Yes, catering software is worthwhile if you send more than 20 quotes per month or regularly encounter issues with duplicate work, forgotten tasks, or unclear margins. The software saves an average of 10-15 hours per week in administration and helps you appear more professional to customers. For smaller businesses that primarily operate locally, the costs may outweigh the benefits.
Why are you considering catering software?
More and more catering companies and party professionals are switching to digital work processes because manual administration is becoming too time-consuming. You probably know the drill: spending hours working on quotes, forgetting which ingredients you need, or your team not knowing which tasks are still pending.
The catering industry is becoming increasingly competitive. Customers expect fast, professional quotes and want quick answers to their questions. At the same time, there is growing pressure to keep an eye on margins and work efficiently.
Many catering entrepreneurs struggle with overflowing mailboxes, reactive management and the feeling that all their knowledge is stored in their heads. This makes it difficult to grow or even take a holiday without worrying.
what is catering software
Catering software is a specialised solution that brings together all aspects of your catering business in one system. Unlike general business software, it is specifically designed for the unique challenges of catering and events.
The software helps you create quotes, plan events, manage customer data and organise your team. Think of features such as menu composition, ingredient calculation, staff planning and automatic work lists for the kitchen and warehouse.
The difference between catering software and general tools such as Excel or Word is that catering software understands how your industry works. It knows that you need to link ingredients to dishes, that you need to schedule team members per time slot, and that customers often make last-minute changes.
What are the advantages of catering software?
The biggest advantage is time savings. Where you used to spend hours preparing quotations, you can now do this in a matter of minutes. Automatic calculations ensure that your purchases are calculated immediately and organised clearly by supplier.
Your customer service improves because you can respond to requests more quickly. Customers can sign quotes online, which speeds up the process and eliminates paperwork. What’s more, you can see immediately which quotes are still open and set up automatic reminders.
The software also helps prevent errors. Forgotten ingredients or double-booked staff are a thing of the past. Once a quote has been approved, work lists for the kitchen and warehouse are automatically generated, allowing your team to get started right away.
Finally, you gain better insight into your margins and profitability. You can see exactly what each event costs and earns, which helps you make better pricing and business decisions.
What features are important in catering software?
A good quotation system is essential. You need to be able to quickly create professional quotations that are fully customised, including your own logo and corporate identity. Customisation means that you can rename dishes, adjust prices or even add new dishes.
Menu composition and ingredient calculation are indispensable. The software must be able to link ingredients to dishes, so that your purchasing is automatically calculated and organised per supplier. This prevents over- or under-purchasing.
Staff planning helps you to request availability and assign employees to each event. You can schedule both dishes and employees per time slot, so that everyone knows exactly what needs to be done.
Links to accounting systems are important for financial administration. Advance invoices, residual invoices and payment follow-up must be automated. Peppol support ensures secure and standardised e-invoicing.
How do you know if catering software is suitable for your business?
Look at the number of quotes you send per month. From around 20 quotes per month, software really starts to save time. Below that, the costs may outweigh the benefits.
Also consider the type of events you organise. Complex events with many different dishes, employees and suppliers benefit more from software than simple, standard catering.
Ask yourself these questions: Do you ever forget to order ingredients? Do customers have to wait a long time for quotes? Do you often work on administration in the evenings? Do you have trouble keeping track of margins? If you answer “yes” to several of these questions, software can help.
Your growth ambitions also play a role. Do you want to expand or organise more events? Then software is almost inevitable in order to cope with the extra workload.
What are the disadvantages of catering software?
The monthly costs are an important consideration. Depending on the functionalities, you pay between 50 and 200 euros per month. For smaller companies, this can be a significant expense.
There is a learning curve for you and your team. Everyone has to get used to new work processes and learn how to use the software. This takes time and can cause frustration in the beginning.
Implementation also requires time and attention. You need to enter all your menus, prices and customer data before you can really reap the benefits. This can take several weeks.
You become dependent on technology. If the software fails or your internet connection is unstable, this can disrupt your working day. That is why reliability and good customer service from the software supplier are important.
How do you choose the right catering software?
Start with a free trial period to test whether the software suits your working methods. Try it out with real quotes and events, not just test data.
Pay attention to ease of use. The software should be intuitive so that your team can quickly learn how to use it. Complicated systems lead to resistance and errors.
Check which integrations are possible. Can the software connect to your current accounting system? Does it support Peppol for e-invoicing? Are there connections to suppliers or other tools you use?
Ask about customer service. How quickly can you get help with problems? Is Dutch support available? Are training courses offered for your team?
Compare costs not only based on the monthly price, but also based on what you save in terms of time and improved efficiency.
Conclusion: Is catering software worth the investment?
For most catering companies that regularly send quotes and want to grow, catering software is a smart investment. The time savings, better customer service and insight into margins outweigh the costs.
Smaller companies that mainly operate locally and send few quotes would be better off waiting until they grow. For them, the costs may outweigh the benefits.
The most important thing is to choose a system that suits your working methods and growth ambitions. Take the time to test different options and don’t just choose based on price, but also on ease of use and functionality.
At Catermonkey, we help party professionals and catering companies digitise their processes on a daily basis. Our experience shows that companies that take the plunge save an average of 10-15 hours per week and see their turnover grow thanks to faster and more professional service. Would you like to know more about how catering software can help your business? Please contact us for a personal consultation.
Plan your brainstorm with Catermonkey!
Do you have ideas or questions about how catering software can support your business? We would be happy to help you! Schedule a no-obligation brainstorming session with our team and discover how the Catermonkey platform can work specifically for your situation. Whether you have questions about functionalities, implementation, or just want to discuss the digitisation of your processes, we are here to help.
Plan your brainstorming session with Catermonkey! Click here to schedule an appointment right away, and let’s explore how we can take your catering business to the next level.
