for a lot of households. Instead of paying $9.99 a month specifically for a food app, you’re getting that value folded into a service you probably already have for the shipping benefits and The Boys.
It’s about the "Plus" side of things. Grubhub+ isn't just about the delivery fee hitting zero. It’s also about lower service fees. If you look at your receipt next time you order, you'll see a distinct reduction in the "Service Fee" line item compared to a standard user. That’s where the real savings hide. Sometimes it's a couple of dollars; sometimes it's five. Over a year? That pays for the Prime membership itself.
The strategy here for Amazon is pretty transparent but smart. They want Prime to be the "everything" subscription. By layering in food, they ensure you never have a reason to look elsewhere. It’s sticky. Once you’re used to not paying for delivery, going back to a regular app feels like a personal insult.
How do you actually turn this thing on?
It’s surprisingly easy, but Amazon doesn't always scream it from the rooftops. You have to go to the specific landing page on Amazon’s site or within the Grubhub app. You link the accounts. Done. You don't need a new credit card on file or a secondary password. It just syncs.
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- Open your Amazon app.
- Search for "Grubhub."
- Click the "Activate" button.
- Sign in to Grubhub (or create one).
- Watch the $9.99/month charge disappear.
People often ask if this works for Prime Student or Business Prime. The answer is yes. If you have a primary Prime account, you’re in. If you’re a "household" member sharing Prime benefits, you might have to jump through a couple more hoops, but generally, the primary account holder gets the golden ticket.
The math of the $0 delivery fee
Let’s get nerdy for a second. The average delivery fee on these platforms ranges from $1.99 to $7.99 depending on how far you are from the Thai place. If you order twice a month, you’re saving maybe $10 in fees. If you’re a "three times a week" kind of person because you hate washing dishes, you’re saving upwards of $60 a month.
And don't forget the 5% credit back on pickup orders. If you decide to actually leave your house and pick up the food yourself, Grubhub+ (via Prime) gives you a slice of that money back for future orders. It’s a small kickback, sure, but it adds up. It’s basically free money for doing something you were going to do anyway.
Honestly, the competition is sweating. DoorDash still dominates the market share in the US, but they don't have a retail giant like Amazon backing their play. Uber has the ride-share integration, but Amazon has the "I buy everything here" factor. By making Amazon Prime Grubhub free delivery a standard perk, they’ve created a moat that’s really hard for other apps to cross.
Does it work everywhere?
This is the catch. Grubhub is huge in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. If you live in a rural area where the only delivery option is the local pizza shop that uses its own drivers, this perk is... well, it’s useless to you. Grubhub’s footprint is solid, but it’s not universal. Before you get too excited, check the app to see if the restaurants you actually like are listed. There’s no point in having free delivery if the only thing available is a gas station sandwich.
Interestingly, we’ve seen a shift in how restaurants treat these orders. Because the "delivery fee" is handled on the back end between Amazon and Grubhub, the restaurant usually gets its full cut of the food price (minus the platform's standard commission). This is better for them than those "groupon-style" deals of the past that bled small businesses dry.
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The "Lower Service Fees" Secret
Everyone talks about the delivery fee, but the service fee is the silent killer of budgets. Standard Grubhub users often pay a percentage of their total as a service fee. Grubhub+ members—which you are, thanks to Prime—get a significantly capped or reduced version of this.
I’ve seen orders where the "Service Fee" dropped from $5.50 to $2.10 just because of the Prime link. That's a latte. Every single time you order. If you aren't seeing these savings, check your account settings. Sometimes the link "breaks" if you change your Amazon password or update your billing info. It's worth a five-minute check.
Real-world frustrations to watch out for
It isn't all sunshine and free tacos. Sometimes the "free delivery" only kicks in if you hit a certain subtotal. Usually, it's $12 or $15. If you’re just trying to order a single side of fries, you’re still going to get hit with a fee. It’s designed to make you spend more. Don't fall for the trap of adding a $6 brownie you don't want just to save a $4 delivery fee. You're still down two bucks in that scenario.
Also, taxes and tips. Please, for the love of everything, tip your drivers. The Amazon Prime Grubhub free delivery perk doesn't mean the driver is getting paid more by Amazon. They still rely on those tips. The "free" part is coming out of Amazon's marketing budget, not the driver's pocket—but only if you actually put something in that tip box.
Why the Amazon-Grubhub deal is getting even better
In mid-2024, they expanded the partnership. It’s no longer just a "one year and done" thing. They’ve basically baked the Grubhub interface directly into the Amazon website and app. You don't even have to leave Amazon.com to order your dinner now. It’s getting a little Wall-E, I’ll admit. But from a convenience standpoint? It’s hard to beat.
You can use your Amazon balance to pay for your food. Got a gift card from your aunt for your birthday? You can literally turn that into a pepperoni pizza. That’s a level of ecosystem integration we haven't seen before. It turns Amazon into a digital wallet for your physical needs, including your stomach.
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Comparing the big three: Is Prime/Grubhub actually the best?
If you’re purely looking at the "free delivery" aspect:
- Grubhub (via Prime): Best value because you likely already pay for Prime.
- DoorDash (DashPass): Best selection of restaurants, but costs $9.99/month unless you have a specific credit card (like Chase Sapphire).
- Uber Eats (Uber One): Best if you also use Uber for rides frequently.
If you’re a Prime member, you’d be crazy to pay for DashPass unless your favorite restaurant is a DoorDash exclusive. The overlap is about 80% anyway. Most restaurants list themselves on every platform to maximize their reach.
Hidden Perks You Might Have Missed
Beyond the $0 delivery, keep an eye out for "Prime Member Deals" inside the Grubhub app. Occasionally, they run promos like "$5 off an order of $25" specifically for people who linked their Amazon accounts. These are stackable. You get the free delivery, the reduced service fee, AND the five bucks off.
It’s also worth noting that this applies to "Grubhub Goods." Need a bottle of Advil or a bag of chips from a convenience store? If it’s on Grubhub, the Prime perk usually applies there too. It’s a quick way to get pharmacy items without waiting for a 2-day shipping window.
Tips for maximizing your savings
Don't just set it and forget it.
- Check the "Offers" tab: Grubhub has a specific tab for rewards. Since you’re a "Plus" member, those rewards are often better.
- Pickup is your friend: Use that 5% credit. If you’re passing by the place anyway, take the credit. It’s like a loyalty program on steroids.
- Group Orders: If you’re ordering with friends, use the "Group Order" feature. You hit the $15 minimum instantly, everyone pays their own way, and you still get the $0 delivery fee because of your Prime status.
Actionable Next Steps
To make the most of your membership, do these three things right now:
- Verify Activation: Go to the Amazon Grubhub landing page and make sure it says "Active." You'd be surprised how many people think it's automatic and it's actually just sitting there waiting for a click.
- Audit Your Subscriptions: If you are paying for DoorDash or Uber One and you primarily use them for food, look at the restaurant list on Grubhub. If your favorites are there, cancel the other subscriptions. That’s $120 a year back in your pocket.
- Check the Subtotal: Always ensure your cart hits the "Plus" threshold (usually $12+). If you're at $11.50, add a soda. It'll actually make the whole order cheaper by triggering the free delivery.
Stop leaving money on the table. If you're paying for Prime, you're already paying for this service. You might as well use it to get your next meal brought to your door for less. It’s one of the few "corporate synergies" that actually benefits the average person's wallet.