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Now more than ever it is imperative for all types of caterers to find inventive ways to grow their catering business while keeping their customers and employees safe. We sat down with Roche Bros. Supermarkets for a webinar hosted by National Grocers Association to discuss actionable tips for caterers to implement.
Want to watch the full webinar? You can view it here.
Create a menu category within your online ordering system for each holiday or event season. This allows customers to view specific offerings your catering business wants to promote during those peak times.
FoodStorm Byte: 57% of customers placed their orders on a mobile device in 2020.
Market your event-specific menu and catering options by sending out a bulk email to your customer base. Some great examples include: Super Bowl, Easter, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve.
FoodStorm Byte: FoodStorm users had 78% of orders come from first time customers in 2020.
Offer pre-packaged party trays with a small upcharge (i.e. $2/tray) to individually wrap items for safer group serving.
FoodStorm Byte: Some of our customers have seen over $33,000 in additional revenue from individually wrapping trays items. Top 5 items?
Take a look at your current catering menu and add or expand your prepared meal offering. This can be anything from family dinners, boxed lunches and even individual hot meals.
FoodStorm Byte: Offer a variety or prepared meals to capture the biggest audience, such as vegetarian options, multiple types of cuisines and dietary restrictions.
Create dedicated time slots and parking spaces to ensure customer and staff safety and success. Have the customers call or text when they arrive for staff delivery to their trunk.
FoodStorm Byte: Pickup orders grew by 15,000 in 2020.
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Ensure your customers feel safe by including sanitizing wipes in their orders, a COVID precautions overview note, or offer paper goods for purchase and serving. Additionally, offer PPE to your employees, remove sitting areas at order-taking stations, and implement plexiglass between them and the customer.
FoodStorm Byte: Providing an in-store kiosk for customers to use independently can capture more catering orders safely.
Get creative on who you’re reaching out to for catering partnership and opportunities, such as: hotels, corporate building management and schools.
FoodStorm Byte: The first Group Order placed through FoodStorm was done by a school with 93 teachers and staff submitting their own items into one order.
You know your customers best, so don’t be afraid to get creative and go the extra mile to stand out against your competitors.
FoodStorm Byte: Abandoned Cart tracking helped recover over $100,000 in additional revenue for our customers in just a few months!
Not sure where to start with all these tips to grow your catering business? We’ve got your back. Contact us today to speak to our Software Specialists to find out how FoodStorm Catering Software can help automate your processes & grow your sales.
