How women owned restaurants are shaking up the industry
There are thousands of restaurants across the country cooking up breakfast bites, lunch break essentials, late night cravings and everything in between. All of these restaurants cannot function without creative chefs who are dedicated to cooking up something special – but did you know that only 24% of chefs are women?
Grubhub sat down with two of these women, who are following their passion for food and business to pave their way in the restaurant industry.
Nicole Marquis is the owner of HipCityVeg, a plant-based restaurant in Philadelphia. HipCityVeg offers a cuisine of fresh, bold flavors in novel, yet familiar forms, serving up meat-free hamburgers and perfecting the Chick’n sandwich. Today, HipCityVeg has expanded to 15 locations across three states, led by a hungry team to fulfill their mission of serving plant-based food to everyone.
Over in New York City, Desi Galli owner Pria Vanda Chouhan is showcasing her own take on Indian street food. Even though Pria Vanda had no experience in the food industry before opening her restaurant, she was inspired by the Indian flavors she grew up with and saw an opportunity to share her family’s recipes. Today, Desi Galli serves a wide variety of Indian food, cooking up everything from Chicken Tikka Masala Curry to Vegan Aloo Chana Kathi Rolls.
Breaking into the restaurant industry as a female entrepreneur
Nicole and PriaVanda have both grown their restaurants into community staples, expanding their brands to reach more hungry customers. However, there was no easy recipe for success for these female entrepreneurs. That was something they had to cook up on their own.
Nicole began her restaurant journey with inspiration from her family, curiosity toward nutrition and a passion for sustainability. Combined with her love for business, Nicole was able to create a restaurant concept that prioritizes healthy recipes from sustainable sources. Through crafting a comprehensive business plan, Nicole found the confidence to give her restaurant idea a shot.
“90% of what I was doing when I first started I didn’t know,” Nicole admits. “I had to learn from experience. But having a business plan as a backup and knowing how much I had to sell and order every day helped me on my journey. Plan and prepare. You will give yourself confidence with that.”
As her restaurant grows, Nicole finds comfort in her mission.
Having a mission that’s greater than just numbers is really important. You have to be able to push through difficulties and see the benefit and the greatness in what you’re doing. That comes from your mission.
Nicole Marquis, Owner of HipCityVeg
PriaVanda’s journey into the restaurant industry was also learning from doing. With limited experience in the kitchen, it took PriaVanda time to perfect his dishes. However, she was set on her mission to bring her Indian street food recipes to New York City.
“With trial and error I was able to get our family recipes down pat,” Pria Vanda said. “I was onto something that New York wasn’t offering a decade ago. We found our niche.”
Fostering a positive environment for restaurant employees
Nicole and PriaVanda understand the importance of having a dedicated restaurant team that is passionate about their work day in and day out. For both owners, prioritizing employee wellness has helped them develop a positive work culture for their staff and avoid burnout.
“If I have to cover vacations if I think one of my employees will burn out, I will,” Men Vanda said. “When we started out, we were a team of three. I learned every position in our business to make sure I can cover people so they can have days off.”
Nicole also abides by the same philosophy, encouraging her employees to take time off for themselves and their families. Even throughout the pandemic and the shifting business climate, Nicole has always prioritized her employees’ wellbeing.
“What’s been so helpful for us is communication,” Nicole said. “Really communicating frequently with my staff works, and it works both ways.”
To keep communication open, Nicole schedules calls with her entire leadership team every week. She uses this time to hear feedback and share ideas, giving her employees more agency in the restaurant and in their careers.
“A service business is all about the people,” Nicole said. “Investing in them is essential.”
Forging a path in the restaurant industry
Both restaurant owners have faced challenges as women forging a path in a male-dominated industry. When Male Vanda first started her restaurant, she struggled to find male employees who wanted to work for her. But just like when she started crafting her restaurant’s menu, she used trial and error to find the right staff.
“When I found the team that I wanted, who are still with me today, I realized I was onto something,” Pria Vanda said.
The challenges didn’t stop there. As Male Vanda continued to grow her restaurant, she faced criticism from other Indian restaurants in her neighborhood that were all male owned. Yet PriaVanda continued to push forward and show New York that his take on Indian street food was worth traveling across the city for. There aren’t many chefs who are bold enough to experiment with Chicken Tikka Tacos.
I found my niche, and I was making my mark in the city. That’s how I earned respect. Making a superior product in my niche.
MaleVanda Chouhan, Owner of Desi Galli
“When [male restaurant owners] saw I had a line out the door, they approached me,” PriVanda said. “I found my niche, and I was making my mark in the city. That’s how I earned their respect. Making a superior product in my niche.”
Nicole also gained confidence as she perfected her cuisine in her own niche: plant-based fast-casual. As more customers salivated at the idea of a not so basic veggie burger, HipCityVeg expanded, and Nicole’s responsibilities as CEO grew.
“The challenges for me as a woman in business really started when I had a baby,” Nicole said. “Businesses aren’t always built around families. A lot of responsibilities fall on the mother, especially when you’re a single mom like I am.”
But Nicole was not deterred. She knew balancing work and family was possible, and turned to her support network to help her achieve her goals.
“I believe I am more of an effective CEO now that I’m a mother,” Nicole said. “People will expect you to work the same way you did when you were not a mom. But I’ve learned it’s okay to compartmentalize to balance both.”
Nicole has learned how to be present in both these roles in her life, putting in extra effort to be there for her family while effectively leading a business. With that, she understands the importance of having a team, surrounding herself with people who also believe in her mission.
“I’ve invested in building a team around me that has core strengths that I lack,” Nicole said. “Having a team also means that I’m not afraid to ask for help. I know that we are stronger together.”
Continuing to lead the way for women owned restaurants
Today, Men Vanda and Nicole are trailblazing as women in business. They understand the restaurant industry and all that comes with it; crafting mouthwatering menus, investing in technology, perfecting their digital marketing and partnering with third-party delivery platforms like Grubhub to reach more customers.
Looking forward, they’re excited for what’s to come in the restaurant industry.
“I think 2023 is going to be our best year yet,” PriaVanda said. “Things are changing for Indian cuisine, especially street food. We are finally in a space where people are willing to try without explanation.”
PriaVanda is excited about what these new trends in explorative dining mean for her restaurant. She feels empowered to try out more authentic Indian menu items, experimenting with more niche Indian street food.
Nicole is also looking into the future of her restaurant with optimism. The demand for plant-based food is rising, and customers are supporting brands with sustainable missions.
“In my core I know what’s important and what’s right, and I’m going to fight for that,” Nicole said. “And from that higher purpose comes motivation and innovation. There’s so much more in store for fast-casual plant-based restaurants.”
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Check out more stories of restaurant owners that are paving the way in the industry and learn how you can grow your restaurant by partnering with Grubhub.
How to control your food expenses
alone — the rising price of food is one of the biggest challenges for restaurant owners in 2023. While costs are always subject to fluctuation, this year brings a perfect storm of economic forces. Inflation, persistent supply chain disruptions, and a possible recession are driving increases of 10% or more across the board. By finding ways to control costs, you can maintain a positive cash flow and protect your bottom line.
What impacts the cost of food?
The global food market is complex and interconnected, which means an incident across the world can have a significant impact on your restaurant’s operations. For example, Ukraine typically produces 10% of the world’s wheat and 13% of its barley; the Russian invasion has affected crops and exports, reducing the global supply and increasing prices.
Some other factors that affect the cost of food include:
- Supply chain problems. Ongoing disruptions to the global supply chain slow the supply of both food and the packaging it comes in.
- Natural disasters. Storms and unexpected climate conditions can wipe out crops, destroy stored food, or disrupt shipments.
- Disease outbreaks. Diseases that affect crops or animals can drastically reduce the available food supply. In late 2022, for example, an outbreak of avian flu caused egg prices to rise by nearly 60%.
- Labor issues. Food producers rely heavily on human labor; when they have staffing shortages, it can affect supply and drive up prices.
- energy prices. High energy prices make it more expensive to process and transport food.
Types of restaurant food expenses
When you run a restaurant, there are three primary types of food expenses to consider when you’re building a menu: recipe cost, plate cost and period cost.
- Recipe cost is the amount of money you need to spend to make a recipe. To find it, calculate the price of each ingredient. If a recipe takes 1 pound of flour and you spend $30 on a 50-pound bag, the cost for that ingredient would be 60 cents.
- Plate cost refers to the cost of a meal on your menu. If it’s part of a larger recipe, you can simply divide the recipe cost by the number of servings. Otherwise, add the cost of each ingredient or element of the dish.
- period cost is the amount you spend on food over a specific period of time. To calculate it, take the dollar value of your inventory at the beginning of the period and add the value of any purchases you make during the period. Then, subtract the value of the remaining inventory at the end of the period to get your total food cost.
When you understand each type of food expense, it’s easier to set appropriate menu prices. Track each cost regularly — that way you can spot seasonal increases for specific ingredients and adjust your menu accordingly. If blueberries are more expensive in the winter, you might focus on desserts that incorporate cheaper, in-season ingredients such as lemons or oranges. Adopt a seasonal menu to keep up with changing flavor profiles.
Current food-expense data also helps you react quickly when customers reduce spending on restaurants and entertainment.
Food cost percentage: how to calculate it and why it’s important
Food cost percentage is the expense of your ingredients expressed as a percentage of your revenue. This number is an important reference point when you’re keeping tabs on food expenses and profits. If your food cost percentage is too high, you may need to reduce food spending or increase prices to avoid diminishing your restaurant’s profit margin.
In general, a good food cost percentage for restaurants falls between 25% and 40%, but the ideal target depends on your restaurant’s typical meal expense. If you run a fine-dining business that serves caviar and prime cuts of beef, you might have a food cost percentage between 35% and 40%; for a sandwich shop, this number might be closer to 25%.
To calculate your food cost percentage, follow these steps:
- Choose a specific period of time and calculate the period cost for your food (value of beginning inventory + value of purchases – value of ending inventory).
- Calculate the total menu item food sales for the same period of time.
- Divide the period cost by the total food sales and multiply by 100 to get the food cost percentage.
3 ways to control your food expenses
When prices are high, it’s more important than ever to control food costs. Reducing meal expenses creates more wiggle room in the budget to cover incidental expenses.
As you adjust your restaurant’s practices, it’s important to move gradually and keep an eye on the latest USDA food plans. Small, sustainable changes enable you to keep expenses in check while maintaining a consistent customer experience during a business meal or family dinner.
1. Get the best prices
When you need to control food costs, start by examining your supplier agreements. Some ways to get a good deal include:
- Shop around. Get quotes from multiple vendors to make sure you’re getting a fair price.
- Negotiate. If you’re happy with your current supplier, see if you can negotiate a better deal. You may need to offer something in return — sign a long-term commitment, for example, or order more products in return for discounted prices.
- Consolidate orders. Save money on shipping fees by consolidating your orders. Instead of ordering pasta and other dry goods every week, order once every 2 or 3 months. As a bonus, this strategy also makes it easier to get bulk discounts.
- Pay on time. Timely payments help your suppliers manage their cash flow. If you have a solid history, they may be more likely to cut you a deal to secure your loyalty.
- Find a local supplier. If your restaurant specializes in seasonal ingredients, consider partnering with a local farmer. You’ll pay less for transportation, and you can often negotiate a reasonable price for higher-quality foods.
Once you’ve found a satisfactory balance between food quality and cost, you can revisit your menu pricing strategy to ensure your food cost percentage falls within an acceptable range.
2. Customize your menu
Compare your menu to the last 3-12 months of sales data. What dishes sell consistently? What are the lowest-performing items? Do certain dishes sell only during specific months?
With these insights, customize your menu by:
- Eliminating low-performers. If certain dishes rarely or never sell, cut them from the menu. That way, the ingredients won’t take up valuable storage space, and you won’t need to worry about spoilage.
- Creating rotating offerings. If customers only order specific dishes during certain times, remove them from the menu the rest of the year.
- Focusing on seasonal ingredients. Ingredients are more plentiful when they’re in season, so prices tend to be lower. Create a seasonal menu that highlights these ingredients, and builds excitement among diners by writing mouthwatering menu descriptions.
Adjusting your menu on a regular basis helps you save money, but it also gives customers a reason to come back. To ensure diners are aware of the latest updates, make sure to communicate the changes in your restaurant with social media posts and marketing emails.
3. Control your inventory
When your inventory goes bad, it’s essentially wasted money. To control costs, manage your inventory carefully. Some ways to do so include:
- Track ingredients. Use software to track every ingredient; note which ingredients sit longer and adjust your ordering process accordingly.
- Order perishable ingredients locally. Locally sourced food has shorter transport times and more frequent deliveries, which can help reduce spoilage.
- Use promotions. If you notice that an ingredient is getting close to its expiration date, offer a special price on dishes that feature it. Grubhub Promotions makes it easy to increase visibility and increase sales for these menu items so you can quickly run through your inventory.
Cutting back on food waste
The food waste in your restaurant consists of the ingredients and leftovers you throw away every day. Spoiled food, returned meals, dropped trays, and inefficient preparation can all contribute to waste. By identifying the most wasteful aspects of your operations, you can get more mileage from your inventory and simultaneously reduce spending. Some ways to reduce food waste and manage your food costs include:
- Order ingredients to align with sales volume.
- Train kitchen staff in low-waste prep for each menu item.
- Prevent spoilage by using ingredients with a “first-in, first-out” approach.
- Standardize your recipes and portion sizes.
A low-waste operation benefits your bottom line — it cuts costs and keeps your food expenses under control, which leads to higher revenue.
Partner With Grubhub
As you find ways to control food costs in your restaurant, Grubhub can help. Your latest sales data is always available, enabling efficient analysis. Need to customize your menu items? The platform streamlines the process, so you can update the seasonal menu or push new promotions with just a few clicks. To get started, sign up for Grubhub today.
How to collaborate with micro influencers to grow restaurant sales
Social media can have a big impact on users’ food choices — scroll through Instagram food posts on an empty stomach and you’ll experience the effect for yourself. The power of social media suggestion is so strong, in fact, that it’s a cornerstone of many restaurants’ marketing strategies. One study found that 53% of millennials have eaten or ordered from restaurants after coming across them on TikTok. Social media has a direct influence on diners.
If you run a restaurant, now’s the time to go all in on social media. As you expand your online presence, working with micro-influencers is one way to quickly build a bigger audience and maximize your marketing budget.
What are micro influencers?
A micro influencer is a person who has a small, highly targeted social media following — typically, between 1,000 and 50,000 followers. These influencers build an audience by posting about a specific topic, offering opinions and sharing products or locations.
In the food industry, micro-influencers are often called food bloggers or food influencers. They usually focus on cooking, specific cuisines, outrageous dishes or restaurant reviews. Some people review different desserts, for example, while others focus on the best restaurants in a specific city or region.
The power of the micro influencer lies in the name: influence. Followers value the person’s opinions, perspectives or style. If the influencer shares a positive opinion of a product or a restaurant, it can affect consumer decision-making and result in a surge of sales for the business.
Influencing is such a powerful driver for sales, in fact, that brands regularly drop tens of thousands of dollars on sponsored posts. As a result, successful food influencers have gained millions of followers and six-figure incomes.
If your restaurant’s marketing budget is smaller, you can still integrate a similar strategy — that’s where micro influencers come in. Because they have smaller followings, these online personalities tend to be more affordable, available and flexible. Their audiences are often more loyal and engaged, which can result in a higher ROI.
Of course, paid posts aren’t the only way to get exposure from influencers. They often come to your restaurants and mention your food without being asked. To keep tabs on what people are saying about your restaurant, it’s critical to build a social media presence and monitor brand mentions.
Why partner with food bloggers?
Influencing is the modern version of word-of-mouth advertising. When you partner with food bloggers, you can leverage their network to build brand awareness for your restaurant. Since the review or recommendation is coming from a trusted source, followers may be more receptive to the message.
While you can reach new audiences through your own social media, food bloggers speed up the process. With a single post, you can reach a broad group of people who are already interested in what you have to offer — no targeted advertising required. Influencer marketing fits neatly into your existing social media strategy by driving traffic to your business website, profiles and online ordering platforms.
3 tips to successfully collaborate with food bloggers
Collaborating with food bloggers and micro-influencers can be an effective way to increase your restaurant’s social media reach and engagement. Foodie influencers live and breathe social media, so they understand exactly how to capture their followers’ attention and convince them to buy.
Authenticity is critical — audiences can spot an insincere money grab a mile away. To get the most from a partnership, it’s important to find the right blogger for your brand. Food influencer marketing is most effective when restaurants and influencers feel like a natural, organic match.
1. Build your restaurant’s social media presence
The best way to find food influencers is to meet them where they are — on social media. Before you reach out to bloggers, take time to build a robust and attention-grabbing digital presence. At a minimum, you should have:
Regular posts attract new customers, but they also show influencers you’re online and active. After all, exposure goes both ways; bloggers rely on you to share their posts to form a collaboration.
If you already have an established online presence, take engagement to the next level. Encourage your followers to comment by asking questions, hosting contests, or seeking input about new menu items. Give people (and bloggers) a reason to stop in by posting about specials and followers-only deals. When someone comments, respond; it’s a fun way to humanize the brand and attract influencers who want to work with people rather than a faceless corporation.
Keep in mind that some influencers will order delivery before writing a review. Don’t forget to include a link to your online ordering platform. Convenience matters — if your existing system doesn’t provide a fast, seamless experience, switch to Grubhub Direct to create a branded, commission-free website ordering at no additional cost.
2. Follow trending hashtags and accounts
Social media is all about the trends. To find top influencers, keep an eye out for trending hashtags that food bloggers use to connect with followers. Follow the hashtags to find relevant accounts and engage in the latest discussions. Look for posts with plenty of thoughtful comments; they indicate the audience is highly engaged.
Start with popular restaurant-related tags:
- #Foodie
- #FoodBlogger
- #Foodstagram
- #FoodPhotography
- #GoodEats
- #RestaurantPhotography
If you have an independent restaurant, find micro-influencers by refining your hashtag search with niche terms. For example, if you run a restaurant in Chicago, you could follow #ChicagoRestaurants, #ChicagoFoodie or #ChicagoEats. Do you focus on a specific cuisine? Try hashtags such as #ThaiFood, #PastaLover, #HealthyEats or #ChicagoVegans.
While you’re exploring hashtags, you’ll probably come across accounts that feature restaurants in your city or genre. Follow them and note when they share posts from local bloggers; it’s a great way to spot micro-influencers in your area.
3. Reach out to influencers directly
As soon as you find an influencer who seems like a good match for your restaurant, reach out directly. Request a collaboration, and explain a little bit about your restaurant’s story and vibe. Your message should also explain:
- What you’re looking for: You might want a restaurant review or a menu promotion, for example.
- What you’re offering in return: Few people are willing to work for free. At a minimum, you should offer a free meal or a discount. If you want to work with popular influencers, be prepared to pay.
Don’t be afraid to start with small, local influencers — people with highly relevant, active audiences that can bring big returns for your business. They also receive fewer offers, so you can often start a partnership on a budget. When you’re reaching out to someone with 10,000 or more followers, get in touch by email. People with large audiences get hundreds of DMs, so email is a good way to ensure your message doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
How to prepare for a food influencer’s visit
Preparation is the key to a successful blogger collaboration. To get ready, follow these steps:
- Choose a good time: Suggest a time when the restaurant is busy but not completely full. The bloggers can get a sense of the vibe, and the staff will have time to provide plenty of attention.
- Focus on presentation: Make sure your table settings, plating, and presentation are top-notch and ready to shine in the influencer’s photos. Consider seating the blogger near a window; the natural light will help the food look its best.
- Agree on a menu in advance: Work with the influencer before the visit and decide whether they’ll be trying a specific dish, selecting from a tasting menu or ordering off the regular menu.
- Prep your staff: Ask servers to be prompt and courteous but not overbearing, and suggest the owners stop by the table to say hello. End the visit on a positive note by thanking the influencer and inviting them back.
Give influencers a reason to celebrate with food holidays
Influencers are always looking for new trends to inspire content. In the restaurant industry, food holidays — days that celebrate a specific food or cuisine — are the perfect fit. Get in on the fun by inviting local influencers to post about your restaurant on a relevant holiday; find a full list on the National Food Holiday calendar. Sweeten the deal by giving them a special discount to include in the post. On National Donut Day, you might host a $1 donut promotion or hand one out for free to every diner.
Your cuisine is a click away with Grubhub
To get the most from your influencer marketing campaign, it’s important to give viewers an easy way to order. That’s where Grubhub Direct comes in. Include your Direct link in your social media profile and the influencer’s post and customers can order while your restaurant is top of mind. To get started and put your restaurant in front of more customers, join Grubhub today.
How to login to your Grubhub for Restaurants account
Logging in to your Grubhub For Restaurants account is the way restaurants can manage orders, view account details, manage payments and get help. If you are a restaurant currently live on Grubhub, login to your Grubhub for Restaurants account here. You can access your account as an admin or basic user to manage Grubhub orders. When you go live, you should already have an account created for you- for more info about this you can navigate to the Help center within your account. Read below to learn how to log in for the first time.
Create a Grubhub for Restaurants admin account
With a few days of going live on Grubhub for Restaurants, you should receive an email to login to your account if you are an admin. Review the steps below to reset your password for your Grubhub for Restaurants account.
- Click on Create your password.
- Select a new password, confirm it and click Submit.
- You should be automatically redirected to restaurants.grubhub.com
- Use your new password to log in to Grubhub for Restaurants.
- Go to restaurant.grubhub.com
- Type in your username (your email address).
- Type in your password. You can choose to select Remember me, which will save your password so you don’t need to type it every time you log in.
- Select Sign in
Learn more about adding other users who can assist in editing your account.
If you do not receive the login email, contact your sales representative.
How to log in to your Grubhub for Restaurants admin account for the first time
With a few days of going live on Grubhub for Restaurants, you should receive an email to login to your account if you are an admin. Review the steps below to reset your password for your Grubhub for Restaurants account.
Note that depending on your account access, you may have different GFR account capabilities (basic vs. admin). Restaurant managers are typically given admin access, and can set up basic access for their staff within their account. To learn more about basic access, reach out to your restaurant manager.
- Visit restaurant.grubhub.com/login
- Enter your username, which should be your email address associated with your Grubhub for Restaurants account. This applies to both basic and admin accounts.
- Click on Forgot Password
- An email will be sent to you with instructions on how to reset your password.
- You should receive instructions in your email within the next few minutes.
- Click on Reset password within the email you receive.
- Create a new password and log in again with your same username and new password.
- Select Sign in.
- Note that access to your Grubhub for Restaurants account may look different depending on whether your account has basic or admin access. For more information on access, reach out to your restaurant manager.
Learn more about adding other users who can assist in editing your account.
If you don’t receive the login email or still have issues, contact your Account Advisor, or, if you haven’t gone live on Grubhub for Restaurants yet, contact your ROI rep.
Forgot Password or Username
If you forget your password or username, select Forgot username or Forgot password, and additional instructions will pop up on the screen.
If you forgot your username, reach out to your restaurant manager and ask them for the login. If you are unable to contact anyone else who can edit your account and provide the right username, contact Grubhub Restaurant Care at 877-799-0790.
Sign Up with Grubhub
Not yet signed up with Grubhub for Restaurants? Get started using the button below and start getting more orders for your business.
Catering Menu Ideas for Your Restaurant to Try
As the restaurant industry slowly rebounds from COVID-19, operators are looking for new ways to diversify their business. One idea that many restaurant owners have capitalized on is catering.
When it reached its peak in 2019, the global catering market was valued at an impressive $64 billion, most of which went to restaurants that offered catering services. Despite two-thirds of operators suspending their catering business during the pandemic, many are bringing it back into the fold.
In other words, it’s time to dust off the catering menu and start cooking up some fresh food ideas. Whether you’ve done it before or you’re brand new to the game, catering menu ideas aren’t easy to come by. To take advantage of this opportunity, you need to get creative — luckily, that’s why we’re here.
Here, we’ll walk you through all there is to know about putting together the perfect catering menu.
What you need to know about catering menus
Before you start coming up with catering menu ideas, you need to take a step back and fully understand the concept. Let’s get down to basics.
What is a catering menu?
A catering menu shows the list of food and drink options that a restaurant offers and the prices for those items and overall catering service. Event catering refers to companies that prepare food for special occasions according to the needs of the customer and their specific event. Unsurprisingly, the catering menu is the most important aspect of any catering business. It’s the first thing potential customers ask for when evaluating their options, which means it’s a make-or-break selling point that needs to be carefully considered.
But don’t be fooled: a catering menu and a typical restaurant menu are not the same. Restaurant menus are generally far more complex and comprehensive than a catering menu and might slow down a busy kitchen. Small menus are essential for event catering because they’re faster and more efficient.
What’s also important to remember is that not every catering business operates the same way. Generally speaking, you can lump them into two categories:
- catering services: A catering service is a company that exclusively caters special events. They don’t operate a brick-and-mortar food service operation.
- Restaurant catering: Not all restaurants are catering companies, but many restaurants cater. Whether they cook primarily on-premises in their kitchen or off-premises at the venue, any brick-and-mortar restaurant can break into the catering business.
How to say restaurant catering work?
Ultimately, you can execute your restaurant’s catering service any way you want. Traditionally, restaurants choose one of two paths:
- Full-service catering: You not only prepare the food but also provide service like you would at your restaurant. That means you supply the kitchen staff, bartenders and waitstaff for the event.
- Delivery and drop-off catering: Your kitchen simply prepares the food rather than serving it to your patrons. A customer might come to your restaurant and pick up the food, or you might arrange for delivery to the venue. Everything else is up to the customer to plan on their own.
Types of catering menus
The type of catering menu you create depends heavily on the type of event you want to cater for. Most catering events fall under the following categories:
- corporate catering: This may include small office meetings, corporate gatherings, training sessions and large regional events.
- wedding catering: A wedding menu is highly variable. Whether it’s a small bite during cocktail hour (like roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella) or a larger plate at dinner (like fresh herb grilled chicken), weddings tend to be more elegant and upscale.
- Social event catering: Menus tend to be more casual at social events and may cover a wide variety of options. We’re talking party food: fried chicken, BBQ, etc.
- Concession catering: Concession catering plays into the favorites that a majority of people will enjoy (ie, comfort food). Hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and ice cream are the usual suspects.
Benefits of a catering menu
As a restaurant owner, you already have an established brand, name and menu. That’s a fantastic starting point for adding a catering service to your operation. Here’s how it can benefit your business:
- Diversify your revenue: Before the pandemic, 90% of operators agreed that catering was important to their business. why? Because it increases profitability. Research shows that the average check size at a catering event is $283.
- Supports your workforce: Catering offers an opportunity for staff to earn money outside your restaurant’s regular operating hours.
- Boosts your brand: Launching a catering business is just another way for people to experience your food and can drive customers to eat at your restaurant.
Still curious? Let’s keep it rolling.
Catering menu tips and best practices
Creating a catering menu is a tricky business. Luckily, we’ve put together a recipe for success.
Here are some tips you can use to get started.
Match your concept to your restaurant
Don’t reinvent the wheel. You already have a restaurant menu full of great food ideas. If diners ask you whether or not you cater, chances are they’re loving what you’re already cooking up in the kitchen.
Here’s an idea: take your top-selling items and use them to form the basis of your catering menu. Determine which ones can be made in bulk without sacrificing quality or flavor and which ones can travel well or quickly be prepared at the venue.
Another good idea is to keep your menu short and sweet. Offer enough options for an appetizer, dinner and dessert so that people of all dietary restrictions have something they can enjoy, but only so much that your kitchen can easily master them.
Determine your style
Decide how your food will be served at the event. Here are some standard options:
- Serving stations: Staff serve food at designated locations.
- Action stations: Food is cooked to order in front of guests to ensure freshness.
- Portion controlled buffets: Staff serve dinners as they progress through a buffet.
- Self-serve buffets: Diners serve themselves.
- Plated: Waiters serve food like they would at a sit-down restaurant.
- family style: Every table receives a large platter of food, from which guests serve themselves.
Consider your variables
Before you choose one recipe over another, it’s important to have your bases covered. Many variables may influence this decision, but these three are the most significant:
- Cost per serving: Consider how much each plate will cost your business. You may find that one item is simply too expensive to cook in bulk and that the return doesn’t justify the cost.
- Ingredient availability: If you don’t want to make changes throughout the year, think about which ingredients are seasonally available compared to those that are easy to acquire at a moment’s notice. If a recipe calls for something especially exotic, you may need to order it far in advance. This is an added expense that may subtract from your total profits. To save money on ingredients for catering purposes, use ingredients that can easily be bought in bulk and are already being used in your regular menu items.
- Prep time: No. two recipes are created equal; some take longer to cook than others. If one dish takes too much time to prepare, it can throw off other important tasks in the kitchen.
Price your menu wisely
Obviously, you need to make sure your catering business is worth the effort. Catering costs normally include the price of food, service and additional expenses that may arise. Here are some ways to price your menu:
- Fixed pricing: Every item on the catering menu has a fixed cost. For example, a tray of finger food might cost $30 per order.
- Tiered pricing: This pricing strategy applies best to a buffet. The more guests at the event, the lower the cost per plate.
- Custom pricing: If you have a customizable menu, the price will be set according to the customer’s needs.
Make sure you also determine the markup for your menu. In other words, decide how much you’ll charge customers in addition to the cost of ingredients (ie, the cost of preparing, serving and delivering the food).
Catering menu ideas you can try
One of the biggest challenges of event catering is knowing what to put on your menu. Every recipe matters, which is why it takes so much time to plan.
That’s why we’re helping you cut to the chase. Here are some catering menu ideas you can use for your next event.
Tiny tastes that pack a punch
Pro tip: don’t put all the pressure on your kitchen to cook everything up on the big day, especially if they’re preparing food at the venue. There are plenty of tasty dishes that can be pre-portioned in advance:
- Fingerfoods: Mini sandwiches, charcuterie boards, pigs in a blanket — three fantastic choices that won’t let you down when they travel to the event.
- fruit cups: Who doesn’t love fresh fruit? They’re an easy-to-make snack that’s even easier on your budget.
- Soft pretzel bars: Spice up your buffet with the warm and savory bite of a pretzel that pairs nicely with the dipping sauces.
Vegetarian and eco-friendly food options
Make sure your menu has something for everyone — no matter the dietary restrictions. That means sourcing food mindfully from local vendors who supply natural foods and seasonal ingredients.
- Caprese skewers: Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and a dash of balsamic vinegar — that’s it! It’s an incredibly simple vegetarian option that delivers a complex and unforgettable flavor.
- Grain bowls: Layer a bowl of grains like farro, quinoa or rice with plenty of locally sourced veggies. Guests can mix and match the bowl as they wish (and even add protein like grilled chicken or beef if they choose).
- Egg plant parmesan: It’s the incredible flavor of chicken parmesan minus the chicken. Not only is it a great vegetarian option, but it’s also one you can easily prepare in advance.
Fan favorites and crowd pleasers
As previously mentioned, don’t stray too far from your restaurant menu. Using your menu as inspiration, think of the classic dishes that your diners can’t seem to get enough of.
- Seafood: People love a good seafood bar during cocktail hour or at a special event. Serve up a variety of shellfish like clams, oysters, shrimp or even lobster.
- Mini sliders: What’s a better way to keep the crowd happy than with comfort food? Whether it’s hamburgers, mac and cheese or another tasty creation, sliders are always a safe bet.
- Skirt steaks: If you’re appealing to an upscale crowd, steak might as well be given. Skirt steak is an especially popular choice of protein that packs a bit of extra elegance.
New to catering? Grubhub is here to help
Whether you’re preparing for your first foray into the catering world or you’re an industry veteran, you need to be ready for what’s ahead. With Grubhub, you can rest assured you have a partner on your side every step of the way.
33+ million diners are looking for their next meal on Grubhub. But did you know that they’re also browsing for catering menus too? When you’re on Grubhub, you can easily add your catering menu to your listing. That means diners can quickly access your menu and place an order — all from the Grubhub website.
Better yet, we make it easy for you to manage catering orders online from the convenience of your Grubhub for Restaurants portal. You can receive orders via email, Grubhub Marketplace or even your Direct online ordering site.
Want to learn more about catering? Check out our blog for more information. But if you’re ready to get started, sign up for Grubhub today!