How to Set Up Online Catering Ordering for Your Restaurant

If customers can't order catering from your restaurant online, you're losing business to competitors who make it easy. The good news: setting up online catering ordering is simpler than most restaurant owners think. Here's how to do it in a week.

Why online ordering matters for catering

This isn't about trendy technology — it's about how catering customers actually behave.

The person ordering catering is usually an office manager or executive assistant planning a meeting. They're doing this at their desk, often outside business hours. They want to:

1. See a menu with prices
2. Customize for their group size and dietary needs
3. Pick a date and time
4. Pay and get a confirmation

If any of those steps require a phone call or email exchange, many will find a restaurant that doesn't make them wait. According to Toast's restaurant data, restaurants with online ordering consistently see higher order volumes than phone/email-only operations.

Step 1: Choose your platform

You need a platform that handles catering-specific ordering — not just a regular online ordering system. The requirements are different:

Your regular takeout ordering system (DoorDash, Uber Eats, or your POS online ordering) isn't designed for this. You need dedicated catering ordering software.

Options include FlashCater (flat fee, zero commissions), HoneyCart, or CaterZen. See our full comparison to evaluate.

Step 2: Build your catering menu

Don't just upload your dine-in menu. Create a catering-specific menu structured around:

Packages — "The Team Lunch" with protein + sides + drinks at $18/person

Per-person pricing — clear price that scales with headcount

Smart defaults:

• Minimum 10-15 people per package
• 24-48 hour lead time requirement
• Clear dietary labels on every item

Add-ons — beverages, desserts, serving supplies at checkout

Keep it focused: 3-5 packages plus add-ons. You can always expand later based on what sells.

Photos matter

Invest in 1-2 hours of photography for your catering packages. A single overhead shot of each package laid out as it would arrive makes a massive difference. Customers buying food for 30 people need to see what they're getting.

Step 3: Set your pricing and policies

Before going live, configure:

Pricing

• Per-person prices for each package
• Add-on prices
• Delivery fees (flat fee or distance-based)

Order policies

• Minimum order: $150-$250 for delivery, no minimum for pickup
• Lead time: 24 hours minimum (48-72 for large orders)
• Cancellation policy: Full refund 48+ hours out, 50% refund 24-48 hours, no refund under 24 hours
• Delivery radius: Start with 5-10 miles

Payment settings

• Credit card required at checkout
• Deposit structure for large orders (e.g., 50% for orders over $500)
• Whether you'll offer invoicing for corporate accounts

Step 4: Set up your ordering page

With FlashCater or a similar platform, this typically involves:

1. Add your menu — items, descriptions, photos, pricing, modifiers
2. Configure settings — lead times, minimums, delivery zones, business hours
3. Brand the page — your logo, colors, restaurant name, contact info
4. Set up payments — connect your payment processor (usually Stripe)
5. Test thoroughly — place test orders yourself, check the confirmation emails, verify the dashboard

Most platforms handle the technical setup for you. You provide the menu content and preferences; they build the page.

Step 5: Connect to your website

Your ordering page needs to be easy to find. Add links in:

• Your website navigation — a prominent "Order Catering" or "Catering Menu" link
• Your homepage — a section or banner promoting catering
• Google Business Profile — add the ordering URL as a link
• Social media bios — Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
• Email signatures — your staff's emails should link to catering ordering

The ordering page URL should be clean and brandable: yourrestaurant.com/catering or similar.

Step 6: Go live and promote

Launch announcement

• Email your customer list: "You can now order catering online!"
• Social media post with a photo of your catering spread
• In-restaurant signage: "Order catering at [URL]"
• First-order incentive: 10% off or free delivery

First week checklist

• Monitor incoming orders daily
• Respond to any issues within 1 hour
• Confirm each order personally (in addition to automated confirmation)
• Ask for feedback after delivery
• Fix any menu issues customers flag (confusing descriptions, missing options)

Ongoing promotion

• Monthly email to your catering customer list
• Social media posts showing catering setups (1-2x per week)
• Local business outreach with your ordering link
• Follow our guide on getting more catering clients

Common mistakes to avoid

Launching with too many menu items. Start with 3-5 packages. Learn what sells before expanding.

Not testing the ordering flow yourself. Place a real test order. Is anything confusing? Would you order from this page?

Hiding the catering link. If customers can't find it in 5 seconds on your website, it might as well not exist.

No photos. A catering menu without photos gets significantly fewer orders. One good photo per package is the minimum.

Not following up. Your first 10 catering customers are the foundation of your program. Follow up personally, ask for feedback, and make them feel valued. They'll reorder and refer others.

Timeline: online catering ordering in 7 days

It really is that simple. The infrastructure work is a one-time setup. After that, managing orders is a few minutes per day, and customers order on their own schedule.