Byron Duncan (New Catering Connections) and I (RevGen Marketing) are hosting The Catering Wave Part 5 – Maneuvering The Crest next Wednesday, May 13, at 4:00 EST:
As we head into one of the busiest times of the year for catering, one of the biggest challenges Catering Sales Managers face is balancing the day-to-day demands of September and October — managing orders, quotes, service, and execution — while simultaneously preparing for the Holiday Catering wave that follows right behind.
This month, we’re diving into strategies and ideas that can help from both the Catering Sales Manager and Leadership perspectives, so teams can stay organized, proactive, and positioned for success during the busiest season of the year.
We’re also excited to welcome two special guests:
· Christina Ogle — Director of Marketing for DMAC (a 100+ unit McAlister’s/Moe’s franchise organization), who leads a very busy catering sales team and will share valuable leadership insights, operational tips, and lessons learned from managing high-volume catering programs.
· Skip Kimpel from Magicgate — a true tech expert and tremendous source of knowledge. We’ll be discussing what’s happening now with AI, what’s coming next, and how restaurant brands should begin incorporating AI into their business and catering strategies.
Please join us — this is going to be a great conversation with actionable takeaways for operators, marketers, catering leaders, and restaurant teams alike.
And as always, please share with anyone who may benefit. If you can’t attend live, no worries — everyone who registers will receive the webinar recording afterward.
@Danielle Guzzetta is the Founder of RevGen Marketing, helping restaurant brands build high-performing off-premises programs that drive sustainable growth.
@Christian Hilty is the VP of Partnerships at DeliverThat, the industry leader in brand-safe catering delivery and off-premises orchestration.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue publishing articles you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Turning uncertainty into a structured, low-risk hiring decision.
Longstanding Professional Relationship
I have known Jack, not his real name, for more than twenty-eight years, ever since I started my career as an executive recruiter. Even though we never worked for the same company, we developed a lasting friendship and often collaborated professionally. Over time, we became sounding boards for each other, frequently sharing our experiences and frustrations within the industry.
Recent Conversation and Context
About two weeks ago, Jack reached out to me. After exchanging pleasantries and joking about life, he explained the reason for his call. Jack had presented what he believed was the ideal candidate for a client, but was unable to close the deal. Frustrated and confused, he sought my advice. He wanted to know if I had experienced a comparable situation and my resolution. Before offering any suggestions, I asked Jack to provide a complete overview of his assignment.
Assignment: COO Search for Restaurant Group
Jack described the objective of the search: to find a Chief Operating Officer for a small restaurant group with two to three locations. The group’s owner is a millennial. Jack identified a candidate who met all the requirements for the position. The candidate has experience as a manager at high-volume casual-dining restaurants for established brands. He also has excellent references from individuals known to the client. Despite the candidate’s strong qualifications, the client is hesitant to make an offer, but he is unable to articulate his discomfort.
The client’s sole complaint was that the candidate was overly talkative in interviews. Considering the candidate’s twenty-year tenure at his previous job, it should be no surprise that he has limited recent interview experience.
Potential Issues and Benefits
One concern I raised was that the candidate’s long tenure at his previous employer, while admirable, might pose a risk for the hiring manager. Assimilating into a new company culture after twenty years in one organization can be challenging. However, the risk of assimilation can be mitigated. The client could plan appropriate measures to facilitate a smooth transition.
I also asked Jack if the client’s discomfort was due to the candidate’s age. I have found that some Millennial hiring managers have a bias against Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. Their rationale is multifaceted, with technical competence and the ability to relate to younger generations as the primary justification. Jack did not seem to know if this was part of the client’s thinking. It would be most unfortunate if the Client had a bias against the candidate because of his age. After all, the candidate has demonstrated success under the exact circumstances. Furthermore, Millennials’ job tenures are notoriously short, as they prefer frequent job changes as a career advancement strategy. Mature candidates offer greater stability.
Benefits of Hiring Mature Candidates
Baby boomers and Gen Xers are dependable employees.
They possess experience in their fields.
They tend to change jobs less often, offering greater stability to employers.
They have received excellent training and development from major brands.
Recommendations for Moving Forward
I advised Jack to try to help the client become more comfortable with the candidate. One option would be to engage an industrial psychologist to speak with the candidate, including diagnostic assessments, to better understand his personality and management style. Another approach could involve hiring the candidate on a limited-time contract to evaluate his performance in live operations.
Current Status and Reflections
Two weeks after our conversation, I followed up with Jack to see how the situation had progressed. Unfortunately, nothing had changed. As Jack described, the process is still in limbo—the client has not rejected the candidate but has not shown interest in moving forward either. A meeting with an Industrial Psychologist was not scheduled. Jack resumed his search for additional candidates.
This outcome is regrettable. The client may have missed an opportunity to hire an excellent manager. I empathize with Jack, given the effort he invested in the search. He cannot compel the client to hire the candidate. However, he may be able to guide the client toward clarification of his trepidation. A low-cost, low-risk solution would be to contract the candidate on a 1099 basis for a trial period, allowing the client to assess his performance firsthand. It may be useful for the client to discuss this situation with an industrial psychologist. If he has not done so, it might be useful for the client to take a diagnostic assessment to better understand his strengths and weaknesses in decision-making.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue publishing articles you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Interested in getting more information on how to best leverage your Catering Program or how to Stand Up a Catering Program to capture an additional revenue stream? Go To revgenmktg.com to set up a call.
@Danielle Guzzetta is the Founder of RevGen Marketing, helping restaurant brands build high-performing off-premises programs that drive sustainable growth.
@Christian Hilty is the VP of Partnerships at DeliverThat, the industry leader in brand-safe catering delivery and off-premises orchestration.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue publishing articles you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Just in time to capitalize on peak catering season!
Notification of Catering Webinar – March 11 at 4:00 PM EST
Danielle Guzzetta
RevGen Marketing (Danielle Guzetta) and New Catering Connections (Byron Duncan) are hosting a catering strategy-packed webinar. Join us Next Wednesday, March 11th, 4 pm EST.
We will focus on May and June Catering Opportunities, and how your time is best spent ONCE you get to May and June
So, we will have deeper discussions around:
– Sales Execution from a Sales and Communication Standpoint (not operations, but communication and relationship development)
– Sales, Maintenance, and Relationship Nurturing during dead zones
– A Strong Back-to-School Strategy
– List Building Exercises for July 15th-September 30th (June activities)
Excited to see everyone next week. Please share with your peers and industry friends.
About the Authors
@Danielle Guzzetta is the Founder of RevGen Marketing, helping restaurant brands build high-performing off-premises programs that drive sustainable growth.
@Christian Hilty is the VP of Partnerships at DeliverThat, the industry leader in brand-safe catering delivery and off-premises orchestration.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue publishing articles you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Catering has quietly become one of the most potent and reliable growth engines in the restaurant industry. It is no longer just a side business or a holiday add-on. For the operators who approach it with intention, catering represents consistent, repeatable, and high-margin revenue that builds stronger relationships with guests and communities alike.
In our recent CaterLinked session, From Catering Excellence to Orchestration Mastery, we explored how restaurants can elevate catering beyond execution. It is about mastering the systems, strategy, and storytelling that make catering both profitable and sustainable. Together, we looked at what separates the operators who thrive from those who struggle to gain traction.
The New Era of Catering
The foodservice landscape has shifted dramatically. According to the National Restaurant Association, nearly 75 percent of restaurant traffic now happens off-premises. That means three out of every four orders are fulfilled through takeout, delivery, or catering.
While takeout and delivery often compete on convenience, catering competes on experience. A catering order is more than a transaction; it is a live event, a brand showcase, and a direct line into the corporate and community networks that sustain long-term growth.
For many restaurants, this shift presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity is obvious: catering can be ten times more valuable than a single takeout order. The challenge is that it requires structure, leadership, and alignment across every department.
Why Structure Matters
The most successful restaurant brands treat catering as its own business unit with dedicated leadership, clear accountability, and defined processes. When catering is treated as a “side job” for the general manager or as an occasional task for the front-of-house, it never reaches its potential.
Winning brands build catering teams that think strategically about growth. They forecast catering sales separately from dine-in or delivery, track performance by client segment, and focus on customer retention just as much as acquisition.
The goal is to move from a reactive model — where orders are taken as they come in — to a proactive model in which the restaurant consistently reaches out to local businesses, event planners, schools, and organizations to drive repeat business.
Catering excellence starts with ownership. Someone in the organization must wake up each day thinking about catering performance, brand presentation, and client relationships. Without that ownership, opportunities are lost in the day-to-day chaos of running a restaurant.
The Hidden Power of Marketing
At RevGen Marketing, we often say that restaurants already have the tools to grow catering — they need to use them more intentionally. Most operators already have guest databases, email lists, social followers, and loyal regulars who love their food. What they often lack is a consistent strategy to turn those assets into catering sales.
One of the biggest mistakes we see is simply failing to tell people that the restaurant caters. According to Technomic, 61 percent of guests do not know their favorite restaurant offers catering. That single statistic highlights the missed opportunity.
Catering should be visible everywhere: on the website, in store signage, across social media, in guest emails, and through simple things like branded packaging or leave-behind menus. Every touchpoint is a chance to reinforce the message that “we cater.”
Marketing is also about storytelling. Each catering order tells a story about your brand — the care you put into the food, the way it is packaged, and how it is presented at the event. Those details create what we call “halo moments,” when guests experience your food for the first time outside of the restaurant and become advocates for your brand.
The best operators go beyond digital marketing. They combine online visibility with grassroots outreach: local networking, corporate sampling, and community partnerships. A small catering sample dropped off at a local office can create dozens of new corporate clients. Those efforts might seem old-fashioned, but they remain some of the most effective and affordable forms of marketing available.
From Execution to Orchestration
While marketing drives demand, orchestration ensures that the guest experience matches the promise.
At DeliverThat, our focus is on helping restaurants deliver that promise consistently. Catering delivery is not the same as a standard takeout drop-off. It involves larger orders, tighter timelines, and higher expectations. Each delivery represents the restaurant’s reputation to a group of people — often decision-makers who could become long-term clients.
Orchestration is about coordination, communication, and control. It ensures the right driver picks up the correct order, at the right time, and delivers it with care and professionalism. Every detail matters: from verifying contents and labeling to confirming setup instructions and managing last-minute changes.
When mistakes do occur, the response must be immediate and guest-focused. A missed item or late delivery can easily derail a client relationship if not handled properly. That is why DeliverThat works closely with restaurant partners to provide real-time updates, rapid resolution, and clear communication. The goal is to turn a potential issue into a positive service recovery that builds trust rather than erodes it.
True orchestration bridges the gap between marketing and operations. It gives restaurants visibility into every stage of the catering journey — from order intake to delivery confirmation — and provides the data needed to measure performance, manage costs, and continuously improve.
Protecting Profitability
Catering is often more profitable than traditional delivery, but only when executed with discipline. Many restaurants underestimate costs such as packaging, labor, or mileage. Without proper pricing models, catering can appear successful on paper while quietly eroding margins.
DeliverThat helps operators identify and control these hidden costs. By standardizing delivery fees, optimizing routing, and eliminating inefficiencies, restaurants can protect both profitability and guest satisfaction.
Equally important is the brand alignment between the restaurant and the delivery partner. When drivers represent the restaurant’s values and maintain consistent presentation standards, it enhances the brand rather than diluting it. That alignment is what we mean by “brand-safe delivery.”
Creating a Culture Around Catering
Sustained success requires more than systems. It requires a culture that values catering as a core part of the business. Everyone from the kitchen team to the front-of-house staff should understand how catering contributes to the brand’s growth and profitability.
When employees see catering as a path to career development and recognition, their engagement increases. Training team members to handle catering orders, communicate with clients, and manage delivery logistics builds confidence and pride.
Catering also strengthens community ties. Every catering order is a connection point with local organizations, schools, and businesses. Over time, those relationships turn into recurring opportunities that drive both revenue and brand awareness.
The Road Ahead
As we move toward another busy holiday catering season, the operators who will win are the ones who invest in structure, strategy, and orchestration. The catering segment is expected to continue outpacing dine-in growth, and those who master it now will be well-positioned for the years ahead.
Technology will continue to play an increasingly important role, especially as operators seek to integrate ordering, communication, and fulfillment into a single system. But the heart of catering success will always come down to people — the teams who prepare, deliver, and represent the brand every day.
By integrating marketing and delivery, operators can create a seamless catering experience that delights guests and drives measurable results. The combination of a clear marketing strategy and disciplined orchestration transforms catering from an operational burden into a strategic advantage.
Final Thoughts
Catering excellence starts with clarity. Orchestration mastery ensures that clarity turns into consistency. When both come together, the result is a brand that grows faster, operates smarter, and builds stronger relationships with every order.
We hope this conversation inspires operators to take a fresh look at their catering programs, invest in the systems that drive reliability, and collaborate with partners who share their commitment to brand integrity and guest experience.
Catering is not just a revenue stream. It is a brand amplifier, a community builder, and one of the most rewarding parts of the restaurant business when it is done right.
About the Authors
@Danielle Guzzetta is the Founder of RevGen Marketing, helping restaurant brands build high-performing off-premises programs that drive sustainable growth.
@Christian Hilty is the VP of Partnerships at DeliverThat, the industry leader in brand-safe catering delivery and off-premises orchestration.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue publishing articles you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Join New Catering Connections (Byron Duncan) and RevGen Marketing (Danielle Guzzetta) for our next Webinar on October 8th, 2025, at 3 pm Central.
Maria Torbica, a long-time pharmaceutical and medical sales representative, will be joining to help break down the Catering Customer Experience, built around the day before, the day of, and the day after the order. She will also provide some amazing insight about her industry and how Catering Sales Professionals should approach this coveted industry.
Additionally, Alex Vasilkin, the CEO of Cartwheel, will join us to share 10-15 minutes about his company and how their technology can help Brands like yours create a smooth and problem-free experience. It’s going to be a fun one. Please remember to register, even if you cannot attend so that we can provide you with the video and content after the call.
A few weeks back, I met with a dear friend and colleague. Let’s call her Jane, even though that is not her real name. Jane and I enjoyed a few glasses of wine and a flatbread appetizer. We meet a few times a year, although we were way overdue for this meeting. It is an opportunity for old friends to catch up, check in, and reminisce about our careers. Our visits are always enjoyable as I learn something new about Jane’s career and her experience. As she enjoys traveling, I enjoy hearing about her adventures abroad. As the evening progressed toward its usual conclusion, we began discussing the strategic errors we had observed that had led to a company’s failure. I have been intrigued by this issue throughout my career and, on occasion, have written about common strategic mistakes. In this regard, I have observed that specific patterns continue to repeat. I was amazed that our short list correlated completely. We ended the evening on a high note, thoroughly amused by our assessment that growing brands continue to make the same mistakes. However, we were united in our confusion as to why managers continue to make these mistakes. Our conversation became the inspiration for this post.
Common Strategic Restaurant Business Mistakes
Failure to drive for optimal market penetration
Selling franchises outside of supply chain capabilities
Buying a competing brand and then converting it to the purchaser’s brand
The most common strategic mistake I have witnessed is the failure to focus on optimal market penetration. Market penetration is fundamental to success in most businesses. For the retail sector generally, restaurants, in particular, market penetration is the holy Grail. Penetration provides leverage and efficiency across the profit and loss (P&L) statement. More outlets contributing marketing dollars support effective local advertising and promotion. More units ensure the optimal deployment of general and administrative oversight, as well as related expenses. It provides more efficient purchasing and distribution of food and beverage products. Focusing development on a specific market also leads to a more efficient use of investment capital. The failure to achieve a significant level of market penetration before developing new markets is a red flag. However, market penetration seems to be a foreign concept for many growth-oriented restaurant brands. Regrettably, I have witnessed the failure of many restaurant brands that employed a scatter-gun approach across a region, rather than focusing on market development. Not surprisingly, this remains a frequent cause of failure among restaurant companies.
Another common mistake made by growing brands is granting franchises that exceed the brand’s distribution capabilities. I remembered the time a former employer granted a franchise in Key West, Florida. Unfortunately, the company was unable to distribute to Key West. The franchisee had to arrange for an alternative delivery method that was costly, time-consuming, and unreliable. This is a common mistake made by growing franchisors. The need for revenue compels some to accept a new franchisee in a location without adequate support infrastructure. That is poor judgment and potentially corrupt. The worst examples I have witnessed have been created by East Coast Brands, which have limited regional penetration. On many occasions, these brands granted franchises to West Coast investors. I have also seen this error work in the opposite direction, with the same result. To some extent, the new franchisee shares blame for entering into the franchise agreement.
The third mistake we discussed is acquiring direct competitors. Acquisitions are problematic and generally prone to failure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a non-portfolio brand acquire another brand that competes in the same segment. Their goal is to expand their distribution by acquiring the competitor’s outlets. Notwithstanding this, they paid a premium to compensate for the target competitor’s brand equity, without regard to the target brand’s customer base and preferences. So, they end up converting the acquired brand and wonder why their revenues don’t meet expectations.
Summary and Conclusion (Break the Cycle)
Growth-oriented companies cannot afford to make these mistakes. They are business killers. Failure to seek optimal market penetration deprives the company of efficiency across the P&L and Balance Sheet. It reduces the ability to fund advertising and promotional expenses necessary for effective competition. Granting franchises outside the company’s primary trade area makes it challenging to provide adequate support to the new franchisee. This situation is ripe for lawsuits against the company for failure to comply with the terms of the franchise agreement. Acquiring competing brands as an alternate development strategy is another sub-optimal strategy. It is a costly way to develop new units that will likely underperform expectations. Savvy professionals diligently avoid these ineffective strategies.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Do you know that restaurants typically generate 30–40% of their annual catering revenue in Q4? With the holidays, corporate events, and year-end gatherings, now is the perfect time to maximize sales outside your four walls.
This is where Danielle Guzzetta (RevGen Marketing) can help. They work with restaurant brands to:
Build or strengthen catering programs from the ground up
Leverage existing operations to unlock new revenue streams
Capture more Q4 catering sales through proven strategies and execution
Even if you don’t have a dedicated catering program yet, there’s still time to put systems in place that will help you capitalize on this critical season—and set you up for success in the year ahead.
If you are interested in scheduling a quick complimentary call to discuss how Marketing can help your brand capture its share of Q4 catering sales.
Save the Date! Wednesday, September 24 at 4:00 EST.
Black Friday is just around the corner—and it’s one of the biggest opportunities of the year to drive sales.
Here’s the question: Do you know how to reach the companies that feed their employees on Black Friday?
Danielle Guzzetta (RevGen Marketing) and Byron Duncan (New Catering Connections) are hosting a Feeding Frenzy Black Friday Webinar next Wednesday, September 24 at 4:00 EST. Get ready to learn exactly how to tap into this high-dollar market and capture your share of the spend.
New Catering Connections and RevGen Marketing are building something incredible – a one-of-a-kind Catering Playbook – but it’s so much more than a playbook. It is the go-to resource for restaurants that want to WIN at Catering. Those who are leaning into these strategies are stealing their share of this $72 billion market. Check it out: catering-journey-compass
If you need help building (or leveraging) a catering program. Go to: revgenmktg.com and sign up for a free consultation. We would love to help you grab your share of this $72 billion market.
A few weeks back, I met with a dear friend and colleague. Let’s call her Jane, even though that is not her real name. Jane and I enjoyed a few glasses of wine and a flatbread appetizer. We meet a few times a year, although we were way overdue for this meeting. It is an opportunity for old friends to catch up, check in, and reminisce about our careers. Our visits are always enjoyable as I learn something new about Jane’s career and her experience. As she enjoys traveling, I enjoy hearing about her adventures abroad. As the evening progressed toward its usual conclusion, we began discussing the strategic errors we had observed that had led to a company’s failure. I have been intrigued by this issue throughout my career and, on occasion, have written about common strategic mistakes. In this regard, I have observed that specific patterns continue to repeat. I was amazed that our short list correlated completely. We ended the evening on a high note, thoroughly amused by our assessment that growing brands continue to make the same mistakes. However, we were united in our confusion as to why managers continue to make these mistakes. Our conversation became the inspiration for this post.