Catering is a big business. But growing your catering sales isn’t just about making good food. You need strategy. You need systems. And you need to track what’s working.
Here’s how to grow your catering sales using real numbers and practical steps.
1. Know Your Numbers
Before you try to grow, figure out where you are.
- What’s your average order value? If your average catering order is $400 and you do 25 orders a month, that’s $10,000/month in catering sales.
- What’s your customer acquisition cost (CAC)? If you spend $500/month on ads and get 5 new customers, your CAC is $100.
You can’t grow what you don’t measure. Start tracking:
- Number of orders per month
- Average order size
- Repeat customers
- Profit margin per order
This gives you a clear picture of where you can improve. and check out our Catering Marketing Ideas with examples.
2. Focus on Repeat Business
Getting a new customer costs more than keeping an old one. A study by Bain & Company shows increasing customer retention by just 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%.
Set up systems to stay in touch with customers:
- Follow up after an event and ask for feedback
- Send simple thank-you emails
- Offer a small discount for their next order
- Add them to your monthly email list
The goal: stay top of mind. So when they need catering again, they come back to you.
3. Partner with Local Businesses
This works. Reach out to:
- Event planners
- Corporate offices
- Coworking spaces
- Churches
- Local gyms
- Real estate agents
These people plan events often. Offer them a referral bonus. Or give them a sample meal so they know what you can do.
Example: A Chicago-based caterer partnered with a few coworking spaces and saw a 35% increase in monthly catering sales in 3 months.
Don’t wait for events to come to you. Get in front of the people planning them.
4. Offer Corporate Packages
Corporate events = big orders.
U.S. businesses spend $48 billion a year on meetings and events. A chunk of that goes to food.
Create packages for:
- Office lunches
- Training days
- All-day meetings
- Holiday parties
Make it simple. Offer 3–4 price tiers. Include things like delivery, setup, and drinks. And be clear about how many people each package feeds.
Tip: Make a one-sheet PDF and email it to office managers in your city.
5. Improve Your Online Ordering
Most people don’t want to call. If they can’t order from your website easily, they’ll move on.
- Add an online ordering system
- Show photos of your food
- List prices clearly
- Make it mobile-friendly
Toast reports that restaurants offering online catering orders saw a 23% increase in catering revenue.
Don’t overthink it. Just make it easy.
6. Promote Seasonal Menus
People like new things. Especially around holidays or big events.
Examples:
- Super Bowl party trays
- Graduation packages
- Thanksgiving sides
- Summer BBQ kits
- Holiday lunch bundles
Keep it simple. Build urgency with limited-time offers.
One catering company in Texas grew sales by 18% in 6 weeks just by pushing a “back-to-school lunch package” to local schools and PTAs.
7. Get Reviews (And Use Them)
Social proof sells. According to BrightLocal, 98% of people read online reviews before buying from a local business.
Ask happy customers to leave a review on:
- Yelp
- Your website
Then use those reviews in your marketing. Add them to emails. Put them on flyers. Share screenshots on Instagram.
Good reviews = trust. Trust = more orders.
8. Use Photos. Real Ones.
You don’t need fancy photography. You need real photos of your food.
Here’s what works:
- Photos of full trays
- Behind-the-scenes prep
- Setup at an actual event
- People enjoying the food
Post these on your:
- Google Business Profile
- Website
- Email newsletters
BuzzSumo says Facebook posts with images get 2.3x more engagement. That matters.
9. Be Fast with Quotes
If someone emails you for a quote, reply fast. Like within 1–2 hours if you can.
When it comes to event planning, speed wins. If you’re slow, they’ll book someone else.
You don’t need to send a full proposal. Just reply quickly with:
- A simple “Yes, we’re available”
- Sample menu
- Price range
- Next steps
This helps you close more leads without overcomplicating the process.
10. Advertise Smart
Don’t blow your budget on ads that don’t convert.
Focus on:
- Google Ads for people searching “corporate catering near me”
- Facebook Ads targeted to event planners and office managers
- Local SEO so you show up in Google Maps
Tip: Use call tracking and conversion tracking so you know which ads bring real orders.
Example: A caterer in Atlanta spent $800/month on Google Ads and booked $6,000 in orders. That’s a 7.5x return. My suggestion is better to use SEO services for catering company so professional handles better
11. Follow Up on Every Lead
A lot of catering leads don’t book right away. That doesn’t mean they’re lost.
Use a system to follow up:
- If someone inquires but doesn’t order, follow up in 3 days
- If they book, follow up after the event with a thank-you
- Send a reminder after 3–6 months asking if they have another event coming up
HubSpot reports that 80% of sales require 5 follow-ups, but most businesses stop after 1.
Don’t be pushy. Just be present.
12. Keep a Clean Menu
Don’t overwhelm people. Too many options make it harder to decide.
Instead:
- Offer a focused menu
- Bundle items into packages
- Highlight bestsellers
People like easy choices. A clean menu means faster decisions. And faster decisions = more orders.
13. Train Your Staff
Your drivers and servers are part of your brand.
Make sure they:
- Show up on time
- Know how to set up professionally
- Can answer basic questions
- Smile and say thank you
Bad service ruins good food. But good service gets you repeat business.
Summary: Key Stats to Remember
- Repeat customers = up to 95% more profits
- Online ordering = 23% revenue boost
- U.S. businesses spend $48B/year on meetings/events
- Photos = 2.3x more engagement on social
- Most sales need 5 follow-ups
- Google Ads can give up to 7x+ ROI
Final Thought
Growing catering sales isn’t about doing one big thing. It’s about doing lots of small things consistently.
Know your numbers. Make it easy to order. Keep showing up. And treat every event like it’s the one that gets you 10 more.
That’s how to increase catering sales.
