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Top 3 Reasons Why Restaurants Need to Add Catering to the Menu

Published on June 12, 2024
By PAR Team
Looking to take your restaurant to the next level? Offering off-premise dining services can be the secret ingredient you’ve been missing. From office lunches to elegant soirées, catering allows you to bring your restaurant’s unique flavors to new settings, delighting guests and expanding your customer base. Here’s why integrating catering into your restaurant’s offerings can be a strategic move to elevate your brand and boost your bottom line:

Tap into a Growing Market

The catering industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing demand for unique culinary experiences and the convenience of outsourcing food services. According to Grand View Research, the U.S. catering services market is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 7.7% from 2023 to 2030, reaching $109.4 billion by 2030. What is important for restaurants to note is that catering allows you to showcase your restaurant’s offering at a variety of events, from office lunches to celebratory dinners. With the decline in remote work – from 26% in 2022 to 23% in 2023 – more employees are returning to the office, increasing the demand for corporate meal solutions that catering can fulfill.

Expand Your Customer Base

Catering is the key that unlocks the door to a world of untapped potential, allowing you to reach new customers beyond your restaurant’s immediate vicinity. This exposure has proven to be an invaluable opportunity to increase brand awareness, customer loyalty, and enticing a new contingent of potential dine-in customers.

Increase Revenue Streams

By using catering, you can boost your kitchen’s productivity and streamline operations, making sure every ingredient and hour of labor is used efficiently for maximum profitability. Leverage your existing resources and expertise and tap into a revenue stream that requires minimal additional expenses, amplifying your bottom line with each catered event.

With MENU’s Catering solution for Pickup and Delivery, your customers can savor their favorite dishes from your restaurant at their next event, meeting, or party with just a few clicks on their mobile or web app. Our user-friendly online ordering platform streamlines the catering experience, allowing your customers to quickly and effortlessly schedule dates, add desired items, and input event details. Pre-filled payment details for registered customers ensure a seamless confirmation process. The quick and hassle-free catering ordering makes it easy for your restaurant to become part of your customers’ special events, increasing their overall experience and loyalty to your brand.

Incorporating catering into your menu offerings is a strategic move for restaurants aiming to enhance their brand reputation. Embrace this opportunity to not only showcase your signature dishes, but also develop new and exciting culinary experiences for a wider range of customers.

Contact MENU today to learn more about our user-friendly ordering platform and how we can help you supercharge your digital growth.
Tiffany Disher, General Manager, MENU North America

Tiffany Disher

General Manager, MENU North America

Tiffany Disher, General Manager, MENU North America, an omni-channel ordering solution to futureproof restaurant’s growing digital sales needs. Before taking on this new role in January 2023, she was an integral part of Punchh’s growth story. She has advised hundreds of customers over the past eight years on their loyalty strategies both from a base program standpoint as well as ongoing marketing strategies. Before Punchh, Tiffany worked for Schlotzsky’s where she supported the brand marketing team by leading loyalty, eClub, R&D, Franchise advisory council and marketing analytics. Tiffany has her Bachelor’s of Science in Economics from University of Oregon and Master’s in Business with a specialty in Marketing from Baylor University. An avid golfer, hiker and mom of two small children, Tiffany spends her limited free time entering into baking competitions.