In the catering business, time is money. Every minute lost to inefficient tasks takes a bite out of your profit margins. Many of these time-wasters go unnoticed - small operational hiccups that quietly build up over days, weeks, or entire seasons.
This article outlines 7 common time drains in catering and offers simple solutions you can use right away - no software needed.
Unexpected client changes at the last minute disrupt workflow and increase the chance of mistakes.
You lose prep time, waste ingredients, and risk incorrect orders. Staff scramble, communication breaks down, and your daily plan falls apart.
Set clear cutoff times for order changes and communicate them early - in intake forms, proposals, and in your contracts. Reinforce these during planning calls. This helps manage expectations and protects your team’s schedule.
Manually recording orders and creating invoices takes up valuable admin time.
Mistakes happen. Orders get missed, invoices go out late, and staff waste time reviewing paperwork instead of preparing food.
Use one central intake form to collect all order details. Create simple, reusable templates for quotes and invoices. Block 30 minutes daily or weekly to stay on top of billing and avoid backlog.
Prep work without clear coordination or task assignment slows things down.
Staff wait around, stations get overcrowded, and last-minute scrambling becomes routine. Labor costs increase with little return.
Batch prep common ingredients in advance. Assign roles and use visual prep checklists to keep everyone on track. A quick 10-minute morning huddle can prevent confusion before it starts.
Verbal-only updates and missing order info cause breakdowns between front and back of house.
Orders get made wrong, guests receive bad information, and staff waste time correcting issues. Morale and margins suffer.
Write down all changes instead of relying on memory. Keep a shared board, clipboard, or binder with updated details, special notes, and allergy info. Review everything as a team before each shift.
Updating menu items and pricing across platforms takes more time than it should.
Outdated menus confuse customers and may lead to undercharging for ingredients that have gone up in cost.
Keep one master menu file with item names, descriptions, and prices. Make changes there first, then copy-paste to your website or print materials. Set a monthly reminder to review prices so nothing falls through the cracks.
Manually collecting payments and following up on late invoices slows down cash flow.
You spend too much time sending reminders, and sometimes payments don’t come in at all.
Ask for upfront deposits to lock in bookings. Use simple payment links from your bank or a platform like Square or QuickBooks. Keep a spreadsheet or calendar to track due dates and follow up regularly.
Finding coverage at the last minute is chaotic and expensive.
You pay more in overtime or end up understaffed, which affects service and your reputation.
Build a bench of part-time or on-call staff you can contact first. Use a weekly availability form to see who’s open to work. Post open shifts on a board or group chat and set a deadline for responses to avoid last-minute scrambling.
These time drains may seem small, but they chip away at your profits over time. Whether it's unclear order changes, scattered communication, or manual admin work, each one adds friction to your day.
By applying practical changes - like setting order cutoffs, using prep checklists, or collecting deposits - you can take back lost hours and keep your business running more smoothly.
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