1851

Catering in the United States traces its roots back to the late 1700s, with many pointing to a 1778 party in Philadelphia to toast a British General as the first catered U.S. event. Of course, in the years since, catering has come a long way, and it's morphed into its own distinct and profitable industry. And while many entrepreneurs devote their entire operation exclusively to catering services, every restaurant owner should be aware of the incredible benefits of offering catering options in addition to their day-to-day services.For many traditional restaurateurs, catering can be one way to improve revenue. When you already have a kitchen, dedicated patrons and a successful menu, adding the additional operational strategy can be a significant&#8212;yet beneficial&#8212;change. When done right, catering can improve a restaurant&#8217;s exposure, bring in higher profits and enhance a restaurant&#8217;s customer service image.Peter Greene, a multi-unit <a href="http://www.whichwich.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=looking-to-add-additional-revenue-for-your-restaurant-think-catering-4660" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Which Wich</a> owner in Phoenix, knows a thing or two about <a href="http://1851franchise.com/details/1523/Top-5-Strategies-for-Time-Efficiency-as-a-Multi-Unit-Franchise-Owner">balancing the various aspects of his business</a>. He believes it is more than worth it to include catering among his restaurants&#8217; offerings.&#8220;Catering runs about eight to 10 percent of our sales and 15 percent of our profit,&#8221; said Greene. &#8220;Not only is catering efficient in terms of labor, it also acts as incremental sales to our regular walk-in business.&#8221;Greene also points out that every single office and school could need catering, and because the opportunity to cater is omnipresent, the focus of a restaurant owner should be to make sure people know that you offer such services. Greene recommends raising awareness by advertising your catering options on menus, on your website or through social media. &#8220;Most clients don&#8217;t know about catering because it is up to the franchisee to sell,&#8221; said Greene. "So if you're interested in adding catering to your line of services, it's crucial to get the word out to the customers who already know and love your product." While catering is not a primary part of <a href="http://wingzone.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=looking-to-add-additional-revenue-for-your-restaurant-think-catering-4660" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Wing Zone&#8217;s</a> business model, Director of Marketing Dan Corrigan also sees advantages for those who choose to offer this option.&#8220;We do an all-inclusive catering program that is optional for our franchisees to participate in,&#8221; said Corrigan. &#8220;Wing Zone has seen a lot of success working with doctor&#8217;s offices or nursing stations, and on Super Bowl Sunday, we see a huge increase in sales due to people grabbing wings for larger gatherings.&#8221;There are pros and cons that need to be weighed, however, and Corrigan warns that catering, when done right, can be a lot of work. Making sure to always arrive on time, especially for larger organizations that rely on catering for regular lunches, is key to ensuring that a catering business will work. But doing so can be a challenge when simultaneously serving in-store customers as well. It's also important to account for additional expenses such as food, labor, insurance, maintenance, delivery gas and mileage. But despite some of the trickier components of adding catering to a restaurant&#8217;s service, the opportunity exists to take already loyal customers and make them loyal catering clients as well.&#8220;Every person that comes in to eat is a potential catering client,&#8221; Greene added. "By keeping that in mind with every person we serve, we're opening up our business to more customers and even more revenue."

1851 Franchise

Catering just might be the secret to boosting profits. Not only is a restaurant feeding the masses, but they're increasing their business' bottom line, too. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Looking to Add Additional Revenue for Your Restaurant - Think Catering

looking-to-add-additional-revenue-for-your-restaurant-think-catering

Mellow Mushroom

How Mellow Mushroom’s Model Made it the Perfect Addition to Brad Harper’s Restaurant Portfolio

How Mellow Mushroom’s Flexible Model Made it the Perfect Addition to Brad Harper’s Growing Restaurant Portfolio

mellow-mushroom-brad-harper-restaurant-growth

Dillas Quesadillas

Dillas Quesadillas Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

dillas-quesadillas-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

Paris Baguette

image of paris baguette Love Baked In Culture & Community Impact No Kid Hungry and City Harvest

How Paris Baguette’s ‘Love Baked In’ Culture Nourishes Communities

culture-love-baked-in-community

Mellow Mushroom CEO Richard Brasch Reveals How the Iconic Pizza Brand Is Evolving Without Losing Its Soul

mellow-mushroom-ceo-richard-brasch-reveals-how-the-iconic-pizza-brand-is-evolving-without-losing-its-soul

Children's Lighthouse

Why Family-Owned Children’s Lighthouse Gives Franchisees a Long-Term Advantage

why-family-owned-childrens-lighthouse-franchise-advantage

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Pieology Pizza Enters Chapter 11 Following Costly Bid To Save Struggling Stores

pieology-pizza-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy

CNBC: McDonald’s Will Assess if Franchisees Are Offering Value for Customers Under New Standards

mcdonalds-franchise-standards-value-metric

How AI Is Transforming Restaurant Operations and Franchises

ai-impact-restaurants-franchises-human-centric-technology

Round Table Pizza Franchisees Take FAT Brands to Court Over Marketing Fund Mismanagement

round-table-pizza-franchisees-take-fat-brands-to-court-over-marketing-fund-mismanagement

FAT Brands Nears Bankruptcy as Creditors Demand Repayment of $1.3 Billion Debt

fat-brands-nears-bankruptcy-as-creditors-demand-repayment-of-13-billion-debt

EarthWise Pet Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

earthwise-pet-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Newk's Eatery Franchise - Columbus, Mississippi Expansion - 1851 Franchise

Newk’s Eatery Taps Seasoned Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Multi-Unit Operators for New Columbus, Mississippi Expansion

newks-franchise-columbus-ms-patel

Robert Palmer’s Long Game: Turning a Cleveland Lawn Business into the Lawn Squad Franchise

growing-the-lawn-squad-franchise-scaling-authority-brands

image of 1851 franchise deep dive on lawn squad franchise franchise evaluation, financials

Lawn Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

lawn-squad-franchise-cost-fees-profit-data

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

Photo of group of dogs standing together in day care facility

Top Pet Boarding and Day Care Franchise Opportunities for 2025

top-pet-boarding-daycare-franchises

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

AI-related job cuts, October U.S. job cuts, American job cut record

AI-Fueled Layoffs Reshape the U.S. Job Market — And Highlight Franchising’s Resilience

Looking to Add Additional Revenue for Your Restaurant - Think Catering

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS