Grubhub wins over new mothers with free Special Delivery first meal 

Food delivery app sponsors new mothers’ first postpartum meals to satisfy their unfulfilled cravings

US delivery platform Grubhub offered new mums a free first post-delivery meal during August 2024 – the peak month for births in the US.

At 12pm every Wednesday, mothers could claim a $20 voucher on a dedicated website to order their Special Delivery. The brand also offered mums a free year of Grubhub+ to those cashing in on the offer, a subscription add-on that gives users access to reduced service fees, free delivery and other advantages.

The campaign taps into the insight that since certain foods and drinks aren’t safe to consume during pregnancy, the first postpartum meal is a big moment that mums look forward to. According to a survey by the brand, 75% of mothers consider what they will eat after giving birth an integral part of their birth plan,  while 51% say that eating restricted foods is their top anticipation.

The campaign was created by Golin, Chicago.

Contagious Insight 

Crown a new consumption occasion / When it comes to creating a new consumption occasion, it’s important to rethink when and why people consume your product can give them both emotional and functional reasons to buy from you. Grubhub has nailed birth as a new consumption occasion to target, connecting with tired emotional new mums by delivering up a much fantasised meal for free and pushing takeout as the most satisfying post-birth option.

Also, earlier this year, a wave of new mums started posting their post-birth meals made up of all that they couldn’t eat when they were pregnant on TikTok and the campaign effortlessly taps into this shareable TikTok phenomenon, inserting itself into a current trend.

Delivering at the right time /​​​​​​​ The campaign attempts to build a habit of ordering through Grubhub among the key demographic of young mums. Finding time to cook and eat a healthy diet is a challenge for this audience, busy adjusting to sleepless nights and constant baby supervision. While parents can turn to meal boxes or look for tips online, this campaign pushes takeout as the most satisfying option. By extending the Special Delivery promo with a free year of Grubhub+ for qualifying mothers, it promotes their long-term usage of the app and boosts customer loyalty after the promotional period ends.  



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