Creating an effective online catering menu can make all the difference when it comes to boosting your restaurant’s catering business. However, crafting a menu for catering isn’t just about copying your dine-in options and calling it a day. It’s about designing a menu that caters to group orders, satisfies a variety of preferences, and travels well to ensure a great dining experience wherever your food goes.

Let’s walk through some key tips on how to build a catering menu that delights customers and helps your business thrive. Plus, we’ll show you how you can elevate your catering experience with Takeout Button®.

The Pitfalls of Using Existing Menus for Catering

Many restaurant owners make the mistake of using their regular menu for catering, but this can cause problems for both you and your customers. While it’s easy to think “the more options, the better,” a standard dine-in menu may not be designed for the unique challenges of catering to large groups or offsite events.

Some common pitfalls include:

1. Inadequate Portion Sizes: Regular menu items are typically meant for individual servings. For catering, it’s essential to offer meals that can feed groups and clearly indicate how many people each dish serves.
2. Dishes That Don’t Travel Well: Some foods taste great fresh in-house but lose their appeal during delivery. Consider which menu items hold up best in transit and maintain quality when served buffet-style.
3. Too Many Customizations: While customization can be a great option, too many choices can overwhelm customers and complicate the ordering process for your team. When it comes to catering, keeping things simple and easy to navigate is often the way to go.

To avoid these pitfalls, it’s best to design a catering-specific menu that simplifies ordering and focuses on dishes that work best for large events.

Engineering an Effective Online Catering Menu

Now that we’ve covered what not to do, let’s dive into how you can design a successful online catering menu that makes customers want to keep coming back. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Showcase Your Best Sellers

Focus on your most popular dishes—ones that your customers already know and love. These items will give customers confidence in their choices. Just make sure they’re well-suited for catering (think: big portions, easy to serve, and crowd-pleasers).

2. Offer Group-Friendly Portions

Portion sizes are everything in catering. Be sure to offer tiered portions, such as platters or bulk items, with clear descriptions like “serves 10” or “serves 20.” This takes the guesswork out of ordering and makes it easy for customers to plan for their event.

3. Organize for Easy Browsing

Break down your menu into simple categories like “Appetizers,” “Main Courses,” and “Desserts.” Grouping items together in an easy-to-navigate format helps customers find what they need without feeling overwhelmed.

4. Use Tempting Descriptions and Photos

A mouthwatering image paired with a clear, appealing description can be the difference between someone clicking “add to cart” or moving on. Include high-quality photos of your best dishes, along with short, engaging descriptions highlighting key ingredients and flavors.

5. Cater to Dietary Preferences

Today’s customers appreciate knowing their dietary needs are covered. Be sure to include options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, and label them clearly on your menu. This makes it easier for customers to order confidently and ensures everyone at their event is satisfied.

6. Bundle for Convenience

Catering packages can simplify the decision-making process for your customers. Group complementary dishes into ready-to-go packages, like “Office Lunch Special for 15” or “Family Celebration Package,” with set portions and pricing. This not only makes ordering faster but also encourages customers to spend more.

7. Streamline the Checkout Process

A seamless checkout experience is key to ensuring customers complete their orders. Keep the checkout process simple and intuitive, with multiple payment options to make things easier. Also, make sure your online platform is mobile-friendly—many customers will be ordering from their phones!

Elevate Your Catering Experience with Takeout Button®

Crafting an effective online catering menu is just one piece of the puzzle. Once your menu is in place, you need an online ordering system that can handle large catering requests with ease. That’s where Takeout Button® comes in.

With Takeout Button®, you can customize your catering menu, streamline online orders, and offer a top-notch experience for your customers. Our platform is designed to meet the unique needs of restaurant catering, offering everything from scalable portions to easy checkout experiences. Plus, we integrate seamlessly with your restaurant’s website, so your branding stays front and center, and customers feel right at home when placing their orders.

Ready to take your restaurant’s catering to the next level?

Try out our live demos at https://takeoutbutton.com/live-demo/ or schedule a free consultation at https://takeoutbutton.com/sign-up/ today. Want to see what our clients are already doing? Check them out at eatnowbutton.com/order-catering.