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One of the most commonly used techniques for increasing earnings is incorporating catering services into a restaurant’s overall business strategy.
Adding a catering business can prove a significant positive change to your bottom line.
Learn how catering can be a significant revenue booster for your restaurant business and how to get there.
How to Get your Catering Business Started
Before moving onto the stages of starting catering services, keep in mind that you must first pick what type of restaurant catering business you want to start.
Some caterers specialize in appetizers, while others specialize in buffet-style or sit-down catering for banquets and weddings.
Once you figure this out, you can move onto the next steps:
1. Choose a Name and Business Entity Type
Decide what kind of catering you want to do, what the name will be, and what business entity type you want.
2. Create a Business Plan
A summary of your company, trend analysis, the structure of your business, specific items to be delivered, marketing catering services, and financial plans.
3. Register your business
Because you’re handling food, registrations with the health department may be required.
4. Obtain all necessary permits and licenses
Obtain a food handling license and a business license from your state.
5. Determine Pricing
Take stock of factors like the kind of catering you do and the area catering you’re in.
6. Hire and train staff
Word-of-mouth, networking, and job sites are great places to start hiring the extra staff you’ll need to expand to catering.
7. Market events
Advertise your catering services at your restaurant, bring samples to events, advertise for corporate bookings through LinkedIn, and encourage guests to spread the word about your business.
8. Funding
There are many routes you can take to acquire any capital you’ll need, including loans or lines of credit. If you have the funds saved up in cash, even better!
9. Make an emergency plan
Budget wisely, since things can break and need replacing. Prepare for the unexpected!
How to Add Catering Services to your Restaurant
Advertising your new service at your restaurant and on your website is one of the simplest methods to get the word out.
To promote your new service, refresh your table tents. Include instructions on how to order as well as your menu for catering.
Most importantly, know how to market your new catering service. Create social media pages, blog posts, and encourage word of mouth to get news of your catering services buzzing.
Bakeries
Weddings and birthday parties are both great occasions for catering if you own a bakery or related business.
With people running around organizing these celebrations, it’s a perfect opportunity for a busy planner to hire your catering to deliver wedding cakes, pies, and other baked goods.
Corporate events can also make use of a bakery caterer with muffins, bread, and danishes. You’ll need a high-quality refrigerated vehicle to deliver these items at peak freshness, or a food truck for vending on site.
Pizza Restaurants
Catering pizzas in heated delivery bags is not only less efficient at keeping pizza fresh—it’s also a much bulkier way of transporting pizzas to an event.
With a heated vehicle, you can have one delivery person make a catering drop off, or with a food truck you can make customized personal-sized pizzas right before their eyes!
Getting Started with your Catering Services
We hope these ideas have given you the direction you need to take your catering business to unimaginable heights.
Come check out some of our temperature-controlled delivery vehicles to get you on the right track!