The Best Catering Software For You (Updated May 2020)

Here is our complete guide to the best catering software as of May 2020.

I’ve personally tested and reviewed all the software on this list, and we use these programs on a daily basis, as they relate to the business of catering and leveraging technology to make businesses more profitable and efficient.

The best catering software is relative. It depends on what kind of catering you do and what your challenges are. The goal is to give you the information you need to make the best choices for your business. We are here to help you navigate the way.

Here’s the guide.

P.S. Don’t have time to read the whole article?

Get my software spreadsheet

Modular software code embedded on a user’s website that captures inquiry details and directly imports the contact information and user-defined details directly into an event management system. Most common platforms are iframe elements, which are virtual documents embedded in other documents. These can be included or purchased as additional fees from software suppliers.

These are software systems that are fully dedicated to the complexity of special events and catering, from simple deliveries to complex multi-day events. Event management systems (EMS) are configured differently based on the type of event, complexity of proposal and level of business. There are options for small, mid-size and even enterprise solutions for multi-unit organizations. The type of event customization and/or level of business may direct you to one option or the other based on desired operational or fee structures. Other options, such as a company’s available resources to set up, manage and optimize a system, can also dictate what system is right for your organization.

These include both websites embedded or third-party reservation systems that allow customers to make reservations at your establishment. Some reservation systems interface with event management systems.

A custom relations manager (CRM) is a software application that allows users to collect, communicate, manage and analyze potential and current customers. Tracking leads and recording this data allows you to focus on customers who provide the best business opportunities as well as a way to nurture the relationship from inquiry to long-term partnership.

This represents an e-commerce application directly built into a company’s own website. These embedded applications allow customers to order direct from restaurants. The digital order is then sent to the restaurant. This can be anything from the form in an email or a printable document to an interface, POS or EMS system where the details are automatically inserted into the specifics of the event. Payment for these orders can be handled through the application or passed through as a digital token to be processed by the receiving POS, EMS or credit card processing application. Business rules such as type, size, frequency and advance order times can all be managed through these applications.

Cloud-based services can monitor and update a company’s menus and locations in real time across multiple sites to ensure that your business’ information is accurate across all listings during internet searches. Services may provide automatic updates through industry partners such POS and third-party delivery services. Monitoring and analytical services may also be included.

Software platforms allow users to consolidate all of their social media feeds and activity into one dashboard. This allows the user to quickly manage all the social media outlets to monitor organization activity across all social media and current and potential customers.

Operations looking to expand their core business by adding additional lines of business—such as delivery and catering—might choose to contract with third-party aggregators who post, manage and facilitate these types of services through a cloud-based proprietary application. Most coordinate the delivery and payment processing, where a service fee is charged by the service provider.

When choosing software, especially with restaurants and operations that use a point of sale system, consideration should be placed on systems that have the ability to communicate with other systems, such as recipe and production management, online menu management solutions, accounting and back office solutions.

This is the ability for different software applications that may share similar information such as customers, purchasing, events, menus and accounting to easily share and synchronize with each other. Systems may include optional unique interfaces that have been designed specifically for two unique applications. These also include EDI exchanges for purchasing and pricing updates typically used by broad-line foodservice wholesalers. Advances in security are now allowing the use of an open API (application program interface), which allows software designers to create specific interfaces with other applications by what is made readily available from the other software.

Services that allow the processing of credit cards through online ordering applications or through EMS systems. The selection of this feature will be based on when a payment is made—whether at the time of transaction or over a period of time when deposit schedules and payment plans are made. The key precursor to the selection is if the system is PCI (payment card industry) compliant. This set of standards was established by the industry to protect cardholders’ information from being accessed by cyber criminals.

Software platforms used to manage a company’s recipes. Inventory, ordering, nutritional information, labelling, instructions, production and costing are completed within the system. These systems can interface with POS and EMS systems to provide both costing and sales data. Knowing exactly what something costs is vital to a company’s profitability. Recipe management systems may also feature EDI (electronic data interchange) ordering interfaces, where orders can be placed, as well as digital invoices received electronically, eliminating double entry of data as well as real-time cost updates.

Similar to a recipe management system but uses an internal data set built into an EMS system to create recipes or prep items that can be associated with menu items. These systems generally require manual updates and maintenance for accuracy and costing information. When the relationships between ingredients and prep items are well established, operators are able to produce production lists with calculated quantities and production responsibility delegation by simply printing a report, thus eliminating hours of mental math.

This is similar to an ingredient manager but focuses on other relationships between sold food and service items, equipment, rentals and inventoriable items such as beverages and liquor. By associating these items and creating rules or ratio relationships to items sold, accurate pack lists can be generated from the event data created in an EMS.

Accounting software is the primary financial system of record for any one organization. The reporting contained within the program is what will be used to report on taxes and fees owed to local, state and federal agencies. Most systems have the ability to interface with many different auxiliary systems such as EMS, POS, back office, recipe management and any other system where accounts receivable and payable are processed.

Software applications that have the ability to embed signing elements within a emailable document that requires the receiving party to acknowledge the receipt of the item. This can be an important step in guaranteeing an event and the conditions for both parties entering into a contractual agreement. Most of the systems have fee structures based on number of transactions.

Software applications included in or as separate software applications that manage and schedule both internal and off-premise staff. These packages allow users to set up events and schedule staff based on requested shifts and employee eligibility. Employees may have the ability to receive and accept job requests via mobile applications. Most systems will have the ability to directly communicate with the traditional payroll processing companies through exports. Additional features may include geo-fencing, ride-share partnerships, emergency planning protocols, digital time clocks and advance employee communication tools.

These are generally applications with other systems that allow you to schedule vehicles and equipment, furniture and other resources as well as creating delivery and transportation schedules. Inventory control features allow you to set up pars and send messages to users that there are not enough of an item’s stock or that an item is being used somewhere else.

A combination of hardware and software used to track the location of delivery vehicles. This is important technology, especially for organizations that conduct their own delivery service and require fleet management assistance. This system utilizes both GPS and internet connections.

Applications, standalone software or cloud-based solutions that create and manage specific steps and deliverables that must be completed during the course of an event to ensure that levels of service, planning and communication are met to the standards and standard operating procedures (SOP) directed by an organization.

These generally consist of applications or modules within event management or venue management software packages to schedule and manage event spaces such as rooms, meeting spaces and venues at single or multiple locations. Some technologies are server- or cloud-based applications allowing “members” to manage and book their own needs by referencing a core room scheduler and the use of business rules and services established for each space.

A consolidated and encompassing software package that manages all aspects of restaurant food service management needs. These tools are more focused on minimizing data entry steps, creating efficiencies across multiple units or cost centers while actively updating management teams on the health and activity of their business. Functions include POS reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory control, recipe management, cost accounting, purchasing tools, production tools and other routine tasks. Usually these programs are used by restaurant and broad-based hospitality sectors. Most applications do not have specific event management modules.

Modules or applications within an EMS system that allow users to monitor and review or audit changes within the lifespan of an event. Notifications or change request processes generate automatic notifications to specific persons or departments that a change has taken place on an event. Generally, these change notifications are targeted and require a person/department to acknowledge or make the change that directly affects their responsibilities or actions.

Modern software applications can use optical recognition to scan invoices and EDI communication to track and report on all accounts payable responsibilities. These systems also directly communicate with recipe management, back office and POS systems to provide seamless, easy to manage solutions for a single location or large multi-unit multi-state operators.

Some software packages allow you to copy and paste events as well as create a calendar for menus. Cycle menu tools are advantageous to educational or corporate clients. These are generally supplemental add-ons to recipe management or EMS systems.

When a client asks you to provide a proposal to them for catering services, you are at a point that the appearance and speed that the proposal is presented at is a potential make or break point. This collection of pages is a chance for you to promote your company’s image and sell them the services you are proposing.

The pretty proposal is a combination of graphics, imagery, marketing, financial reporting, details and calls to action. Creating a proposal that is quick and efficient to produce, visually appealing and highly customizable is the hallmark of highly functional software packages. This is the pinnacle of a highly successful catering company—the proposal is the face and ambassador of your brand and all of the hard work that goes into perfectly executing and event, as well as why we do what we do.

The key is to use software that allows users to create such a document from one source of data versus having to replicate it in another software package. Most event management systems have generic prints that can be used for the purpose of proposals from the moment you own the system. For custom documents, look for companies that contain robust modules that include some graphic design capabilities with a “mail merge” structure. Some companies also provide an additional service to design the document for you where they manage formatting and structure as part of their services.