OrderUp
OrderUp was a U.S. online food-ordering and delivery company that combined centralized technology with local-market licensing and franchising.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
OrderUp was an American online food-ordering and delivery company focused on connecting consumers with local restaurants through websites and mobile applications. Its business developed from a local ordering service in State College, Pennsylvania, initially known as LionMenus. In 2009, the founders relocated the operation to Baltimore and formed LocalUp, using the company’s technology to expand beyond its original market. LocalUp first pursued a licensing model. Entrepreneurs in individual communities could use white-labeled versions of the company’s ordering technology, while operating local websites and managing day-to-day market activity themselves. This approach allowed the business to enter smaller American markets without building every local operation directly. The company reportedly used approximately $1.5 million in investment to support this expansion. In 2012, LocalUp rebranded as OrderUp and shifted from licensing toward franchising. The new structure placed greater emphasis on a common national brand while retaining local operators and market-level execution. OrderUp was described as an early example of a digitally enabled franchise model, using centralized software to support geographically distributed restaurant-ordering businesses. By August 2013, the company had websites in approximately 25 American cities and had launched Android and iOS applications that allowed customers to place food orders from mobile devices. OrderUp expanded its technology and delivery capabilities through a $7 million Series A investment announced in August 2014. The funding was intended to strengthen the technical organization and support broader national expansion of delivery operations. By 2016, the service was reported to be present in 62 cities, although later descriptions of its operating footprint referred to 37 U.S. markets, reflecting changes in market ownership, scope, or reporting period. Groupon acquired OrderUp in July 2015. Groupon subsequently used OrderUp’s technology in the separately launched Groupon To Go service. The acquisition connected OrderUp’s restaurant-ordering infrastructure with Groupon’s local-commerce business, but the OrderUp brand did not remain independent over the long term. In July 2017, Grubhub announced that it would acquire assets associated with 27 company-owned OrderUp markets from Groupon and said that it planned to retire the OrderUp name. The transition included the elimination of 60 full-time positions at OrderUp’s Baltimore headquarters. Grubhub later acquired certain assets of the remaining 11 franchisee-owned OrderUp markets on October 30, 2018. Following these transactions and the planned brand retirement, OrderUp ceased operating as an independent active consumer brand.
History
OrderUp originated as LionMenus, an online food-ordering business serving State College, Pennsylvania. In 2009, the founders moved the operation to Baltimore, Maryland, and created LocalUp to support expansion into additional communities. The company raised approximately $1.5 million in investment for growth, although the available reference does not identify the investors or provide a dated financing breakdown. LocalUp initially licensed its technology to local entrepreneurs. These operators launched white-labeled ordering websites in their own communities and handled local business operations, while LocalUp supplied the underlying platform. The model enabled entry into smaller markets with a distributed operating structure rather than requiring the company to establish every market itself. In 2012, LocalUp adopted the OrderUp name and moved toward franchising. Under the franchise approach, local operators continued to play an important role, but the markets increasingly used a shared national identity and centralized technology. This was characterized as one of the early digital franchise approaches in the online food-ordering sector. OrderUp’s service included restaurant discovery and ordering through websites, followed by mobile applications for Android and iOS. By August 2013, the company reported or was described as operating in roughly 25 American cities. OrderUp announced a $7 million Series A round in August 2014. The stated purposes were to expand its technical staff and extend delivery operations nationally. The company continued growing its U.S. footprint and was described as operating in 62 cities in 2016. Other accounts described OrderUp as operating in 37 U.S. markets, indicating that the reported total varied according to the period or the way company-owned and franchise markets were counted. Groupon acquired OrderUp in July 2015. Rather than maintaining OrderUp as a permanently independent brand, Groupon separately introduced Groupon To Go and used OrderUp technology in that service. In July 2017, Grubhub announced that it would acquire assets from 27 OrderUp markets owned by Groupon. Grubhub also announced plans to retire the OrderUp brand, marking a transition away from the company’s original national identity. The restructuring resulted in 60 full-time layoffs at OrderUp’s Baltimore headquarters. The remaining franchisee-owned operations did not transfer at the same time as the 27 company-owned markets. On October 30, 2018, Grubhub acquired certain assets from 11 remaining OrderUp markets operated by franchisees in California, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Virginia. These transactions effectively ended OrderUp’s independent presence as an active consumer-facing food-ordering brand.
- 2018
Remaining franchisee-market assets transfer to Grubhub
[1]Grubhub acquired certain assets from 11 remaining franchisee-owned OrderUp markets on October 30.
- 2017
Grubhub acquires 27 markets and plans brand retirement
[1]Grubhub agreed to acquire assets from 27 company-owned OrderUp markets and announced plans to retire the OrderUp brand.
- 2016
Reported presence reaches 62 cities
[1]OrderUp was described as operating in 62 cities, while other references report 37 markets for a different period or market-counting basis.
- 2015
Groupon acquires OrderUp
[1]Groupon acquired OrderUp in July and subsequently used its technology for Groupon To Go.
- 2014
Series A financing supports expansion
[1]OrderUp announced a $7 million Series A investment intended to expand its technology team and national delivery operations.
- 2013
Mobile ordering is introduced
[1]OrderUp had reached approximately 25 U.S. cities and launched applications for Android and iOS ordering.
- 2012
LocalUp becomes OrderUp
[1]The company adopted the OrderUp name and shifted from a technology-licensing model toward franchising under a shared brand.
- 2009
LocalUp is formed in Baltimore
[1]After beginning as LionMenus in State College, Pennsylvania, the company relocated to Baltimore and formed LocalUp to expand into additional U.S. markets.
Products and positioning
A technology-enabled local food-ordering and delivery network that combined a national platform and brand with local operators serving individual American markets.
Online food ordering
OrderUp online marketplace
OrderUp’s core product was a web-based marketplace that allowed consumers to browse participating local restaurants and submit food orders online. The platform was designed for geographically focused markets and supported the company’s licensing and later franchise structure. Local operators used the service to manage market-level restaurant relationships and customer activity under the OrderUp brand.
Mobile food ordering · 2013
OrderUp mobile applications
OrderUp introduced mobile applications for Android and iOS by August 2013. The applications extended the company’s restaurant-ordering service to smartphones, allowing users to find participating restaurants and place orders without relying exclusively on the desktop website.
Franchise and marketplace technology
OrderUp local franchise technology
The company supplied centralized ordering technology to local operators. Before the 2012 rebrand, the technology was commonly licensed and white-labeled; afterward, the business emphasized a franchised model using the OrderUp identity. This infrastructure was the principal strategic asset later used by Groupon and involved in the transfer of market assets to Grubhub.
Brand decisions
2018
Transfer of remaining franchisee-market assetsM&ABackground
Eleven OrderUp markets remained under franchisee ownership after the earlier transfer of company-owned markets.
Action taken
Grubhub acquired certain assets from those 11 franchisee-owned markets on October 30, 2018.
Aftermath
The remaining identified OrderUp market assets moved to Grubhub, completing the brand’s effective exit as an independent operating business.
2017
Transfer of 27 markets to GrubhubM&ABackground
Groupon owned company-operated OrderUp markets while the brand faced consolidation within the competitive U.S. food-delivery sector.
Action taken
Grubhub announced the acquisition of assets from 27 company-owned OrderUp markets and stated that it planned to retire the OrderUp brand.
Aftermath
The transaction led to the planned discontinuation of the OrderUp identity and the layoff of 60 full-time employees at the Baltimore headquarters.
2015
Acquisition by GrouponM&ABackground
OrderUp had built a technology platform and distributed local-market network for online restaurant ordering and delivery.
Action taken
Groupon acquired OrderUp in July 2015 and separately launched Groupon To Go using OrderUp’s technology.
Aftermath
OrderUp became part of Groupon’s local-commerce and delivery efforts rather than remaining an independent company.
2014
Fund technical and delivery expansionStrategyBackground
OrderUp sought to increase its technical capacity and expand delivery coverage beyond its existing local markets.
Action taken
The company announced a $7 million Series A investment focused on hiring technical staff and extending delivery operations nationally.
Aftermath
OrderUp continued expanding its U.S. footprint and was later described as operating in 62 cities in 2016.
Series A investment. $7 million (Announced August 2014)
2012
Shift from white-label licensing to franchisingStrategyBackground
LocalUp had initially expanded by licensing its technology to entrepreneurs who operated independently branded local ordering sites.
Action taken
The company rebranded as OrderUp and adopted a franchise-oriented model that gave local markets access to a common national brand and platform.
Aftermath
The change supported broader use of the OrderUp name and positioned the company as an early digitally enabled local-market franchise network.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
OrderUp adds support for Star Micronics printer[2]
OrderUp added support for Star Micronics’ mC-Print3 printer, enabling customers to place dine-in orders from their mobile devices through the paired system.
SalesVu introduces OrderUp self-order kiosk app[3]
Reported:
SalesVu introduced OrderUp, a self-order kiosk app that lets restaurant customers browse an interactive menu and place orders using an iPad.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/orderup · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled