Empowering Restaurants through Integration

  1. Grubhub Developers
  2. Grubhub Partner Integration V2
  3. Using the POS API
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End User Experiences

In integrating Grubhub online order capabilities, your POS system needs to handle tasks performed by multiple users with different roles within a restaurant. This article will list the various roles and the tasks that they will likely need to perform, so that you can align your implementation of our API to the needs of our mutual users.

Order Taker

The order taker runs the register, taking new orders as they come in, whether that's from a walk-in, table order, or online Grubhub order. With a POS system integrated with Grubhub, they don't have to manually enter online orders into their POS system.

But they will need to:

  • Know when an order comes in from Grubhub, so they can send it to the kitchen.
  • Confirm to Grubhub that the order is being prepared, so the diner knows the order arrived.
  • See when the order has been promised to be ready for pickup or to arrive for delivery. Depending on the status of the kitchen and delivery network, they can update the fulfillment time to more accurately reflect their operations.
  • Find an order's Grubhub Order Number, so that they can use it when calling Grubhub to resolve any problems that may arise.
  • Cancel an order if they cannot fulfill the order. Additionally, if they will not be able to fulfill a menu item on the order for the remainder of the day or potentially additional days, they will need to temporarily remove the menu item (86) until they can successfully complete orders with this menu item.

Note that some of these tasks may be able to be handled automatically. For example, your fulfillment times may be automatically calculated based on your current kitchen load.

Kitchen Staff

The kitchen staff prepares and cooks the food for a restaurant, regardless of its origin. However, for Grubhub orders, they will need to:

  • Receive order tickets to know what food to prepare.
  • Know when the order is expected, so they can finish the food exactly on time - not too early, not too late.
  • See any special instructions from diners on menu items and orders.
  • Indicate when Grubhub orders are ready for pickup by a diner or delivery driver.
  • Update food prep times, so Grubhub diners receive accurate promise times.

Packager

The packager takes the prepared food and places it in a pickup or delivery container, as well as including plasticware, napkins, and uncooked items like sauces and drinks. They attach a receipt and any restaurant advertising, then deliver it to the pickup point.

In terms of the Grubhub API, they need to:

  • Verify the items and quantities to ensure every order is packed up complete.
  • See any non-kitchen items that they are responsible for including, like drinks or soups.
  • Identify an order as either pickup or delivery, so that they know whether to give it to a customer or a driver.
  • See the customer name on the receipt to ensure the right order gets in the hands of the right person.
  • Update Grubhub when an order is out for delivery, so that a diner knows when their order is on the way.
  • Check driver ETA for an order in case a customer calls looking for an update.

Driver

The driver, when the diner selects delivery as their fulfillment option, brings the order from the restaurant to the diner. In most cases, they serve as the only contact the diner has with the restaurant, so your integration needs to ensure they have all the information they need to make a good impression.

Drivers need to:

  • See the diner name, phone number, address, and special instructions, so they can get the order into the diner's hands.
  • In restaurants where the driver needs to perform quality control on the order, they need to be able to see the items and quantity.

Dispatch Manager

For those restaurants that manage their own deliveries or use a third-party delivery service, the dispatch manager sends delivery drivers to a restaurant to get a diner's food to them. To simplify the process, you integrate this dispatch notification into the POS, so that any confirmed delivery order automatically assigns or requests a driver from the dispatch. And the dispatch manager gets direct and immediate insight into restaurant orders.

The dispatch manager needs to:

  • See Grubhub orders indicated for delivery.
  • Identify name, address, and phone number information, so the right driver receives the job and they can get the food to the diner.
  • See when the order was promised to arrive, so they can align the driver with the diner's expectations.
  • If that time is inaccurate, update the promise time with accurate information based on current delivery load and staffing.
  • Provide accurate default delivery time information to Grubhub, based on order data.
  • Update order to the OUT_FOR_DELIVERY status, so that diners know when their food is on the way.

Menu Manager

The menu manager maintains the current list of food and drink items sold at a restaurant. To simplify their process, a menu manager may use their POS as the system of record for a menu, storing the current menus and pricing there and letting that data flow to wherever else needs menu data.

Menu managers need to:

  • Create a Grubhub menu from the existing POS menu, so that the online marketplace has the same items as in store.
  • Update prices in one place and have it sync with Grubhub data.
  • Manage the layout of the online menu within the POS system.
  • Make items temporarily unavailable if the restaurant cannot fulfill them due to ingredient shortages or other reasons.

Finance & Accounting Manager

In some larger restaurants or those part of chains, the finance and accounting manager has to report of the financial health of the business and track the flow of money through the operation of the business. That includes accounting for all money in and out, so access to a single source of data that compiles in-store and online orders makes that job easier and more accurate.

They need to:

  • Reconcile Grubhub invoices against online sales for a given period.
  • Account for those orders paid in cash and those included in the regular Grubhub disbursement, so the cash drawer balances correctly.
  • Account for all taxes and delivery fees, so not only are the books up to date, all expenses are correctly anticipated.
  • Identify orders where Grubhub held tax money for remittance.

Diner

And finally, POS integration can directly benefit your diners. They'll get faster and more accurate orders, better order tracking, and more accurate fulfillment estimates.

While there's no direct API integration targeted towards diners, any improvements in restaurant efficiency will benefit the diner's overall experience. Ultimately, if we can improve the diner's experience, we all benefit.