If you’ve recently been charged with a DUI, you may be wondering if it disqualifies you from working for GrubHub. After all, driving is an essential part of the job and criminal records can drastically reduce your chances of success when applying to many companies.
Having a DUI on your record can significantly reduce your chances of being approved to deliver for GrubHub, as the company maintains strict policies regarding moving violations. GrubHub’s stringent background checks aim to ensure driver safety and compliance with traffic regulations.
To find out the answer to this question and understand how a DUI affects your chances at getting approved by GrubHub, read on!
Can I Drive For Grubhub With A DUI
The answer to the question of whether or not you can drive for Grubhub with a DUI is likely a no. Grubhub, like their competitors in food delivery and rideshare services, performs background checks on all applicants to ensure they are fit to join the platform.
With a DUI charge, this signals to them that there may be an irresponsible attitude when it comes to operating a vehicle on public roads and highways which could place others in danger. The background check will cover almost any type of felony including DUIs, though older DUIs may go unnoticed due to only focusing on charges within the past seven years.
Unfortunately, having any kind of DUI means you cannot become a driver for Grubhub as it is considered an automatic disqualifier.
Your highest probability of approval with a DUI increases if the incident occurred in the distant past. Applications such as DoorDash examine your criminal record from the past seven years, and although Grubhub does not specify the extent of its background check, it is logical to assume that their evaluation period would be comparable.
What kind of background check does Grubhub do?
Grubhub is serious when it comes to making sure the drivers they approve are trustworthy and responsible. That’s why they perform a standard background check on all applicants who are interested in becoming Grubhub drivers.
To do so, they require prospective drivers to provide their social security number, which will then be used to run the background check. The company uses Checkr, which is a third-party background checking company that is popular among other gig economy apps.
This background check looks for any criminal history, driving violations or red flags that may be concerning for Grubhub. Then the company will make their decision on who to accept onto the platform based on these results.
What Grubhub Background Check Covers
Alcohol or Drug-related Moving Violations
GrubHub’s background check covers any moving violations that involve alcohol or drugs. This means that applicants who have been charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) are likely to disqualify from their position. Any moving violations that indicate drug or alcohol usage are considered a red flag on GrubHub’s background check, and can impact the applicant’s suitability for the driving position. Applicants should make sure they have a spotless driving record if they want to apply for the GrubHub driver position.
Driving Violations
GrubHub also looks at an applicant’s driving history to make sure they are safe and responsible drivers. GrubHub does not want their drivers to have a history of reckless driving and dangerous on-road behavior. Specifically, GrubHub looks at whether an applicant has one major violation, or three minor violations on their driving record within the last three years. Examples of major violations could include serious traffic offenses such as reckless driving, hit-and-run accidents, or causing death or injury due to an incident in the car. Applicants should keep their driving records clean and avoid any violations to have a chance of passing the background check.
Criminal Charges
GrubHub will perform a criminal background check on all of its potential drivers to screen for serious criminal charges. The background check has a thorough screening process to investigate applicants for criminal history related to sexual offenses, violent offenses, theft, property damage, drug, or alcohol charges, or any other felonies or serious charges. Applicants should be honest about their criminal history as GrubHub uses the information to determine eligibility for the position.
Impact of DUI on Driving Record
With any kind of bad driving related conviction, your insurance premiums may dramatically increase and you may not be eligible for certain kinds of employment since safety is often a major requirement. Depending on the state where the offense occurred, points may also be added to your license or even revoked altogether — leading to further complications such as hefty fines, having to retake the driver’s test and enrollment in classes related to drinking, drugs and mental health coaching.
Can I get fired from being a GrubHub driver if I get a DUI?
Generally, a DUI charge would lead to deactivation from GrubHub. However, it is ultimately up to the discretion of GrubHub’s Compliance and Safety team, depending on the severity of the charge.
Even if you receive a DUI while actively driving for GrubHub in some cases, if your violation was more minor you might be able to keep your job after experiencing a brief suspension period. If the incident is more severe, however, you can expect to be fired or permanently deactivated as a driver with GrubHub.
What Do Other Delivery Drivers Think?
Delivery drivers who use Grubhub for their business may face challenges when trying to get approved if they have a history of major traffic violations or felonies; this is made clear in the various testimonies from delivery drivers that use network like Reddit.
Many drivers have faced rejection from Grubhub because of past DUI charges, and the repercussions thereof. For example, one driver had tried to apply with a single reckless driving conviction, and all four major delivery apps denied his subscription request on account of that incident.
edtom1226: “My buddy tried with one reckless op. He blew a .09 and got the dui the the lawyer got it reduced. All driving apps (ubereats, grubhub, DoorDash, and postmates) all denied him. I’m sorry man.”
MySpaceTomsAccount: “Most “platforms” aren’t going to take you with a DUI. You can try, the worst they can say is no.”
MrShkreliRS: “I couldn’t tell you their policy but I used to manage a number of delivery places and a DUI pretty much meant “Absolutely Not” for at least three years.”

Finding success as a delivery driver through platforms like Grubhub can seem impossible if other service providers won’t accept applicants with criminal pasts, sadly creating even more difficulty for those looking to enter the field, however temporarily.
Will Other Food Delivery Services Hire Me with a DUI?
Getting a job at one of the major food delivery apps such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates or Grubhub could be challenging if you have a DUI in your background. All of these delivery services run a background check that looks for criminal and alcohol-related offenses as part of their driver application process.
So, having a DUI is likely to kill your chances of getting hired to work for one of the popular delivery companies since they reserve the right to refuse service to those with serious violations on their records.
Conclusion
All in all, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of whether you can drive as a GrubHub driver with a DUI. How agencies and providers view DUI convictions largely depends on the specific circumstances, including when it happened, your record since then, and what state the conviction took place in.
You should always check the background check guidelines for any job or service you are planning on applying to prior to making your application.
Ultimately if you have a DUI conviction and need some form of work involving driving it’s likely best to look for another kind of employment than food delivery services. Don’t let this stop you from seeking other career options though; many employers are willing to give second chances no matter what your background is like.