Toolbox · Guide
Grow the big tickets
How to win more catering & corporate orders
A single office lunch can out-earn a dozen walk-in tickets — big order, advance notice, no table to turn. Yet most independents leave catering on the table because it's hard to order and easy to forget about. Here's how to win more of it.
Why catering is the best margin you're not chasing
Catering is large tickets at low overhead. You batch-cook to a known headcount, you prep on your schedule, and there's no host, no table turn, no per-cover service time. The same kitchen that grinds out $14 lunches can fulfill a $400 order with less labor per dollar. For most independents, it's the single most under-worked profit center.
1. Make a large order easy to place online
Most catering is lost at the first step: there's no obvious way to order. A would-be client lands on your site, can't find a catering menu, and books the chain down the street that has a "Order Catering" button. Fix that first.
See the online ordering section of the toolbox. BentoBox bundles commission-free ordering and catering into a polished restaurant site; Owner.com and ChowNow give you branded ordering you control; Square Online is a zero-cost way to launch large-order pickup. The essentials are the same everywhere: a clean catering menu, clear lead times, party sizes, and the ability to take a deposit.
2. Capture the catering calls you're missing
Catering still comes by phone — and the catering call that rings out during the lunch rush is the most expensive missed call you have. An AI phone agent answers 24/7, takes the details, and never sends a four-figure order to voicemail.
See the AI phone section: Newo.ai handles calls and text for delivery and catering specifically, Loman.ai takes orders and payment, and Slang.ai answers and books around the clock.
3. Show up where buyers are searching
Office admins and event planners search "catering near me" and check your reviews and listings before they call. If your Google profile is thin or your reviews are stale, you're invisible at the exact moment they're deciding. Keep listings accurate and reviews fresh with the reviews tools — it's free traffic you're otherwise leaving for competitors.
4. Turn one order into a standing account
The real money in catering is the repeat. One office that orders Friday lunch every week is worth more than a dozen one-off events. The move is simple: capture the buyer's contact on the first order, add them to your CRM, send a thank-you with an easy reorder link, and offer them a standing slot.
Start with the loyalty & CRM and marketing tools — a quarterly "anything coming up?" email to past catering buyers routinely fills slow weeks.
The honest math: winning catering isn't about a bigger menu — it's about being easy to buy from and easy to come back to. Make a large order one click online, answer every call, stay visible in search, and follow up so the first order becomes the tenth. That's where the high-margin growth hides.
Frequently asked questions
Why is catering more profitable than dine-in?
Catering and corporate orders are large tickets with predictable, advance prep and no table to turn. You batch-cook, you know the headcount, and there's no host or server time per cover. The margin on a single large office lunch usually beats a dozen walk-in tickets.
Do I need a separate platform for catering orders?
Not necessarily, but you do need an easy way to order a large, scheduled, paid-in-advance order online. Many commission-free ordering platforms include a catering module; the key is a clean catering menu, lead-time rules, and the ability to take a deposit.
How do I turn one office order into a regular account?
Capture the contact, follow up, and make reordering effortless. Add the office admin to your CRM, send a thank-you with an easy reorder link, and offer a standing weekly slot. One repeat corporate client is worth far more than chasing new ones.