A practical guide for restaurant owners on catering from your restaurant.
Last updated: April 2026
Your kitchen already has the equipment, the recipes, and the staff. Catering is using those same resources to serve customers who are not sitting in your dining room. The margins are often better than dine-in because you have fewer front-of-house costs and you can plan production in advance.
Why catering works for independent restaurants
Higher margins. No servers per table, no table turnover to manage, no front-of-house labour during service. Batch cooking is more efficient than cooking to order. A catering job that grosses $2,000 can net 40% to 50% after food and labour, compared to 10% to 15% on a typical dine-in night.
Pre-committed revenue. Catering orders are booked and paid (or deposited) in advance. Unlike dine-in, which depends on walk-ins and weather, catering revenue is locked in days or weeks ahead.
Uses existing capacity. Your kitchen has downtime. Most restaurants are busiest during dinner service. Catering prep can happen in the morning or afternoon. You are monetizing hours that are currently unproductive.
Building a catering menu
Do not create an entirely new menu for catering. Build your catering menu from your existing items, selecting the ones that:
- Travel well. Braised, roasted, and baked dishes hold temperature and texture better than fried or delicately plated items.
- Scale easily. Items that can be made in large batches without quality loss (soups, salads, grain bowls, grilled proteins, pasta dishes).
- Have good margins. The same food cost analysis applies. Feature high-margin items on your catering menu.
- Look good on a buffet or in individual containers. Presentation matters, but it is different from plated dining. Think trays, bowls, and family-style platters.
Offer 3 to 4 package options at different price points:
- Basic ($25 to $35 per person): Appetizer, main, side, dessert
- Standard ($40 to $55 per person): Two appetizers, choice of mains, two sides, dessert, beverages
- Premium ($60 to $80+ per person): Full spread with premium proteins, multiple courses, bar service or beverage packages
Pricing catering
Per person pricing is standard and easiest for customers to understand. Calculate your food cost per person, then apply your target margin.
Minimum order size. Set a minimum (often $500 to $1,000 or 15 to 20 people). Catering jobs below this threshold are not worth the logistics.
Delivery and setup fees. Charge separately for delivery, setup, and staff time. $50 to $200 for delivery depending on distance. $200 to $500 for staffed events where your team stays to serve.
Deposit. Require 50% deposit at booking, balance due day of the event. This protects you from last-minute cancellations.
Marketing your catering
Google Business Profile. Add "Catering" as a secondary category. Google will show you for "catering near me" searches.
A dedicated catering page. Either on your website or as a separate digital menu on EasyMenus. Include packages, pricing, sample menus, and a contact form or phone number. When a potential client asks about catering, send them the link.
Corporate outreach. Office buildings, coworking spaces, law firms, tech companies, and real estate offices all need catering regularly. A one-page menu dropped off at the front desk with a QR code linking to your full catering menu is simple and effective.
Your existing customers. Mention catering on your digital menu, on table cards, or in your email newsletter. Your regulars who love your food may also need a caterer for their next event.
Operations
Test before launching. Cater a friend's event or a small office lunch for cost. Work out the logistics of packaging, transport, timing, and setup before charging for it.
Standardize packaging. Buy professional-looking trays, containers, and labels. Presentation matters for catering because the food represents your restaurant in a setting you do not control.
Create a prep timeline. For each catering job, work backwards from the delivery time. What needs to be done the day before? Morning of? What can be assembled on-site? A written timeline prevents chaos on the day.
Create a catering menu your clients can browse
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