What you want to know about your trade

• Quotes 19
• Money and margin 21
• Kitchen and purchasing 12
• Types of jobs 11
• Rules 6
• Staff 3
• Running your business 25

Running your business

Which hospitality software do you actually need?

Hospitality software is an umbrella term for very different systems. A till, a rostering app, accounting software and catering software are all sold under that same label,… Read more Rules

Allergen list for hospitality businesses: what do you have to state?

If you run a restaurant, a catering business or a meal service from home, you're legally required to inform customers about allergens in your dishes. That requirement… Read more Rules

Hygiene code and HACCP in hospitality: what do you need to record?

Whatever you cook and wherever you cook it, the basis is the same. You need to be able to show that you prepare, store and serve food safely. That goes for a restaurant just as much as for a catering business, and for anyone doing both. For a smaller… Read more Money and margin

What's the profit margin of a food truck?

A food truck doesn't pay rent, but it does have fuel, pitch fees and maintenance on the vehicle itself. In this article you'll read what a healthy profit margin is for a food truck, what… Read more Money and margin

What's the profit margin of a catering business?

A catering business works on location at the customer's, without its own premises or fixed pitch. That saves on fixed costs, but makes transport, equipment and staff planning all the… Read more Money and margin

What's the profit margin of an event venue?

An event venue earns in two ways: from renting out the space and from food and drink. Those two have very different margins. Lump them together, and at the… Read more Money and margin

What's the profit margin of a restaurant?

At a restaurant the margin slips away faster than with other forms of catering: higher service costs, higher rent, and a menu that isn't always properly costed. Read more Money and margin

What's the profit margin of a hotel?

This article is specifically about a hotel's food service and banqueting side: breakfast, meeting packages and group dinners. Room rental is a completely different game with… Read more Running your business

Scheduling staff in hospitality: building rosters that match your busy periods

Scheduling staff in hospitality: building rosters that match your busy periods 2026-08-11 Read more Running your business

Calculating food cost in a restaurant: where most owners leave money on the table

Calculating food cost in a restaurant: where most owners leave money on the table 2026-08-11 Read more Running your business

Hospitality software vs. pen and paper: what does switching get you?

Receipts on a notepad, stock you keep track of in your head, a whiteboard with this week's roster: many hospitality businesses still run largely on paper and memory. That works… Read more Running your business

Why Excel is no longer enough for your restaurant admin

Stock, supplier orders, food cost and the staff roster: in many restaurants that sits in four separate spreadsheets that nobody updates consistently. As long as it's… Read more Running your business

Switching to catering software: why it keeps stalling, and how to actually make it work

Switching to catering software: why it keeps stalling, and how to actually make it work 2026-08-11 Read more Rules

Which permit do you need for your food truck, and how do you apply for it?

Which permit do you need for your food truck, and how do you apply for it? 2026-07-24 Read more Running your business

What is catering software? The complete guide for caterers

Catering software is software that handles the day-to-day side of a catering business: quotes, planning, purchasing, staff and invoicing in one place, instead of spread across… Read more Running your business

What is a ghost kitchen? Meaning, and what it offers caterers

Ghost kitchen, cloud kitchen, dark kitchen: different names for the same idea, a kitchen built to cook for delivery and pickup only, with no dining room attached. For caterers weighing whether the model fits their business, here's what a ghost… Lees meer Quotes

What is a quote? The complete guide for caterers

A quote is your first impression with a new customer and the basis of every catering job. In this guide you'll read exactly what a quote is, what needs to be on it, how binding it is, and… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

Optimising purchasing as a catering business: less waste, better prices

Sharpening your purchasing as a catering business: less waste, better prices 2026-07-21 Read more Running your business

Building a customer base as a caterer: how to keep a grip on your customers

Every quote you send and every event you run produces customer information. For many caterers that knowledge disappears into loose emails and the owner's memory. Read more Types of jobs

Running BBQ catering: what should you watch for as a caterer?

A summer BBQ is, for many customers, the easiest event to book, and for you as a caterer often the hardest to plan well. You work outdoors, depending on the weather,… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

Organising your kitchen for peak rushes: how to stay on top of it

During a busy catering day, it's not the recipe that decides whether everything goes out the door on time, it's the organisation in the kitchen. A kitchen that's well laid out, where everyone… Read more Running your business

What Is Contract Catering?

Contract catering gets lumped in with event catering so often that many people assume it's just a bigger, longer version of the same thing. It isn't. Where event catering delivers a single occasion, contract catering means running food service at… Lees meer Types of jobs

Vegan and Vegetarian Catering: What to Put on Your Menu

Vegan and vegetarian requests used to be a single line on a booking form that caterers handled with an afterthought salad. That's changed: guests now expect a plant-based option that's as considered as everything else on the menu, and getting… Lees meer Types of jobs

Afternoon Tea Catering: How to Get It Right

Afternoon tea catering looks simple on the surface, a few sandwiches, some scones, a pot of tea, but getting the details right is what separates a memorable afternoon tea from a disappointing one. Timing matters more than with most catering… Lees meer Types of jobs

What is banqueting? Explained, and the difference with catering

Banqueting is a term you often come across at hotels and large event venues, but what does it actually mean? And how does it relate to catering, which you deal with every day… Read more Types of jobs

Taking your food truck to a festival: what should you watch for as a caterer?

A festival is, for many food truck caterers, the best and the toughest day of the season. Thousands of guests pass your stall in a short time, and the organisers set different requirements than… Read more Rules

Cancellation terms that protect you as a caterer

A booked event cancelled two weeks beforehand costs you more than just the revenue. The supplies are often already ordered and the staff already scheduled. Good… Read more Quotes

From website visitor to request: getting your site to convert

More visitors on your website is great, but it only turns into revenue once those visitors actually send a request. Often the problem isn't your offer or your price, but the… Read more Types of jobs

What is a buffet? Explained, and the difference with a walking dinner

A buffet looks simple at first glance: put the food out and let guests serve themselves. Once you've done it for a full room, you know there's more structure behind… Read more Running your business

Alcohol-free cocktails and mocktails on your menu

More and more guests are drinking less alcohol, or none at all, and expect more than a glass of cola or lemonade in return. A well put together mocktail range feels just as… Read more Running your business

Sustainable catering: plant-based options and packaging

More and more customers ask for it themselves: a plant-based option on the menu, less plastic on the table, or just something more sustainable without being able to say exactly what they… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

What is a reception? Explained, and the difference with drinks

A reception gets mentioned in the same breath as drinks or a walking dinner, but what exactly sets a reception apart isn't always clear. Not even for the customer… Read more Running your business

Hospitality concepts for caterers: the main types at a glance

From an elaborate wedding dinner to a quick bite at a festival: caterers work with very different hospitality concepts, often without ever putting a name on it. Yet… Read more Running your business

Google Business Profile: getting found locally as a caterer

Anyone looking for catering nearby almost always starts on Google, and the first thing that shows up there isn't your website but your Google Business Profile. A profile that's complete, up to… Read more Types of jobs

What is a walking dinner? Explained for caterers

Walking dinner sounds modern, but it's become a fixture at receptions and corporate parties by now. Guests walk around and are served small courses at different… Read more Running your business

Payment terms: how to avoid late payers

An event that's been run isn't an invoice that's been paid. Without clear payment terms and a fixed rhythm of following up, some customers' payments quietly… Read more Quotes

Quote follow-up: how to stop leads going cold after a quote

You send a great quote, and then... nothing happens. Sound familiar? Most caterers lose more enquiries to poor follow-up than to price. This article looks at why leads go cold without a nudge, and how a few simple habits, plus… Lees meer Money and margin

Food Cost Calculator: How to Work Out Your True Food Cost

A dish that looks profitable on the menu can quietly lose you money if the food cost behind it was never properly worked out. Food cost is the percentage of what you charge that goes straight back into ingredients, and… Lees meer Rules

Catering Insurance: What Cover Do You Actually Need?

One bad allergic reaction, one van break-in, one slip on a wet marquee floor, and a single uninsured incident can undo months of profit. Catering insurance isn't one product though, it's a stack of different covers, and not every caterer… Lees meer Running your business

How Many Canapes Per Person? A Caterer's Guide

It's one of the first questions a client asks, and one of the easiest to get wrong: how many canapes does everyone actually need? Too few and the room feels stingy, too many and you've cooked (and bought) for nothing.… Lees meer Types of jobs

Funeral Catering: What Caterers Need to Get Right

A funeral is rarely booked with much notice, and the tone is nothing like a wedding or a corporate do: quiet, respectful, and built around comfort rather than spectacle. Getting the catering right for a funeral tea or wake means… Lees meer Rules

What Is a Food Hygiene Rating, and How Do Caterers Improve Theirs?

Every food business in the UK gets inspected and given a Food Hygiene Rating, a score from 0 to 5 that anyone can look up online before they book you. For a caterer that rating can make or break a… Lees meer Running your business

The benefits of a CRM for your catering business

Customer details scattered across emails, a spreadsheet and your planner's memory cost you orders. Not because your work isn't good, but because nobody remembers who… Read more Staff

Making a run sheet for a catering day: how to stay on top of it

A catering day with too little structure feels chaotic fast, even if the preparation looked right on paper. A run sheet fixes who does what and when, so everyone on the day… Read more Running your business

Taking a mobile fryer on the road: what should you watch for as a caterer?

A mobile fryer at a market, festival or company event looks simple: switch on the fryer, fry some chips, done. Once you work outside your fixed location, there's more to it. Read more Money and margin

Putting together drinks packages: how to get the best margin

A drinks package is, for many caterers, the place where most of the margin disappears, or comes from, depending on how you set it up. In this article you'll read when it's better to… Read more Money and margin

Calculating and tracking food cost: how to keep a grip on your margin

A dish that sells well on paper can still run at a loss if the food cost gets out of hand. If you only look at profit at the end of the month, you discover a buying price that's too… Read more Running your business

The hospitality trends for summer 2026 according to Catermonkey

Something shifts every year in what guests expect from an event, and summer 2026 is no different. Plant-based sits right among the main courses, alcohol-free finally… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

How much stock do you bring as a food truck to a festival?

At a food truck on a festival you don't have a guest list like at a wedding, just an estimated number of visitors and a peak moment when everyone queues at once. Too… Read more Quotes

Running brunch catering: how much do you charge per guest, and how do you put that in your quote?

Running brunch catering: how much do you charge per guest, and how do you put that in your quote? 2026-07-03 Read more Types of jobs

Running your own catering or allowing an outside caterer as a venue: which do you choose?

Running your own catering or allowing an outside caterer as a venue: which do you choose? 2026-07-03 Read more Types of jobs

How many canapes do you allow per guest at a wedding?

Couples almost always ask it: how many canapes do we need, and which should we choose? For you that's both a culinary question and a sum that hits your margin directly. Get it… Read more Running your business

Dealing with no-shows and last-minute changes

A customer who lowers the guest count on the day itself, or guests who simply don't show up, comes with the trade. Without a clear change policy, you pay the… Read more Running your business

Choosing the right software for your event venue or catering business

There are dozens of software packages for caterers and event venues. Most promise the same things: better overview, less admin, smarter working. But which one fits the way you actually work?… Lees meer Types of jobs

Wedding catering: why a wedding works differently than a regular event

A wedding isn't a corporate event with a different tablecloth. The couple often plans a party this size just once in their life, and everything about it is personal: the menu, the timing, the guests they've known for years. That… Lees meer Staff

How to plan the right staffing for every catering event

Two servers or five? One chef or two? How many staff you need per event is a question every caterer faces for every new booking, and too few or too many both come at a price. The type of service… Lees meer Types of jobs

Corporate catering: what businesses expect from a caterer

A business client books differently from a couple planning a wedding. They are not looking for a one-off celebration, but monthly working lunches, team events and meetings that simply need to run on time.… Lees meer Rules

Serving alcohol at events: what you need to arrange

When you serve drinks at an event, you are responsible for more than just the purchase cost. The rules around alcohol on location are stricter than many caterers realise.… Lees meer Rules

Food-safe delivery: what you need to know about transport and temperature

The food is ready, the order is complete, but things can still go wrong on the way to the venue. Temperature is the most underestimated risk factor in catering transport. Too warm, too long, or without the right storage and… Lees meer Running your business

How to get more catering enquiries through your website

Your website looks good, but enquiries trickle in slowly. That's rarely about your prices or your offer. The problem is usually in the path a visitor has to take from "this looks good" to "I'll send a message". Small changes… Lees meer Quotes

Requesting a deposit as a caterer: how much and when?

You've sent a great quote, the client agrees, and then you hear nothing for a while. Or worse: two weeks before the event someone calls to say it's off. A deposit prevents both situations. But how much do you ask… Lees meer Types of jobs

Catering for a funeral: what should you watch for as a caterer?

You don't plan a funeral months ahead like a wedding, often there's less than a week between the death and the reception. For you as a caterer that means less… Read more Types of jobs

Catering for a corporate party: what's different from a private party?

Catering for a corporate party: what's different from a private party? 2026-07-03 Read more Staff

Scheduling casual and agency staff for busy periods

During busy periods you can't always rely on your regular team, and then it's tempting to just book someone through an agency. But casual staff you've never… Read more Quotes

How do you follow up after sending a quote?

You've sent a good quote, everything checks out, and then... nothing. No reply. Every caterer knows that feeling. Following up can feel awkward, but it's a normal,… Read more Quotes

What if the quote is wrong?

Finding a mistake in a quote is annoying, but it happens to every caterer sooner or later. Whether you spot it yourself before the customer replies, or the customer calls with a question: how… Read more Quotes

What do you do when a customer thinks your quote is too expensive?

You've sent a good quote, but the customer replies: "this isn't our budget" or simply "too expensive". That never feels good, but it doesn't automatically mean you lose the… Read more Money and margin

What's the average profit margin on wine in hospitality?

Wine is an important part of revenue for most caterers. The margins are often higher than on food, but there are pitfalls too. How do you set a selling price that… Read more Money and margin

What are the VAT rules for catering invoices?

Catering doesn't always fall under the same VAT rate. Whether it's meals eaten on site, delivery, grazing boards or alcoholic drinks: each part can carry a different rate… Read more Money and margin

What is catering invoicing?

Catering invoicing is the process of preparing and sending invoices for catering services that you provide outside your regular catering location.… Lees meer Quotes

How do you work out prices for a catering quote?

Putting together a catering quote is more than sticking a price on your menu. You need to know what a job actually costs you before you can set a fair selling price. Price it… Read more Quotes

How binding is a quote?

Sending a quote isn't the same as signing a contract, but once a customer agrees, that changes. Many caterers don't know exactly where they stand when a customer says… Read more Quotes

What must a quote include by law?

A quote you send to a customer has to include a number of mandatory details. Your business details such as name, address, company registration number and VAT number are legally required, just… Read more Money and margin

How much margin can you get on spirits at catering events?

Spirits are one of the most profitable parts of a catering offer. On food, the margin is often under pressure from buying, waste and preparation time. On spirits it's… Read more Quotes

What's the difference between a quote and an agreement?

For many caterers a quote and an agreement feel like the same thing, but legally they're two different documents. A quote is a proposal, an agreement is a… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

How do I make sure my catering business always has the right quantities of ingredients?

Always having the right quantities of ingredients in stock starts with one thing: knowing what ingredients follow from your orders before you buy. Link your ingredients… Read more Running your business

How can my catering business respond faster to changes in the market?

Responding faster to market changes works with work processes you can easily adjust, with software that does the sums and with a team that can switch gears.… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

How do you manage several meal options a day in your meal service?

Keeping several meal options a day running smoothly comes down to three things: your ingredient planning, your timing and your quality control. A meal service that runs smoothly… Read more Quotes

What is a non-binding quote?

A non-binding quote is a price indication in which you, as a caterer, state the costs and terms, without the customer being obliged to agree straight away. Read more Types of jobs

How can I quickly calculate and adjust the number of guests per event?

You calculate the number of guests per event by multiplying the number of invitations sent by the expected turnout percentage for your type of event. For business… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

How can I track stock for different events and orders?

You track stock for events by setting up one system that links your ingredients to specific orders and events. This prevents shortages, reduces… Read more Quotes

How can I automatically create a price quote based on the quantity of products ordered?

You create an automatic price quote based on ordered quantities by entering your product prices, volume discounts and variable costs once in your calculation software.… Read more Money and margin

How can I make my price calculations fast and accurate for different events?

You make fast, accurate price calculations by listing all your costs and leaving the sums to software. Start with a clear calculation of ingredients,… Read more Money and margin

What are the best tools for price calculation in catering?

The best software for price calculation in catering works out your costs automatically, links ingredients to dishes and sends out a quote straight away. Catering software works… Read more Running your business

How do you work out your market position compared to competitors?

You work out your market position by comparing your competitors step by step on price, service, quality and how customers experience their work. Start by finding out who your direct and… Read more Running your business

How can I raise customer satisfaction by responding faster to their wishes?

You raise customer satisfaction by responding faster to what your customers want. That works with fixed agreements about following up and with software that shows which requests are still… Read more Staff

How can I easily plan my staff's availability for an event?

Staff planning for an event starts with gathering your team's availability, through a WhatsApp group, a digital planner or scheduling software. Ask for… Read more Types of jobs

How can I generate an event plan and work list for a catering business?

You create an event plan and work list for a catering business by first gathering all the customer details and wishes, then drawing up a timeline, and finally a concrete… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

What's the fastest way to turn an order into a kitchen work list?

The fastest way to turn an order into a kitchen work list is digital catering software that automatically creates work lists as soon as a quote is approved.… Read more Quotes

Unresponsive prospects: what do you do with requests nobody replies to any more?

Unresponsive prospects simply come with the territory in catering: you send a quote or a proposal, and then it goes quiet. You get more replies by following up at fixed… Read more Quotes

What happens if you sign a quote?

As soon as a quote is signed, there's a legal agreement in place. All the terms, prices and arrangements in the quote apply to both parties from that moment.… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

How can I easily put together a kitchen supplies list for every order?

Putting together a good supplies list for your kitchen starts with grouping ingredients and equipment per dish. You work out the quantities based on the number of guests and… Read more Quotes

What costs should you include in a catering quote?

A catering quote that doesn't cover all your costs is a quote that loses you money. Yet many caterers systematically forget certain line items.… Lees meer Money and margin

What is the best pricing strategy for small catering businesses?

As a small catering business you rarely compete on price alone. The question is not what you charge, but whether your price reflects the value you deliver.… Lees meer Quotes

How do you create a professional catering quote?

You can create a professional catering quote by systematically including all the necessary elements: contact details, event details, menu options, prices, delivery conditions and payment terms.… Lees meer Money and margin

What's a healthy profit margin in hospitality?

A healthy profit margin in hospitality lies between 3% and 15%, depending on your type of business. Restaurants usually run on a 3 to 5% net margin, cafes can reach 10 to 15%, and… Read more Money and margin

What's a good operating margin?

A good operating margin usually lies between 10% and 20%, but that varies a lot by industry. You only see what counts as a good margin for your business once you put it next to similar… Read more Money and margin

What's the profit margin of a pizzeria?

The profit margin of a pizzeria sits on average between 3% and 9% net. What's left over depends on your location, how you run the business and how sharply you watch your costs. The big items… Read more Money and margin

What are the most important financial KPIs for catering businesses?

Build a catering arm alongside your business, and you quickly notice that the financial KPIs for catering businesses sit differently than for your restaurant. Your costs differ per event, you… Read more Quotes

How much can a quote deviate?

A quote deviation in hospitality and events is the difference between the quote you sent and the price that ends up on the invoice. Small deviations of… Read more Quotes

What's the difference between a quote and an invoice?

The difference between a quote and an invoice is in the timing and in what you're asking for. A quote is a price proposal you send to a customer beforehand. An invoice is a… Read more Quotes

What's the difference between a quote and a price indication?

A quote is a legally binding commitment with fixed prices and terms, while a price indication gives a non-binding estimate of possible costs. For hospitality and… Read more Money and margin

What's a healthy purchasing percentage in hospitality?

A healthy purchasing percentage in hospitality usually sits between 25% and 35% of your revenue, depending on your type of business. Restaurants often work with 28 to 32%, while cafes and bars… Read more Money and margin

Which pitch costs do you charge for food trucks?

Pitch costs for a food truck differ per event and location. Sometimes you pay a fixed amount for your spot, sometimes a percentage of your revenue, and often a combination of… Read more Money and margin

Which factors decide the price of catering?

The price of catering depends on a handful of factors you go through again for every request: the number of guests, the menu, the location, how much service is included and when the… Read more Money and margin

Which pricing strategies do successful catering businesses use?

Successful catering businesses work with a handful of set pricing strategies : cost-plus, value-based pricing and pricing that moves with the season. They add up the costs of… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

Why does automatic purchasing matter for hospitality?

Automatic purchasing for hospitality helps restaurants, catering businesses and event companies move their buying onto the computer and bring it in line. Instead of… Read more Quotes

How do you calculate transport costs in catering quotes?

You calculate transport costs by adding up your actual costs: fuel, vehicle use, time, parking costs and any tolls. Read more Kitchen and purchasing

How do you plan stock for long events?

For long events you need thorough stock planning that takes account of the duration, the number of guests and the type of catering. Allow for roughly 20 to 30% extra stock as… Read more Rules

Which permit costs do you factor into food truck prices?

You factor permit costs for your food truck into your prices by spreading them over your revenue or your selling days. That way you don't miss any costs in your calculation and you work with food truck… Read more Money and margin

How do you calculate overnight costs for staff?

You calculate overnight costs for staff by adding up the hotel costs, the meals and the small extra expenses that you, as the employer, reimburse or pay yourself.… Read more Running your business

Which software do food trucks use for planning?

Food trucks use different kinds of planning software to organise their mobile catering. The main categories are scheduling and calendar management, route planning,… Read more Kitchen and purchasing

Food trucks: what are the best kitchen tools?

The best kitchen tools for food trucks combine a till system, stock management and an ordering app in one. Above all you need a mobile till system that works offline,… Read more Quotes

Which email templates work best for following up?

The best follow-up email templates combine a personal greeting, clear value and a specific call to action . Effective follow-up emails go out within 24 to 48 hours of the first… Read more Running your business

What are the seasonal influences on catering prices?

Catering prices vary a lot by season due to supply and demand, ingredient availability and weather. Spring and summer are the most expensive because of wedding season, while… Read more Running your business

Which accounting software is best for catering businesses in 2025?

As the owner of a catering business, you know the admin takes a fair amount of time. The good news is the right accounting software for catering businesses makes a real… Read more Running your business

Step-by-step plan for starting a catering business in the Netherlands

Good preparation saves you months of hassle later. Work out your idea in a business plan. Online you'll find plenty of examples and templates for drawing one… Read more Rules

The white cash register and catering: how do you stay compliant?

Anyone doing catering or events in Belgium runs into the white cash register sooner or later. Officially that's called the Registered Cash System (GKS) . Together with the black box, that… Read more

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