Catering Technology Trends Transforming Restaurants
Restaurant brands of all sizes are increasingly recognizing catering as a crucial revenue stream, with industry leaders like Olo reporting that catering discussions are dominating conversations across their network of 700+ restaurant partners. From single-location operators to thousand-unit chains, businesses are exploring how to either launch or enhance their catering operations, though some still cautiously refer to it as "large order fulfillment" as they test the waters.
One of the biggest challenges facing operators today is capacity management across multiple channels. With the significant growth of digital orders over the past five years, restaurants must now juggle traditional dine-in service alongside takeout, delivery, drive-thru, curbside pickup, and catering orders. This complexity has created an urgent need for unified technology solutions that can help operators effectively manage kitchen production and labor across these various revenue streams.
The distinction between catering and standard takeout operations is becoming increasingly important. While both channels should ideally operate on a unified platform to share customer data and loyalty information, they require different business logic and operational workflows. Catering's unique requirements - from batch production and advance ordering to specialized labeling and delivery needs - demand distinct solutions that work alongside, but separate from, traditional point-of-sale systems.
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Technology providers are responding to these needs with sophisticated solutions. Olo, for example, has expanded its partnership with ezCater to automate menu management and enable real-time pricing strategies across locations. The platform is also leveraging AI for smart upselling, marketing automation, and capacity management, helping operators focus more on business development and less on administrative tasks.
However, technology alone isn't enough to succeed in catering. Industry experts emphasize the importance of operational strategy and standardization. As catering becomes more mainstream, restaurants need to focus on differentiation through unique packaging, menu strategies, and service models. Additionally, understanding customer data across channels has become crucial - knowing that a catering client has never visited your restaurant for dine-in service, for instance, can unlock valuable marketing opportunities.
Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, the focus will be on balancing the human element of catering sales with automated processes. While dedicated catering sales managers remain essential, the future lies in leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer engagement, and drive growth through data-driven insights across all channels. For restaurants serious about growing their catering business, the key is to view it not just as an additional revenue stream, but as an integral part of their overall customer engagement strategy.
Guest: Lindsay Holl | Sr Sales Engineer at Olo
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