Catering business insights
Practical guides and data studies for catering owners. Zero fluff. Real numbers.
No Website? What a Catering Business Page Needs to Win Enquiries
What a catering business page needs to win enquiries, what it should never show, and how to get one free with the AI chat built in, without building a website.
Run Your Catering Business From Your Phone
Why catering admin follows you home, four habits that fix it, and how an AI assistant on your phone does the digging: a daily brief, ask anything, drafts you approve.
The Catering Enquiry Form: 7 Fields That Prevent Endless Back-and-Forth
The seven questions a catering enquiry form needs so your first reply can be useful: date, venue, guest count, service style, budget range, dietary needs and must-haves — plus how to ask about budget without scaring anyone off.
How to Respond to Catering Enquiries Faster (Without Living in Your Inbox)
A four-step method for replying to catering enquiries quickly: map your enquiry path, ask only the questions that decide the price, keep one pipeline, and set the next follow-up. Includes a free 10-minute audit.
We Catalogued 23,314 US Catering Businesses. Two Thirds Can't Be Reached by Email.
Original research across 23,314 US catering businesses in 46 states: 41% have no website, and of those that do, 39% give you no way to email them. What that means for the ones who are reachable.
Why Onboarding Is the #1 Reason Caterers Abandon New Software (And How We Fixed It in 6 Steps)
Most catering software takes 2–4 weeks to set up. That's why new tools fail. Collaborative Kitchens AI's 6-step onboarding gets a full catering business live in about 10 minutes.
Why a Catering Client Portal Beats Email (and What Yours Should Do)
A catering client portal cuts email volume 60%+ and boosts client satisfaction. What a good portal does, what it doesn't, and how to roll one out.
Food Cost Percentage for Catering: Targets, Math, and How to Hit Them
What food cost percentage should a catering business target? Real benchmarks, the calculation, and a practical playbook to hit 28-32% consistently.
Catering Staff Scheduling: A Practical Guide for Crews of 5-20
How to schedule catering staff without the chaos. Best practices, the 6 most common mistakes, and templates that actually save owner time.
Catering Software ROI: When (and Whether) It Actually Pays Off
An honest look at catering software ROI. Break-even math, the 4 metrics that matter, and when software is (and isn't) worth the money.
How to Write a Catering Proposal That Closes (With a Free Template)
A proposal structure that books more events. The 9 sections every catering proposal needs, real examples, and a free template you can use today.
The Catering Sales Funnel: Benchmarks, Leak Points, and How to Fix Each Stage
Map your catering sales funnel stage by stage. Real conversion benchmarks, the 3 biggest leak points, and a playbook to close 15-25% more bookings.
AI for Catering: What Actually Works in a Small Catering Business (2026)
A pragmatic look at AI for small catering businesses. What AI does well, what it doesn't, and where a catering crew of 5-20 gets real ROI in 2026.
How to Price Catering in 2026: Formulas, Examples, and Market Benchmarks
A founder's guide to pricing catering jobs in 2026. Real formulas, worked examples, and benchmarks for per-head, buffet, and full-service pricing.
Free Catering Invoice Template (Copy-Paste) + How to Use It
A free catering invoice template you can copy and use today. Plus what to include, common mistakes, and when to upgrade to automated invoicing.
Catering CRM vs Spreadsheet: When Spreadsheets Break
Spreadsheets work for catering until about 10 active leads. See the specific failure modes — double-booking, lost follow-ups — and when to switch.
Best Catering Software 2026: Honest Comparison of 7 Platforms
Updated October 2026. Caterease, CaterZen, TPP, Tripleseat, Curate, Galley and Collaborative Kitchens AI compared on real prices — plus what changed since 2025.
How to Start a Catering Business in 2026: The Complete Guide
Step-by-step guide to starting a catering business in 2026 — licensing, kitchen options, first menu, finding clients, software, and costly mistakes to avoid.
Catering Leads Conversion: Why You Lose Them and How to Fix It
Speed-to-quote is the #1 predictor of booking rate in catering. See the data on how fast leads go cold, and how to respond in under 5 minutes.
Catering Labor Cost: The True Breakdown (With a Worked Example)
Wages are only half of catering labor cost. See the fully-loaded number — taxes, insurance, admin overhead — worked out for a real 5-person operation.