Grubhub Bets Big on Super Bowl Ad with Clooney, Announces Permanent Fee Waiver for Large Orders
For millions of Americans, the sting of hidden fees has long been the sour note at the end of a convenient meal delivery. In a bold move aimed directly at that pain point, Grubhub leveraged the spotlight of Super Bowl LVIII to announce a fundamental shift in its pricing model.
The company’s debut Big Game ad, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring George Clooney, framed the industry’s fee problem with surreal humor. At a tense dinner party, Clooney declares that "Grubhub will eat the fees," unveiling a new policy: indefinite waiver of delivery and service fees on all orders exceeding $50.
"This isn't a limited-time promotion; it's a new foundation for our brand," Marnie Kain, Grubhub's VP of Brand Marketing, confirmed to ADWEEK. "We're making this investment to put people over profits and disrupt the category's status quo." Kain emphasized that the cost is being absorbed by Grubhub and not passed on to its restaurant partners.
The strategic gamble comes at a critical time. Data from Sensor Tower shows Grubhub's monthly active users fell 20% year-over-year in 2025 to 8 million, significantly trailing DoorDash (49 million) and Uber Eats (21 million). The permanent fee waiver is a clear attempt to win back customers and stimulate larger order volumes to offset the lost fee revenue.
While Uber Eats also advertised during the game, Grubhub's message was uniquely aggressive. The move builds on existing perks for Amazon Prime members but extends the benefit universally. This campaign marks one of the first major initiatives under Grubhub's new ownership by Marc Lore's Wonder Group, following its acquisition in January 2025.
User Reactions:
"Finally, some sanity!" says David Chen, a frequent user from Chicago. "The fees were becoming a deal-breaker. If this is permanent, it might actually get me to switch back from DoorDash for my family's bigger orders."
"It's a clever ad, but let's not throw a parade," counters Maya Rodriguez, a food blogger in Austin. "They're desperate because they're losing. This only helps on bigger orders, and restaurants still face high commission rates. This feels more like a PR Band-Aid than a real solution for the broken delivery economy."
"As a small restaurant owner, I'm cautiously optimistic," shares Ben Carter of Portland. "If this brings in more customers and larger orders without squeezing us further, it could be a net positive. But the proof will be in the pudding—or the delivery bags."
The 30-second spot aired during the third quarter on NBC, signaling Grubhub's intent to use the Super Bowl's massive audience as a launchpad for its most significant consumer-facing change in years.