--- title: "Best Catering Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing" description: "Find the best Catering Software for your organization. Compare top Catering Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos." source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/" page_type: "category" language: "en" --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / Catering Software Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. # Best Catering Software of 2026 Updated October 23, 2026 On this page 1. Popular Comparisons 2. Buyers Guide 3. Related Software Filter products 102 results ### Compare Products Showing 1 - 25 of 102 products #### Company Size - Self-Employed - 2-10 - 11-50 - 51-200 - 201-500 - 501-1000 - 1000+ #### Pricing Options - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ ### Compare Products Sort by **Sponsored**: Sorts listings by software vendors running active bidding campaigns, from the highest to lowest bid. Vendors who have paid for placement have a ‘Visit Website’ button, whereas unpaid vendors have a ‘Learn More’ button. **Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least. **Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest. **Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z. ### [HoneyBook](/crm/honeybook-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 693 - Starting price: $36.00/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview HoneyBook is a client relationship platform designed to help small businesses manage proposals, contracts, invoices, payments, and projects. It is suitable for professionals such [Read more](/crm/honeybook-profile/) ##### What users love - Centralized client organization tools - User-friendly and intuitive interface - Streamlined invoicing and contracts ##### To take in mind - Email deliverability and workflow issues - Slow and costly payment handling - Expensive for small businesses #### Features ##### Best rated features - Content Library: 5/5 - Dashboard: 5/5 - Task Editing: 5/5 - Room Booking: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Status Tracking: 3/5 - Business Process Automation: 3/5 - Employee Scheduling: 3/5 - Customizable Forms: 3/5 [See all features](/crm/honeybook-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Starter - Price: $36.00/month ##### Essentials - Price: $59.00/month ##### Premium - Price: $129.00/month [See full pricing details](/crm/honeybook-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Flex Catering](/venue-management/flex-catering-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 12 - Starting price: $350.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Flex Catering is a web-based food and catering management software with an amazing online ordering website. Flex helps businesses increase revenue and save time on operation. [Read more](/venue-management/flex-catering-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Calendar Sync: 5/5 - Food Delivery Dispatching: 5/5 - Live Tracking: 5/5 - Website Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Customizable Branding: 1/5 - Contact Management: 3.7/5 - Order Tracking: 4/5 [See all features](/venue-management/flex-catering-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Nowsta](/hr/nowsta-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 283 - Starting price: $18,000.00/year - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Nowsta is a cloud-based workforce management solution designed to help businesses streamline the entire employee lifecycle, from managing work requests to gaining insights into [Read more](/hr/nowsta-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Leave Tracking: 5/5 - Event Calendar: 5/5 - Search/Filter: 5/5 - Approval Process Control: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Candidate Management: 3.7/5 - Overtime Calculation: 3.8/5 - Resource Allocation: 4/5 [See all features](/hr/nowsta-profile/#key-features) --- ### [RSVPify](/event-check-in/rsvpify-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 432 - Starting price: $39.00/month - Best for: Online Registration - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview A top online ticketing and event management platform trusted by 30% of the Fortune 500. Manage events big and small with ease and keep the spotlight on your brand. Powerful [Read more](/event-check-in/rsvpify-profile/) ##### What users love - Comprehensive event planning tools - Efficient RSVP tracking system - Responsive and helpful support team ##### To take in mind - Expensive for occasional users #### Features ##### Best rated features - Electronic Payments: 5/5 - API: 5/5 - Sponsorship Management: 5/5 - Credit Card Processing: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Drag & Drop: 4/5 [See all features](/event-check-in/rsvpify-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Business & Nonprofit Starter - Price: $39.00/month - Essential premium tools for small business and nonprofit events ##### Business & Nonprofit Plus - Price: $125.00/month - Growing teams needing check-in, collaboration, and capacity controls. All tools included in Starter ##### Business & Nonprofit Professional - Price: $409.00/month - Advanced branding, customization, and integrations for large-scale events. [See full pricing details](/event-check-in/rsvpify-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Event Temple](/meeting-room/event-temple-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 76 - Starting price: $249.00/year - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Event Temple is a cloud-based event management solution designed to manage bookings and revenue for venues and hotels. The solution can be used by hotel chains, independent hotels, [Read more](/meeting-room/event-temple-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Venue Management: 5/5 - Multi-Location: 5/5 - Payment Processing: 5/5 - Food & Beverage Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Staff Management: 4/5 [See all features](/meeting-room/event-temple-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $249.00/year - Billed annually. [See full pricing details](/meeting-room/event-temple-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Total Party Planner](/catering/total-party-planner-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 153 - Starting price: $65.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview The most popular web-based catering software for business owners to automate. Designed to help easily transition from manual Word documents and spreadsheets into one single [Read more](/catering/total-party-planner-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Alerts/Notifications: 5/5 - Credit Card Processing: 5/5 - Billing & Invoicing: 5/5 - Customer Database: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Third-Party Integrations: 3/5 - Recipe Management: 3.7/5 [See all features](/catering/total-party-planner-profile/#key-features) --- ### [HoneyCart](/catering/honeycart-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 45 - Starting price: $99.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview HoneyCart is online ordering software that helps caterers take orders from customers. It is designed to streamline the online ordering process, save time, and increase profit [Read more](/catering/honeycart-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Event Calendar: 5/5 - Electronic Payments: 5/5 - Online Ordering: 4.9/5 - Event Scheduling: 4.9/5 ##### Worst rated features - Reporting & Statistics: 4/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 4/5 [See all features](/catering/honeycart-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $99.00/month [See full pricing details](/catering/honeycart-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Event Staff App](/scheduling/event-staff-app-profile/) - Overall rating: 5.0/5 - Reviews: 27 - Starting price: $29.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Event Staff App is a web and mobile application geared toward event organizations and planners aiming to streamline staff hiring, work schedules, and communications. Its mainstay [Read more](/scheduling/event-staff-app-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Employee Database: 5/5 - Availability Management: 5/5 - Online Booking: 5/5 - Online Time Clock: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Messaging: 3/5 [See all features](/scheduling/event-staff-app-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $29.00/month - You can avail a 30-day free trial without any credit card requirement. ##### Plus - Price: $59.00/month - You can avail a 30-day free trial without any credit card requirement. ##### Premium - Price: $99.00/month - You can avail a 30-day free trial without any credit card requirement. [See full pricing details](/scheduling/event-staff-app-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Slerp](/retail/slerp-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 33 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Slerp is an award winning online ordering platform built specifically for restaurants. It connects directly with top courier partners, so you can offer delivery with ease. We help [Read more](/retail/slerp-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Customizable Reports: 5/5 - Activity Dashboard: 5/5 - Interactive Reports: 5/5 - Event Scheduling: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Third-Party Integrations: 2/5 - Order Tracking: 2/5 - Mobile App: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/slerp-profile/#key-features) --- ### [CaterZen](/retail/restaurant-catering-systems-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 55 - Starting price: $179.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview CaterZen offers a comprehensive, all-in-one catering software solution tailored for the multifaceted needs of drop-off, takeout, delivery, full-service catering, and event space [Read more](/retail/restaurant-catering-systems-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Pro - Price: $179.00/month - Ideal for effective catering management and sales growth, offering unlimited users, transactions, ##### Pro Plus - Price: $199.00/month - Builds on the Pro plan with a custom-branded online ordering site, enhancing your business's digital ##### Marketing Pro Plus - Price: $229.00/month - The ultimate package, including everything in Pro Plus, plus advanced marketing systems, VoIP [See full pricing details](/retail/restaurant-catering-systems-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Tripleseat](/event-management/tripleseat-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 576 - Best for: Mid-size businesses - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Tripleseat is an event management platform designed for restaurants and unique venues. It helps hospitality businesses, including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, hotels, catering [Read more](/event-management/tripleseat-profile/) ##### What users love - Comprehensive event organization platform - Responsive and helpful support team - Centralized team coordination tools ##### To take in mind - Email delivery and usability issues - Cumbersome menu editing process #### Features ##### Best rated features - Financial Analysis: 5/5 - Forecasting: 5/5 - Web Forms: 5/5 - Interactive Reports: 5/5 [See all features](/event-management/tripleseat-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Better Cater](/catering/better-cater-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 36 - Starting price: $83.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Better Cater is a cloud-based catering solution that is suitable for small and midsize catering businesses such as corporate catering, on-site catering, restaurants, event [Read more](/catering/better-cater-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Activity Dashboard: 5/5 - Event Scheduling: 5/5 - Customizable Branding: 5/5 - Invoice Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Facility Management: 1/5 - Payment Processing: 1/5 - Kitchen/Menu Management: 3.3/5 - Data Import/Export: 3.7/5 [See all features](/catering/better-cater-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Plus - Price: $83.00/month - For smaller catering teams that want to manage events, menus, proposals, invoices, production ##### Premium - Price: $125.00/month - For growing catering teams that need more users, multi-location support, and unlimited e-signatures. [See full pricing details](/catering/better-cater-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Perfect Venue](/venue-management/perfect-venue-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 82 - Starting price: $199.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Perfect Venue is event management solution designed to help venues streamline private events. It conveniently integrates guest communication, booking and BEO generation, deposits [Read more](/venue-management/perfect-venue-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Performance Metrics: 5/5 - Customizable Reports: 5/5 - Real-Time Notifications: 5/5 - Credit Card Processing: 5/5 [See all features](/venue-management/perfect-venue-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Professional - Price: $199.00/month ##### Premium - Price: $299.00/month ##### Enterprise - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - For venues with advanced needs [See full pricing details](/venue-management/perfect-venue-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Recipe Cost Calculator](/distribution/recipe-cost-calculator-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 17 - Starting price: $29.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Recipe Cost Calculator was designed for food business owner and operators who want software that is both powerful and also easy to use. We've worked hard to create an extremely [Read more](/distribution/recipe-cost-calculator-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Reporting/Analytics: 5/5 - Forecasting: 5/5 - Recipe/Formula Costing: 5/5 - Search/Filter: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Shipping Management: 4/5 [See all features](/distribution/recipe-cost-calculator-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $29.00/month [See full pricing details](/distribution/recipe-cost-calculator-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Curate](/product/336863-Curate/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 218 - Starting price: $275.00/month - Best for: Customer support - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Curate is the platform for event professionals looking to save time and increase profits through streamlined processes. Unlike Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, and sticky notes, [Read more](/product/336863-Curate/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Supplier Management: 5/5 - Document Management: 5/5 - Quotes/Estimates: 5/5 - Automated Scheduling: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Online Ordering: 1/5 - Recipe Management: 2/5 - Kitchen/Menu Management: 2.5/5 - Order Tracking: 2.9/5 [See all features](/product/336863-Curate/#key-features) --- ### [ChefMod](/distribution/chefmod-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 62 - Starting price: $199.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview ChefMod is a cloud-based system which is designed for small restaurants. It is a suite of the latest tools for vendor management, timely inventory ordering and receiving. These [Read more](/distribution/chefmod-profile/) --- ### [Infor Sales & Catering](/crm/infor-sales-and-catering-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 67 - Starting price: $1,200.00/year - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Infor Sales & Catering is a cloud-based sales, catering, and event management solution designed to simplify and automate the full event lifecycle. From initial inquiry and booking [Read more](/crm/infor-sales-and-catering-profile/) --- ### [Rentman](/hr/rentman-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 243 - Starting price: $14.00/month - Best for: Rental Management - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Available #### Overview Rentman is the operations management platform built for event and media production teams. Bring your project work, equipment, crew, and finances together in one place, so your [Read more](/hr/rentman-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Compliance Management: 5/5 - Multi-Location: 5/5 - Customizable Fields: 5/5 - Preventive Maintenance: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Discount Management: 3/5 - API: 3/5 - Maintenance Scheduling: 3/5 - Accounting: 3/5 [See all features](/hr/rentman-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Rentman Suite - Price: $39.00/month - 1 free Power user ##### Inventory - Price: $19.00/month - Standard: $19 per user/month Pro: $25 per user/month Enterprise: Contact Rentman for pricing ##### Crew - Price: $14.00/month - Essential: $14 per user/month Standard: $24 per user/month Pro: $30 per user/month Enterprise: [See full pricing details](/hr/rentman-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Gstock](/scm/gstock-profile/) - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviews: 7 - Starting price: €56.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Gstock is a hospitality operations platform designed for restaurants, restaurant groups and hotels that need better control over purchasing, inventory and food cost. Many [Read more](/scm/gstock-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Gstock Premium - Price: €128.00/month - Gstock PREMIUM: The Ultimate Solution for Advanced Hospitality Operations Gstock PREMIUM is our ##### Gstock One - Price: €85.00/month - Gstock ONE: Comprehensive Purchasing and Inventory Control for Growing Businesses Gstock ONE is the ##### Gstock ZERO - Price: €56.00/month - Gstock ZERO: Simplified Purchasing at an Affordable Price Take control of your procurement process [See full pricing details](/scm/gstock-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Work&Track Mobile](/parks-and-recreation/work-track-mobile-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 19 - Starting price: €10.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Starting to manage processes digitally in a simple and effective way is easy with Work&Track Mobile. A field service management SaaS solution developed to digitally transform field [Read more](/parks-and-recreation/work-track-mobile-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Task Scheduling: 5/5 - Maintenance Scheduling: 5/5 - Online Time Clock: 5/5 - Vehicle Tracking: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Real-Time Monitoring: 2/5 - Alerts/Notifications: 2/5 - Order Management: 3/5 [See all features](/parks-and-recreation/work-track-mobile-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: €10.00/month - Software as a service. Basic price per month and user. For companies with more than 10 [See full pricing details](/parks-and-recreation/work-track-mobile-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Event Booking Engines](/event-management/event-booking-engines-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 20 - Starting price: $100.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Event Booking Engines is a cloud-based AI driven software platform designed to help Venues, Hotels, Caterers, Restaurants and Hospitality Groups manage and automate their events, [Read more](/event-management/event-booking-engines-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Online Booking: 5/5 - Room Booking: 5/5 - Room Availability Schedule: 5/5 - Task Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Billing & Invoicing: 4/5 - Calendar Management: 4/5 - Activity Dashboard: 4/5 [See all features](/event-management/event-booking-engines-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Univents](/product/367146-Univents/) - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviews: 6 - Starting price: €0.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Univents is event management software for catering companies, venues, event rental businesses and agencies that want to run more events with less admin. Instead of stitching [Read more](/product/367146-Univents/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Sales Reports: 5/5 - Customer Data Management: 5/5 - Electronic Payments: 5/5 - Ticket Reservations: 5/5 [See all features](/product/367146-Univents/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free - Price: €0.00/month - For solo caterers and small event teams getting started with Univents. Create professional quotes ##### Quotes - Price: €55.00/month - Unlimited professional quoting for caterers who win business on fast, polished offers. Send ##### Core - Price: €299.00/month - The complete event operations platform for professional caterers and event teams. Full event [See full pricing details](/product/367146-Univents/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Workstaff](/hr/workstaff-profile/) - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviews: 6 - Starting price: $99.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Tools for staffing agencies and any business managing on call or part-time staff. Easily create shifts and send jobs offers to your staff. See who has applied and book your best [Read more](/hr/workstaff-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Calendar Management: 5/5 - Employee Scheduling: 5/5 - Clock In/Out: 5/5 - Attendance Tracking: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Real-Time Notifications: 4/5 [See all features](/hr/workstaff-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Pro - Price: $99.00/month - Powerful productivity tools to dispatch, track and manage a happy team ##### Max - Price: $139.00/month - Game-changing solutions for a large and fluid on-demand workforce ##### Enterprise - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - Bundle pricing for complex or highly specific use-cases [See full pricing details](/hr/workstaff-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Pxier Sales and Catering](/product/291477-Pxier-Event/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 19 - Starting price: $45.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Pxier Sales and Catering is a cloud-based event management software designed for event planners, caterers, and venue owners in the hospitality industry. Key features include [Read more](/product/291477-Pxier-Event/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Quotes/Estimates: 5/5 - Customer Database: 5/5 - Billing & Invoicing: 5/5 - Event Management: 5/5 [See all features](/product/291477-Pxier-Event/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $45.00/month ##### Standard - Price: $65.00/month ##### Deluxe - Price: $89.00/month [See full pricing details](/product/291477-Pxier-Event/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Connecteam](/hr/connecteam-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 5,319 - Starting price: $29.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Connecteam was designed and built as a true all-in-one solution. Easily engage and manage non-desk employees with a true all-in-one mobile app. Connecteam offers a powerful, [Read more](/hr/connecteam-profile/) ##### What users love - Intuitive and user-friendly interface - Streamlined scheduling and tracking - Centralized team coordination tools ##### To take in mind - Limited forms and reporting flexibility - Complex and costly pricing structure - Inconsistent mobile and desktop experience #### Features ##### Best rated features - Orientation Workflow Management: 5/5 - Multi-Location: 5/5 - Geolocation: 5/5 - Blogs: 5/5 [See all features](/hr/connecteam-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $29.00/month - This package is available for $29/month billed annually or $35/month billed monthly. The price is ##### Advanced - Price: $49.00/month - Price is for the first 30 users, $1.5/month for each additional user. ##### Expert - Price: $99.00/month - Price is for the first 30 users, $3/month for each additional user. [See full pricing details](/hr/connecteam-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- 1 [2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/?__ai_markdown=true&page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/?__ai_markdown=true&page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/?__ai_markdown=true&page=4)[5](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/?__ai_markdown=true&page=5) ## Popular Comparisons [ Connecteam vs When I Work ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/vs/when-i-work/)[ Rentman vs Gofrugal ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/gofrugal-pos-profile/vs/rentman/)[ Tripleseat vs Total Party Planner ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/total-party-planner-profile/vs/tripleseat/)[ Momentus Technologies vs STS Cloud ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/venue-management/momentus-technologies-profile/vs/sts/)[ Nowsta vs Caterease ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/caterease-profile/vs/nowsta/) There's a huge variety of software designed for all facets of the restaurant and hospitality industries. From [software to manage hotel reservations](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hotel-management/) to software restaurants use for their [point-of-sale systems](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-pos-software-comparison/), there are software solutions for nearly every type of hospitality and foodservice business. But the key to getting the most out of your software purchase is to carefully select the product that most closely matches your particular business and business model. For catering businesses, there is specialized catering management software. It's purpose-built for the unique challenges and demands of running a catering business and is the focus of this buyers guide. Here's what we'll cover: - [What is catering software?](#Whatiscateringsoftware) - [Common features of catering software](#Commonfeaturesofcateringsoftware) - [Benefits and potential issues](#Benefitsandpotentialissues) - [Catering software pricing and purchasing options](#Cateringsoftwarepricingandpurchasingoptions) ## What is catering software? Catering software helps restaurants and food service companies manage all the organizational challenges of running a catering business. The software can be used by caterers to manage bookings, plan events on an online calendar, design custom menus and send bills to customers. Here's a thought experiment to visualize the benefits of replacing spreadsheets with catering software at your small business: Imagine you've recently launched your own catering company. It's the result of years of hard work and months of planning and preparation. You've already catered several events—all smashing successes—and thanks to some word-of-mouth publicity, many potential new clients are calling and emailing to learn more about your business. Like many new small businesses, you start using a spreadsheet to track your client interactions, agreements and processes. Going back and forth between emails, spreadsheets, calendars and notes from your phone calls and in-person meetings, you try your best to stay organized. And, like every other business that begins this way, you eventually reach “peak disorganization". An appointment or two is missed, a client's question goes unanswered, and you realize that you need to find a better way. That better way is, of course, software designed specifically for caterers. An example use case of catering software is streamlining client communication, such as agreeing with clients on booking amount, revising menu items collaboratively, blocking dates for the event and selecting venues. All of this information can be organized and centrally managed: which usually gets lost, when tracked, using a heap of spreadsheets. While catering software eliminate error-prone manual processes, there're a variety of vendors offering catering software that differ in terms of features and applications. Choosing the right catering tool for your business means understanding the software features your business requires. We discuss those in the following section. ## Common features of catering software Depending on the vendor and product you choose, your catering software could come with any or all of the following features. | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | Booking management | Help manage all aspects of the booking process, from initial estimates to follow-up revisions. They also help manage customer contact information and other details. | | Billing and invoices | Assist in the sending, collecting and monitoring of prepayments, standard invoices, and all other billable charges. | | Calendar planning | Organize dates, times and places for future events and ensure that no staff or venues are double-booked and that no important appointments get missed. | | Menu planning | Tools to help create, revise and collaborate with clients on menu items, course selection and special dietary requests. | | Venue management | Manage reservations and communication with (third-party) venues, ensuring caterer, clients, and the venue all stay on the same page. | | Rentals and orders | Plan, arrange, and manage agreements with (third-party) equipment rental companies and assist with the related billing and invoicing requirements. | | Analytics dashboard | Get an easy-to-understand dashboard display of key metrics across multiple measurements. Automate reporting and customize dashboards with desired analytics. | --- In addition to these examples of core features, some vendors will offer different add-ons and integration tools. Some, for example, may have a feature that integrates the catering software calendar into your website, showing customers your up-to-date availability. Others may have features to integrate into your web-based email platform, saving you from needing to go back and forth between multiple windows. ## Benefits and potential issues Now, all those features might look great… and they are! But one of the biggest benefits of using dedicated catering software isn't listed above. That benefit is increased efficiency. It's built from the improved workflows that specialized software helps create and it's the best way to lead your catering company to success. Other benefits include improved communication and a better customer experience. Catering software allows for automated communications and communication reminders, so you won't need to worry about missing a follow-up phone call or email. This also improves the experience of your clients, as they'll be kept in the loop and won't need to wait long for answers to their questions. To avoid any potential issues, ensure that whatever platform you choose will work well with the way you already work. In other words, don't choose a catering platform that's designed for much larger or much smaller businesses, as those could leave you with too many or too few features. (Yes, too many features can be a problem, especially if they can't be turned off.) We encourage prospective buyers to take advantage of the free trials offered by many vendors, as this is the best way to ensure a good fit. ## Catering software pricing and purchasing options Most catering software platforms are sold as cloud-deployed software, also called Software-as-a-Service or SaaS. This means that the software runs on third-party (or the vendor's own) servers. There are several benefits to this deployment model, making it the most popular choice for many small and mid-sized caterers. The first big advantage of cloud-based catering software is that you don't need to install it, update it or worry about its security. All of that is handled on the backend by the vendor. All you need to start using your new catering software is to go online and log into your account. That brings us to the second advantage: accessibility! Since the software is hosted online, it can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Many catering platforms are even mobile compatible, making it even easier to navigate the system while you're on the go or setting up for your next event. Finally, the flexibility of cloud-based catering software is another big advantage. New users can be added easily and software subscriptions can be changed and updated, often with only the click of a button. For costs, many catering cloud-based platforms are sold with either monthly or annual subscriptions. Prices range from $50 to $150 per month for one user. Some vendors allow more than one free user, while others may assess an additional monthly charge for each additional user. (Note: a "user" is simply anyone on your staff who will need direct access to the software.) ### Related Catering Software - [Event Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/event-management/) - [Food Service Distribution Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/distribution/food-and-beverage-distribution-software-comparison/) - [Food Service Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/food-service-management/) - [Nutrition Analysis Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nutrition-analysis/) - [Restaurant Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/) - [Restaurant POS Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-pos-software-comparison/)