Catering Platforms for Restaurants: 14 Things to Know When Buying

Catering platforms for restaurants improve your catering tasks and drive business growth.

Demand for restaurant catering is continuing to increase. The US catering service industry will grow at a yearly rate of 7.7% from 2024 to 2030 (Grand View Research).

That's why software that can handle online orders and client management is important.  

As an owner or manager, the right catering platform improves your processes. It also helps you meet your customers' needs.

This article guides you through picking catering software that meets your business's needs. 

The software should:

• Mange operations

• Track customer interactions

• Track orders

• And more

It should give you more time to focus on growing your business. 

Understanding Catering Software 

Catering software is a digital tool. It makes running your catering business easier. Functions include:

• Order management 

• Delivery tracking 

• Menu planning

• Customer relationship management (CRM)

Strong restaurant catering platforms offer all these functions in a single tool. But, specialized systems also focus on doing one thing very well. Here’s a look at the types of catering software available: 

• Order Management Software: Manages and tracks catering orders in real-time. 
• Delivery Tracking Software: Monitors food deliveries across designated delivery zones. 
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): A CRM keeps customer data, preferences, and order history. 

8 Things to Think About When Choosing Catering Software 

When picking catering software, you should think about eight factors: 

1. Business Size and Scope: Choose software that fits your catering services. A small café will have different needs from a large restaurant. 
2. Integrations:  Integrate point-of-sale (POS), accounting, and online ordering platforms. This makes it easier to manage catering orders. 
3. Feature-Rich Platforms: The best catering platform should offer many features. That allows you to manage staff, catering menus, and scheduling. This is important if your restaurant does a lot of customized menus.  
4. User Experience: Look for software that’s easy to use. Your software should come with customer support. 
5. Special Needs: Choose catering platforms that address your needs. To lower waste, consider inventory management systems for tracking.
6. Customer Interaction: Catering software should include features that let you talk with customers. 

    

7. Catering Technology: New technology can give your catering business an edge. AI-driven data provides info about customer behavior and demand.
8. Security Features: These protect sensitive information, including customer details and transactions. This is important for catering companies that handle corporate events. 

2 Financial Thoughts to Keep in Mind 

Select a solution that supports your growth without using too many resources. Here are two financial factors to keep in mind: 

1. Cost Analysis: Think about upfront and recurring restaurant costs.  Then check the total costs against the software's benefits. Add subscription fees and maintenance costs against the software’s potential. 
2. Budget Planning: Look for software with scalable pricing. That allows you to change costs based on growth. Flexible price plans let you add features without a complete system upgrade. 
   

2 Strategies for Software Use and Training 

Starting new catering software requires a thoughtful path. Here are two tips on use and training:  

1. Starting Tips: Effective deployment needs a timeline, staff training, and data migration. Start with a test rollout, where only a few employees use the new catering platform. Then add your entire time. This allows the team to learn the system and point out issues. 
2. Training Staff: This helps team members become comfortable with the new tool. Offer more resources, such as documentation and videos, to help your staff.  

2 Thoughts About Checking for Success 

Look at both the numbers and the feedback. Here’s a closer look: 

1. Performance Stats: Setting performance stats allows you to test the new catering software. This includes Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), Order Accuracy Percentage (OAP), and Average Order Fulfillment Time (AOFT). 
2. Getting Feedback: Get feedback from staff and customers to see if it is effective. Review the feedback to look for ways to grow and improve.  

Wrapping Up 

Picking the right catering software impacts your catering business by: 

• Helping you give the best service 

• Making operations easier

• Winning new and keeping current customers

To choose your catering software know your:

• Needs

• Budget 

• Functions you want 

Now is the time to see how catering software improves your processes for more growth.   

Getting online is crucial to any catering business. To learn more, check out our Guide on How to Maximize Online Ordering. 

Need restaurant catering software? Book a demo to see how our catering platform grows your bottom line.