Amazon teams with Grubhub to expand ‘Just Walk Out’ campus presence
Amazon “Just Walk Out” cashierless shopping technology is available at stores on a second college campus.
The e-tailer, which debuted its Just Walk Out frictionless shopping technology in a campus setting within a convenience store at Marymount University in Arlington, Va. (the city where Amazon is building a second headquarters) in March 2023, is partnering with Grubhub to deploy the technology at Loyola University Maryland.
On-campus stores at the university that partner with Grubhub are now equipped with Just Walk Out. To use the technology, customers scan a QR code in the Grubhub app to enter the store, and the solution leverages sensor fusion, computer vision, and deep learning to detect what shoppers take from or return to the shelves.
When customers have completed their shopping experience, they are able to leave the store without having to wait in line and the payment will automatically be deducted from their meal plan, declining account balance or other stored payment methods linked to their Grubhub account when they leave the store.
Amazon and Grubhub - a timeline
Amazon initially partnered with Grubhub in August 2021, when members of its college-focused Prime Student loyalty program were offered exclusive savings for services including Grubhub+ Student on-demand food delivery. In July 2022, it also acquired a 2% stake in Grubhub from the company’s owner, Netherlands-based global online food delivery marketplace Just Eat Takeaway.
In June 2023, Amazon added another year to a free 12-month offer that lets U.S. members of the Prime paid loyalty program sign up for a free one-year membership in the Grubhub+ premium plan, which the e-tailer launched when it purchased its Grubhub stake.
"We are thrilled to bring Just Walk Out technology and Grubhub together at Loyola University Maryland," said Jon Jenkins, VP of Just Walk Out technology, AWS Applications. "With Just Walk Out technology and Grubhub, students, faculty, and staff will find a convenient way to purchase the items they need with a frictionless shopping experience so they can quickly get back to their studies."
"Our installation with Amazon's Just Walk Out technology is another example of how we are strengthening our relationship with our campus partners with cost-saving technology and driving student adoption," said Eric Ferguson, COO, Grubhub. "The services and products we provide for our campus partners are designed to enhance and improve the dining experience, and we're excited to offer this innovative and frictionless technology to our campus partners."
"Loyola is proud to partner with Grubhub and Amazon to bring this technology to our students," said John Coppola, VP for finance and administration and treasurer for Loyola University Maryland. "We strive to bring innovation to our campus, and this is a perfect example of our drive to lead in technological applications for our students, faculty, and staff."
Loyola University Maryland is the first Grubhub-partnered campus to deploy Just Walk Out technology. Grubhub features more than 365,000 restaurant partners in over 4,000 U.S. cities.