Catering is a way to expand the business and serve your food outside the four wall of the restaurant. Building catering sales can be a new stream of revenue and expose your brand to large groups in the nearby community.

Why is this important?

Many groups need food catered offsite and can’t come into the restaurant, such as for business meetings, a family party, weddings and more. Many competitors in your space will offer their food in trays, buffets or box lunches to accommodate these groups, and we want to stay competitive. Plus, many groups become “regulars”, offering consistent sales without filling up seats inside the restaurant. Starting to get leads and build catering sales will help make the business profitable.

What’s needed prior to execution:

• It’s important to know your trade area and which businesses, organizations or community groups may need catering. Here are some examples of occasions that need catered food:
  • Large office businesses (corporate meetings, office celebration, trainings, seminars, holidays)
  • Medical offices/hospitals/pharmacy sales reps
  • Family events (reunions, parties, graduations, wakes, holidays)
  • Non-profit organizations/churches (large events, staff meetings, holidays)
  • Schools (Generally for sports/teams at higher levels such as High School or University, but may need for beginning or end of year, trainings, etc)
  • Professional Sports Teams (getting a contract with a team to feed their or the opposing team)
  • Big Box stores for Black Friday/Holidays
  • Banquet venues/weddings (may need preferred caterer status)

Execution:

Unfortunately there is not one way to find leads, and they may come through a variety of places. Having a listing with an updated menu on the website can bring leads in naturally, as well as reminding guests on social media and email that catering in an option at certain times of the year. However, most times you’ll need to put in some special effort.

• Google Maps
  • Doing searches on Google Maps can get you a good start of businesses in the area. You’ll want a list of 100 or so places to get started.

• Searching 5-10 miles out may help increase leads.

• For example, a search of medical nearby Lola’s turned up multiple places, which can be seen by the red dots on the map and the side list.
  • Write down the name of the business, their phone number and website in an Excel sheet for all the results in your radius and move on to the next category
    • Repeat this until you have a solid list of leads

A list like above can help you stay organized:

• Once you have your initial list, you can either go to each website and try to find additional contact information (such as for a specific person or a contact email).
  • This may help in later follow up
  • Now is the time to start contacting your leads. You can contact them through a “cold call”, introduction email, or stopping into their business.

• Cold calls can be a little intimidating until you know your “script”. Each restaurant will be a little different, but below is an example.
  • It’s important to speak slowly, be friendly and get as much information as possible.
• Cold call script example:
  • “Hello, my name is Kathryn and I’m calling from Lola’s Burrito Joint in Riverside. We have a new catering program and wanted to see if your business ever did group orders for lunch.”
  • If yes or sometimes: That’s great! Who usually does those orders? (try to get a name to reference for the follow up call).
    • From here, you can either ask to speak to that person or ask if there is a direct number or email you could send a menu to.
    • Also ask how many people their office has- this can help tailor what menu to send (box lunches for 6-8 vs large trays for 30-50).
    • See if there are any certain occasions coming up they know they’ll need food for- write this in your notes
    • If you’re able to speak directly to that person, ask the above, and if they do really large orders, might be a time to invite them into the restaurant to try a few dishes or bring by an example “demo” to show off your food (more on this later)
  • If no or not really: “Ok! That’s no problem. I’d still love to send over a menu if you ever need a takeout or delivery option for lunch. Could I get the best email to send that to?” (it’s important to still try to get a follow up email, so we can add them to our email database, and follow up closer to the holidays. A lot of people don’t remember they need food at other times of the year)
• The first call will generally never result in a catering order. It’s important to not get discouraged- it’s all about following up and being an option when they need an order.
  • Depending on how the call goes, you may want to highlight your leads as “cold” or “warm” to determine which need more follow up and sooner
  • Finding the right person who orders can be the biggest challenge, so really try to get a name or more specific contact information.
  • Any information you get will make the next call easier. For example:
    • (one week later): “Hi, this is Kathryn from Lola’s Burrito Joint. I called last week and spoke to Susan about catering needs for your office. She recommended I speak to Carol, is she available?” (this makes you sound knowledgable and no longer a cold sales call)
• Try to set a goal for yourself on a certain number of calls per week. This will help have a continuous stream of leads and potential sales.

Cold Emails:

• This will likely be one of the lesser effective methods, but could get a few leads and be a start if you don’t have much time.
• After going through websites and collecting email addresses (many might be generic like info@businessname.com), you can right an email script and attach your catering menu to the email to send out to groups.
  • Note, it may also be better to direct people to a website with your catering menu as a link so the attachment doesn’t get flagged as spam.
  • If you are able to write individual emails, it would be better, but you can also write a more generic one to send to 10-15 businesses at a time.
    • If doing this, BE SURE to BCC every email. We can also email through Zenreach.
  • Here’s an example email:

• “Hello! My name is Kathryn Broderick and I’m the Catering Manager for Lola’s Burrito Joint. Our restaurant is located in Riverside and we serve some of the best tacos, burritos and burgers in Jacksonville.

We newly launched a catering program and can now bring our awesome food to your office at Baptist Medical! If you have corporate meetings, trainings, or pharm reps buying you lunch, we’d love to be an option. We can accommodate almost all dietary needs.

You can take a look at our menu here. We offer delivery, full set-up and if you reply to this email, we’ll add in a dessert tray for free on your first order.

I’d love to help with any events or group ordering needs coming up. Please feel free to reply back or call my cell at 773-750-2887.

Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you!

-Kathryn Broderick

• As with phone, don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back. Send a follow up email a week or so later asking if there’s any occasions coming up or if they had any questions on the menu.
  • A follow up email like this can work well after a phone call that didn’t get very far either. It’s all about repetition!

Visiting a Business:

• Sometimes dropping into a business or organization unannounced can yield some great results. This gives you an instant, face-to-face connection where it’s harder to ignore someone and can lead to longer and more positive conversations.
  • It’s best to bring some supplies with when going to nearby businesses. These can include:
    • Menus
    • Catering Menus
    • Your Business Card
    • Magnets/pens/swag
    • Food
      • Food should be something that is easy to transport and really shows off something unique about your business. Ie. Slice of Joe’s cake
  • Putting all these items in a catering folder or pre-made bag before visiting will look more professional.
• It’s best to plan where you’re visiting in advance and keep track of when you visited along with any notes about the conversation, just as you would with a phone call.
  • Visiting 10 businesses a week can be a great goal
• It’s important to wear your uniform or branded shirt from the business, speak slowly and clearly and SMILE. This can be intimidating, so if sending a team member, be sure they have practice with the manager before heading out. It’s too easy to rush through your “speech” and leave.

Example visit to a doctor’s office:

“Hello! My name is Kathryn and I’m from Joe’s Italian down the street by the golf course in Alabaster. I wanted to introduce myself and bring by some menus and some of our famous cake for your team. Have you been to Joe’s before?”

 (If no, explain a little about our business. What kind of food, where it is, lunch and dinner, catering, etc)

(If yes): That’s fantastic! Please ask for me next time you’re in. I’m not sure if you know, but we do offer catered meals for the group if you have any meetings or parties coming up. Or if you have any pharm reps who buy you lunch, I’d love a list of them so we can send some menus their way. Do you or someone else in your office generally order group meals?

(if them, ask for their card, if someone else, ask if they are available to speak further)

(Be sure to hand over folder/bag/food and explain what you’re giving them)

I brought by a few different slices of our famous cake, I hope you can bring it to the breakroom with these menus and give everyone a taste. If you need catering, we deliver, fully set up for you and bring all plates, utensils, etc. It’s so much tastier than cold sandwiches! Do you have any events coming up?

            (If yes, note when and when may be a good time to follow up. If no, be sure to take their card and give them yours)

Thank you so much for your time! I hope you all enjoy that strawberry cake. I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon!”

• Visit times may vary, but generally you should only be in there for a few minutes. If they want to sit and chat that’s great, but this should be fairly quick and more of a “surprise and delight” situation.
  • Some people may not be happy to see you. Don’t worry! If they do not seem interested at all or refuse what you’re bringing, kindly thank them and leave.
  • Getting information is key! Get their name so you can call back later and ask how the cake was and if you can help them with any upcoming needs.

• Other helpful tips:
  • Ignore the “no soliciting” sign. If you’re bringing by food or coupons, 95% of people will be glad to see you.
  • Look confident in your approach. If there’s a security desk with an elevator bank next to it, no need to ask for permission. Simply pick a floor (starting at the top and working your way down works best) and go.
    • If security does get angry, don’t stay. Simply apologize with a smile and leave.
  • Have a few key points to make sure to say every time. These can include:
    • “We deliver!”
    • We bring sternos, chafing dishes and everything you need to keep food warm.
    • We can customize to most dietary needs
    • We can cater for small or large groups.
  • If they say they don’t get catering, ask how many are in the office. Sometimes saying “group orders” instead of catering can mean something different to them.
  • As mentioned above, TALK SLOWLY. Especially when saying the name of the restaurant- most people will ask again where you’re from. Telling them a reference of where it is (by the Walmart, across from Menards, etc) can help too.
  • Stay organized and take notes after each visit. It’s easy for them all to start running together and makes it harder to follow up by phone or email later

• Remember, you are competing against many other restaurants in your area to get these sales. Especially, large scale events or repeat orders. You may need to go above and beyond to get these sales.

Catering Demos:

• Offering a small demo of what you offer can help potential clients taste the food and see the presentation. Especially for large offices with multiple admins who order or key organizers of an event, this can help sway the sale to you.
• Ask if there are any dietary restrictions or things they’d like to sample, and create a small 10-person menu to bring over, along with more menus.
  • This should include at least two entrees, two sides and a dessert.
  • Make sure the presentation looks perfect and bring everything you would for a regular order.
  • Be sure YOU set it up and don’t just hand them a bag of food.
  • Ask to speak to the attendees for a few moments and answer any questions they may have
  • Thank them again for the opportunity and see if you can get the order placed before leaving.
    • If not while there, when would be a good time to follow up?
• Catering demos should only be offered to those who you know will be a long-term client or have a giant event (such as food for 1000 at a race, a wedding, the regional manager of 10 Targets who all need food for the holidays, admins who order lunch for 25 every day, etc)
  • These should not be the go-to method for booking a sale and should be approved by a General Manager.
  • There should be a monthly limit on these.
• While could be off-site, they may also work well in the restaurant based on needs. Setting up a buffet during an off-peak time in the dining room and inviting leaders in the community to come try catering can be a helpful technique as well.

Wedding Tastings:

• When having a couple interested in wedding catering, they will likely want to taste the food to see exactly what they’d like to serve at their special event. Hosting a tasting at the restaurant can help book the wedding.
  • Have the event coordinator sit with the couple and get an idea of budget and type of food wanted (and get to know restrictions, dietary needs, etc)
  • Choose 8-10 items with the couple they’d like to taste
    • Bring out 1-2 samples (just a small version of a few bites, enough for each person to try some) at a time.
    • Ensure to bring out samples from different parts of the menu they will be serving including appetizers, entrees, and desserts if applicable.
  • This should take somewhere between 45-60 minutes.
  • It is not recommended to charge for this tasting (especially if they book the weddng with you) but a small fee can be charged if going above and beyond.
    • Be sure to try and finalize booking details after the tasting and get the sale!

Being Flexible with Pricing/Timing/Offerings

Sometimes as much as a group wants your food for their event, they are stuck on something like per person pricing, needing something you usually don’t offer or needing it when the restaurant is closed. The more flexible you can be, the more likely you are to get their business.

• Talk with your General Manager on how to work with a group if the price is too high. Some ways are:

• Offer free delivery. This can be just enough to tip the scales.
  • Offering a small discount (10%) in exchange for leaving coupons and the venue
  • Offer a bonus appetizer or dessert tray that’s complimentary
  • Look for cheaper option on your menu that might work for them instead of what they initially chose.
  • Remind them (if you don’t have gratuity) that no extra gratuity is expected.
  • If it’s a non-profit organization, remind them to get you their 501C3 to be tax-free.

• Don’t just automatically say you can’t do an order if it’s not within regular restaurant hours. Speak with the GM and staff to see if the order would be worth it to go in earlier or stay later than normal.
  • Groups like factory workers, retail for the holidays, sports teams and more need lunch and dinner food at off-hours.

• If they want something that’s off-menu (maybe cans of Coke with the order that you don’t normally sell or mayonnaise packets you don’t have), offer what you do have, and if that’s not acceptable, see if buying the item for this one-time use makes sense financially.
  • While not something to make a practice of, if it’s a $4000 order, it’s likely worth it to try and be accommodating.

After the Order is Booked

Hooray! You’ve landed a new catering client. Communication remains key.

• Verify the order and last minute details (such as exact location or instructions for delivery) 24-48 hours in advance. Things can change and this will help stop surprises on the day of.
• Double and triple check everything needed is in the bags, at temp, and ready to travel securely through a car ride and carrying.
  • Bringing a small cart can help with larger orders
• If it’s a new client, it’s best to go yourself the first time to ensure all is well.
• Bringing with a handwritten thank you can speak volumes. No detail is too small!
• Thank them. This can be forgotten in the haste of setting up an order for hungry people.

After the Catering Order is Complete

• 24 hours after the event, give them a call or send an email to ask how everything was and see if there’s anything we could do to improve in the future.
  • If there’s something that wasn’t right, be sure to call and see how we can make it up to them.
  • If everything was fantastic, let them know we appreciate online reviews and ask if there is anything coming up you can help with.
• If you don’t hear from them again for 30-60 days, don’t be afraid to follow up!
• Keeping close track of orders and keeping notes will continue to help you have a base of clients to keep referring back to, but don’t forget to keep pursuing new opportunities as well!