You've just signed up for a catering marketplace, and you're staring at your new vendor dashboard with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Every day, restaurant owners join platforms like soyum.co hoping to tap into the lucrative corporate catering market—but many struggle to gain traction in those critical early weeks.
Here's the truth: your first 90 days on a catering marketplace can make or break your long-term success. The restaurants that thrive aren't necessarily the ones with the fanciest menus or the lowest prices. They're the ones who approach the platform strategically, optimize relentlessly, and build momentum from day one.
This comprehensive guide breaks down exactly what you need to do—week by week—to transform your restaurant into a go-to choice for office catering orders in your area.
Why the First 90 Days Matter So Much
Before diving into the action plan, let's understand why this window is so critical. Catering marketplaces, like most digital platforms, use algorithms to determine which vendors appear prominently in search results. New vendors typically receive a "honeymoon period" boost—extra visibility to help you establish your presence and collect initial reviews.
If you capitalize on this window, you'll build the reviews, ratings, and order history that fuel long-term visibility. Squander it, and you'll find yourself buried beneath competitors who moved faster.
The corporate catering market is worth over $60 billion annually, and workplace food ordering continues to grow as companies invest in employee satisfaction. Your restaurant deserves a piece of that pie—let's make sure you get it.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Days 1-30)
Week 1: Perfect Your Profile and Menu
Your first week should focus entirely on creating an irresistible vendor profile. Think of this as your digital storefront—corporate clients will judge your professionalism based on what they see before they ever taste your food.
Complete every profile field. This sounds basic, but you'd be surprised how many restaurants leave sections blank. Include your restaurant's story, your culinary philosophy, and what makes your approach to corporate catering unique. Companies ordering lunch for important client meetings want to know they're working with professionals who care about quality.
Upload professional photos. Invest in high-quality images of your most photogenic dishes. Natural lighting, clean plating, and consistent styling matter. If you can't afford a professional photographer, modern smartphones can produce excellent results with proper technique. Include photos of your catering setup—chafing dishes, boxed lunches, or buffet spreads—so clients can visualize what they're ordering.
Craft a catering-specific menu. Your dine-in menu and your catering menu shouldn't be identical. Create packages designed for workplace scenarios:
- Executive boxed lunches for board meetings
- Build-your-own stations for team celebrations
- Family-style platters for departmental gatherings
- Breakfast packages for early morning training sessions
Week 2: Price Strategically and Set Clear Policies
Pricing for corporate catering differs significantly from restaurant pricing. You're not just selling food—you're selling convenience, reliability, and professional presentation.
Research your competition. Browse other vendors in your area and category. Where do you fit in the market? Position yourself thoughtfully—undercutting everyone rarely works long-term, but overpricing without justification will cost you orders.
Build in appropriate margins. Remember that catering involves packaging, transportation, setup, and often equipment rental. A dish that's profitable in your dining room might lose money if you price it identically for delivery catering. Most successful caterers aim for 30-40% food costs on catering orders.
Establish crystal-clear policies. Corporate clients need to know:
- Minimum order amounts (and why they exist)
- Lead time requirements for different order sizes
- Cancellation and modification deadlines
- Delivery fees and service areas
- Setup and breakdown options
Weeks 3-4: Optimize Operations and Test Everything
Before the orders start flowing, stress-test your systems.
Create catering-specific workflows. Who monitors incoming orders? How will you handle a large office catering order that comes in during your lunch rush? What's your backup plan if your delivery driver calls in sick?
Test your packaging. Order your own food as if you were a customer. Does the packaging maintain temperature? Do items arrive looking as good as they taste? Is the unboxing experience professional? Small details—like including serving utensils, napkins, and clear labeling—separate amateur caterers from professionals.
Set up quality control checkpoints. Create a pre-delivery checklist: Are all items included? Is everything properly labeled for allergies? Are heating instructions clear? Is your contact information visible in case issues arise?
Phase 2: Growth Acceleration (Days 31-60)
Week 5-6: Launch Your Review Strategy
Reviews are the currency of catering marketplaces. Without them, even the best restaurants struggle to win corporate clients who can't afford a catering disaster during an important meeting.
Deliver excellence on every order. This goes beyond good food. It means on-time delivery, accurate orders, professional communication, and thoughtful touches that exceed expectations. Include a handwritten thank-you note. Add a few extra cookies "for the office." These small gestures generate reviews.
Ask strategically. After confirming a successful delivery, reach out to thank the customer and gently request feedback. Timing matters—ask within 24 hours while the experience is fresh. Make it easy by providing a direct link to your review page.
Respond to every review. Thank positive reviewers specifically—mention the dish they ordered or the event they hosted. Address negative reviews professionally and publicly, showing future clients how you handle problems.
Week 7-8: Analyze and Adjust
By now, you should have data to work with. Dive deep into your analytics.
Identify your winners. Which menu items get ordered most? Which have the highest margins? Double down on promoting these dishes. Consider creating combo packages featuring your top performers.
Find your dead weight. Some items probably aren't selling. Before removing them, consider whether the issue is the item itself, the description, the photo, or the price. Make adjustments and give them another chance—or cut them to simplify your menu.
Study order patterns. When do orders come in? Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically the busiest for workplace food orders. Are you seeing that pattern? Use this information to staff appropriately and manage prep schedules.
Phase 3: Scale and Systematize (Days 61-90)
Week 9-10: Expand Your Offerings
With a foundation of successful orders and positive reviews, it's time to expand strategically.
Add complementary services. If you've been focused on lunch, consider adding breakfast catering—it's less competitive and highly profitable. If you do great with casual office lunches, create an upscale package for executive dining occasions.
Seasonal and themed menus. Corporate clients love variety. Create limited-time menus for holidays, seasons, or even local events. A "March Madness" lunch package or "Summer BBQ" team celebration menu gives repeat clients reasons to order again.
Increase your capacity thoughtfully. If you've been turning down large orders, figure out what would need to change to accept them. Additional equipment? More staff during prep? A larger delivery vehicle? Growth requires investment.
Week 11-12: Build Relationships and Repeat Business
The real profit in corporate catering comes from repeat clients. A company that orders weekly spends 50 times more than a one-time customer.
Implement personal follow-up. For significant orders, call (don't just email) to thank the customer and confirm satisfaction. Learn their names, their preferences, their typical order patterns. This personal touch is rare and memorable.
Create a loyalty program. Offer incentives for repeat business—a discount on every fifth order, complimentary upgrades for loyal clients, or exclusive access to new menu items. Make customers feel valued.
Ask for referrals. Happy clients know other office managers, executive assistants, and event planners. A simple "If you know anyone else who might need catering services, we'd love to help them too" can generate valuable word-of-mouth business.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with a solid plan, many restaurants stumble on predictable obstacles:
Overcommitting early. Start conservative with your capacity limits. A few flawless deliveries build your reputation; one botched large order can destroy it.
Ignoring communication. Corporate clients often have questions or last-minute changes. Respond promptly—within hours, not days. Unresponsive vendors lose business to competitors who seem more professional.
Treating catering as an afterthought. If catering orders get deprioritized during your restaurant's busy periods, quality suffers. Dedicate resources and attention proportional to the revenue potential.
Neglecting packaging presentation. What arrives at the office reflects your brand. Flimsy containers, leaky packaging, or hard-to-serve formats create frustration—and negative reviews.
Measuring Your 90-Day Success
At the end of your first 90 days, assess your progress against these benchmarks:
- Profile completion: 100% of fields filled with quality content
- Reviews: Minimum 10-15 reviews with an average rating above 4.5 stars
- Order volume: Consistent week-over-week growth
- Repeat customers: At least 20% of orders from returning clients
- Response time: Average response to inquiries under 2 hours
- Order accuracy: 98%+ accuracy rate
If you're falling short in any area, you've identified exactly where to focus your energy in the months ahead.
Your Action Plan Starts Now
The corporate catering market rewards restaurants that show up prepared, deliver consistently, and treat every order as an opportunity to build their reputation. Your first 90 days set the trajectory for everything that follows.
Whether you're looking to supplement your restaurant's revenue with office catering orders or build catering into a major profit center, success requires intentional effort from day one. The restaurants that thrive on catering marketplaces aren't lucky—they're strategic.
Ready to put this plan into action? soyum.co connects restaurants with businesses actively searching for reliable workplace catering partners. Our platform gives you the tools, visibility, and support to turn your first 90 days into the foundation of a thriving catering business.
Join the marketplace today, bookmark this guide, and start building your corporate catering success story—one perfectly delivered order at a time.