Restaurant operators continue to discover the value of catering in their business. Overcome any bumps and challenges with these tips and your catering operation will be more likely to succeed.
Essentials to Develop a Successful Catering Menu
If you’re not already doing so, make sure you play to your strengths based on your core menu concept, equipment and expertise. Catering menus often offer larger portion sizes and sometimes offer items that are not on the current restaurant menu.
Find Profitability in Your Restaurant Catering Service
Restaurant catering profitability is equal to or sometimes greater than the on-premise operation. However, there are some increased packaging costs with catering, and an off-premise catering style will require an initial investment to transport prepared food to the location.
Discover the Catering Style That Works For Your Business
Whether you pursue off-site catering, on-site catering, or takeaway catering, each brings its own challenges and opportunities:
- Off-site catering is the most complex given the need for preparation, transport, set up, distribution and cleanup. It can also be the most profitable.
- On-site catering is simpler but it assumes you have the extra space to accommodate group events separate from your day-to-day restaurant operations.
- Takeaway is the easiest, and where many restaurateurs start given that prep and packaging for customer pickup is the only operational impact.
Audit Your Catering Equipment & Supplies
You may have most of what you need to start a catering operation on-site, but your catering style could require additional food prep and cooking appliances, dishes, containers, food carriers, and additional or portable tables, chairs and tableware.
Analyze Your Current Space
Restaurant catering requires dedicated space for prep, cooking and significant packaging. Additionally, holding bins may be necessary to stage items while the order is assembled for either serving on-premise or transporting off-premise. These tasks can sometimes require additional, if not dedicated, space.
Get Catering Resources Tailored For Your Business
Talk to your Sales Representative about how you can expand into catering and which catering style is right for your business.
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