How to start office catering from your restaurant

Office catering suits an independent restaurant because the orders are large, booked ahead and repeat every week or month. Build a short catering menu from dishes your kitchen already makes well, price it per person with a minimum order, and win your first offices by asking the regulars who already eat with you at lunch.

Why is office catering worth it for a restaurant?

Because it fills your kitchen at predictable times and the money is in before the food goes out. One order for 30 people can equal a slow lunch service, and it arrives with a day's notice rather than all at once at 12:30.

Offices also reorder. An office manager who finds a caterer that turns up on time with good food has every reason to stop searching. One good client can become a standing weekly order.

Which dishes travel well for catering?

Choose food that is good at room temperature or holds its heat, survives a 20-minute drive and is easy to serve without your staff:

• Grain bowls and salads with dressings on the side
• Sandwich and wrap platters, cut and labeled
• Trays of a main, a protein and two sides, served family style
• Taco or build-your-own bars with components packed separately
• Pastries and fruit for breakfast meetings

Avoid anything fried that goes soft, delicate plating, or dishes that need finishing at the table. Your catering menu should be a short list, eight to twelve items, not your full menu.

How should you price catering per person?

Price per head, with a minimum order. Offices budget per person, and per-head pricing makes it easy for them to say yes.

Cost each catering item the same way you cost a plate: every ingredient, plus packaging, utensils, napkins and serving trays. Catering usually runs at a lower food cost percentage than your dining room because there is no table service, but add the packaging and delivery time back in.

Then set:

• A minimum order, such as 10 people, so small orders do not tie up the kitchen
• A delivery fee or a minimum for free delivery
• A setup fee if you lay out the food and come back for the trays

Show everything on one simple order form so the office manager can approve it without asking questions.

How much notice should you ask for?

Ask for at least 24 hours for standard orders and more for large ones. Set a cutoff time, such as 2 p.m. the day before, so you can order ingredients and plan prep.

Same-day catering is possible for small orders, but only offer it if you can deliver it every time.

How do you find your first catering clients?

Start with people who already know your food:

1. Ask your lunch regulars where they work. Many of them have a say in team lunches.
2. Drop a menu and a tasting tray at nearby offices, coworking spaces and medical practices. A tray of food on a Tuesday morning gets more attention than an email.
3. Put "We cater" on your menu, website and bags.
4. Follow up after every order with a short thank-you and an easy way to rebook.
5. Offer a standing order, such as every Friday lunch, at a small discount for the commitment.

How do you deliver catering without disrupting service?

Schedule catering prep before the lunch rush and deliveries for just before the office's meal, so your line is not cooking two services at once. If one person handles catering on a given day, the dining room is not short.

Pack every order with:

• Labels on each tray, listing the dish and the main allergens
• Serving utensils, plates, napkins and cutlery
• A printed list of what is in the order, so the client can check it
• Your contact number for the next order

What about food safety and permits?

Hot food has to stay hot and cold food cold from your kitchen to the client's table. Use insulated carriers and check temperatures before you leave. Catering off-site can need extra permits or a catering endorsement on your license depending on your city and county, so check with your local health department before you take your first order.

Label allergens on every tray. Office lunches always include someone who cannot eat nuts, gluten or dairy, and a clear label protects them and you.

What about invoices and payment terms?

Many offices pay by invoice rather than by card on the day, and some take thirty days or more to pay. Decide your terms before your first order. Taking a card at booking for smaller orders keeps things simple, and for regular corporate clients you can agree invoice terms in writing, with the client's billing contact and any purchase order number on every invoice. Chasing an unpaid catering invoice takes more time than the order did, so be clear up front.

How do you turn catering into repeat business?

Remember the details. Note who ordered, how many, what they liked and any dietary needs. Send the next order form a week before their usual date. Ask for honest feedback after the first three orders and act on it. Reliability wins catering clients more than anything on the menu.

More guides for your business:

• What delivery app commission really costs your restaurant
• Restaurant food cost and menu pricing: a step-by-step method
• Restaurant gift cards: the five-year rule and how to sell more

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