Savelsbergh notes that “even though GrubHub can no longer be viewed as a start-up company, it still feels and operates as a start-up company. That is, there is a ‘can-do’ attitude, and all challenges are seen as opportunities. There is a constant flow of ideas on how to possibly extend offerings, how to possibly improve service – both to restaurants and to diners – and how to best get things done.”

About the collaboration, Savelsbergh explains, “GrubHub is trying to revolutionize meal delivery, both in terms of their offerings as well as in terms of the scale of their operations – ultimately wanting to provide service in all major U.S. cities. The highly dynamic nature of their business is something rarely seen in other delivery operations and creates a great environment for researchers to develop and test new delivery optimization ideas, which is one of my primary research interests.”