By @Danielle Guzzetta, Founder of RevGen Marketing, and @Christian Hilty, VP of Partnerships at DeliverThat

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.

 

 

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

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