Budget-Friendly Catering Tips for Restaurants Hosting Large Events

In the ever-evolving, fast-paced world of restaurant ownership, standing out and boosting revenue is a must. That’s why restauranteurs are expanding their brands to include catering. Not only does catering large events bring in more business, but it also has the potential to capture 20 percent of total restaurant sales.

If you are new to the catering side of hospitality, it’s important to keep expenses in check and avoid overspending. Check out these five strategies to maximize profits and deliver exceptional quality when hosting large groups.

5 Tips for Cost-Effective Restaurant Catering 

Adding a dedicated private catering program to your restaurant can be lucrative. Consider these tips to save on costs and elevate your brand.

1. Factor On-Premise VS. Off-Premise Expenses

One of the beauties of catering is its flexibility. Establishments can offer in-house events or take their show on the road and cater off-premise. When choosing between options, examining labor, equipment, and coordination costs is essential.

Off-premise catering can involve additional costs that restaurants typically don’t have. Those include:

• Vehicle maintenance and transportation costs
• Larger labor pool with off-site bartenders, servers, and chefs
• Additional licenses and permits specifically for off-premise service
• A dedicated event coordinator to handle on-site logistics before and after the event

Examining your overall start-up catering budget is crucial to determine which option is the most cost-effective and revenue-boosting. This proactive approach to financial planning will ensure that you maximize your resources and boost your revenue.

2. Feature Signature Dishes on Your Catering Menu

By keeping your brand consistent between your restaurant and catering division, you ensure recognition and trust. Featuring a handful of your most popular and lucrative dishes on the catering menu not only encourages diners to try your catering but also guarantees a consistent and high-quality dining experience. This approach also helps keep food costs down, reduce food waste, and, most importantly, satisfy your customers.

3. Incorporate New Exclusive Catering Menu Items

Lively and versatile catering menus can reach a large demographic and meet themed-party needs. Curating a menu with items not on the restaurant menu also helps control food costs and offers the potential for customer-friendly bundle pricing.

Non-perishable ingredients like rice, pasta, grains, beans, and lentils are low-priced, have long shelf lives, and require minimal prep. They are also staples in a wealth of trending cuisines, including Mexican, Asian, and Indian. These menus will not only grab the attention of modern diners but can also be priced for profit.

Planning party menus around the seasons and holidays is a strategic move that can appeal to large groups. Big celebratory days like St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Eve are perfect opportunities for limited-edition catering bundle packages, making your offerings even more appealing to your customers.

4. Price for Success

Restaurant owners know how much planning, pricing, and capital goes into a new business. The same principles should be applied when adding a catering component. There is always a balance between maintaining high-quality dishes, customer-friendly pricing, and not overspending. One of the luxuries of catering menus is that operators know the menu, guest count, timing, service style, and necessary equipment in advance. These predictive factors give owners an edge when effectively ordering and calculating expenses for each event.

Like a restaurant, each dish should factor in the cost of ingredients, overhead, and profit. However, creating a base price for catering menus takes a few more costs into account:

• Catering-specific equipment purchases
• Labor that includes time spent planning, prepping, and working the event
• Associated rental costs for linens, plateware, etc. 
• Different expenses based on service style: buffet, family-style, plated, and cocktail-style

Want To Learn More? Download Our Catering Checklist

5. Partner with Your Local Wholesale Restaurant Supplier

Quality products at competitive prices are essential for the catering business. Finding a supplier that promises exceptional ingredients, professional catering equipment, and budget-friendly pricing is crucial to customer satisfaction and profits. 

Choose a restaurant food supplier that works with established food brands, enabling them to negotiate low prices for fresh ingredients at great prices. They are able to pass on the savings to their culinary community while preserving product integrity.

Enhance Your Catering Program with Products from US Foods CHEF’STORE

CHEF’STORE stocks only the highest quality products at competitive prices, so you can keep your costs low and customer satisfaction high! Hosting large events doesn’t have to break the bank. With these budget-friendly tips, your restaurant can impress guests while maximizing profits. We also offer business tools to help you achieve your goals. 

Visit one of our many locations today or get your products delivered.