Catering Features Your Online Menu Can’t Afford to Be Without
Not all online ordering menus are created equal.
Catering orders are different from regular takeout—they’re larger, more complex, and require precise planning. Without the right tools, managing catering orders can become chaotic, leading to frustrated customers and lost revenue.
Restaurants that invest in catering-specific online ordering solutions can streamline their operations, reduce errors, and increase catering sales by up to 20%. In this blog, we’ll explore the essential catering menu features that set successful businesses apart.
Virtual Catering Assistant: Help Customers Order the Right Amount
One of the biggest challenges in catering is ensuring customers order the correct quantity of food. The Virtual Catering Assistant helps by providing real-time visual cues that guide customers in their ordering process:
✅ Green Checkmark – Perfect order size based on guest count
🔺 Yellow Up Arrow – Customer may have over-ordered
🔻 Red Down Arrow – Customer may have under-ordered
This eliminates guesswork, making it easier for customers to confidently place large orders while reducing unnecessary back-and-forth with restaurant staff.
Advanced Budgeting Tools: Make Ordering Easy
Pricing large catering orders can be overwhelming for customers. The Advanced Budgeting Tool helps by automatically breaking down costs per person, per item, or total order. This allows customers to adjust their selections in real-time without needing to call for a quote.
Example: A corporate event planner needs catering for 50 people with a set budget. Instead of manually calculating costs, the tool automatically provides the insights needed to stay within their budget—saving time for both the customer and the restaurant.
Min & Max Item Settings: Ensure Orders Meet Your Requirements
With Min and Max Order Settings, you can:
Set order minimums (ex: a minimum spend of $100 for catering orders)
Limit item quantities (ex: customers must order at least 12 bagels per catering box)
Require bulk ordering in multiples (ex: trays of appetizers can only be purchased in sets of 5, 10, or 15)
This feature helps control inventory, reduce waste, and streamline fulfillment by ensuring catering orders align with kitchen capabilities.
Advanced Ordering & Cutoff Times: Prevent Last-Minute Chaos
Catering requires planning, and the Advanced Ordering & Cutoff Time feature ensures customers place their orders well in advance.
Schedule catering orders days, weeks, or even months ahead
Set order cutoff times to prevent same-day rushes
Improve kitchen workflow by planning large orders in advance
Example: A catering client needs lunch for a corporate seminar next Friday. Instead of calling to check availability, they can place the order online today, ensuring your kitchen has enough time to prepare.
Saved Carts: Encourage Repeat Orders
Corporate clients, event planners, and loyal customers often place repeat catering orders. With Saved Carts, returning customers can reorder past meals in just a few clicks, ensuring:
Faster checkout
Consistent order accuracy
Increased customer retention
Bonus: Businesses that make reordering easy see up to 30% more repeat catering sales compared to those without saved cart functionality.
Visual Menus: Boost Conversions with Photos
People eat with their eyes, and restaurants that include high-quality images on their catering menus see a 35% increase in online orders.
Adding images at the modifier level (e.g., showing different sandwich platters or pasta trays) helps customers confidently select the best catering options for their event.
Read more here about how you can create a delicious-looking online menu.
Conclusion: The Right Catering Menu Can Increase Your Sales
If you’re serious about growing your catering business, a generic online ordering system won’t cut it. Implementing these catering-specific features ensures a seamless ordering experience for customers while helping your team manage large orders with ease.
For more information about achieving success in catering and to learn more about how restaurants are already seeing success, click here to read our case study.