Catering software manages the full event lifecycle: proposals and menus, banquet event orders (BEOs), staffing and rentals, kitchen prep lists and invoicing. It replaces the tangle of spreadsheets, documents and email that catering teams juggle per event.
Compare the top 6 Catering Software options
Ranked by our editorial score. User rating is a consensus we calculate across multiple public review sites (Capterra, G2, Trustpilot and more), weighted by review volume — captured Jul 2026. Our score is a transparent 100-point rubric — see how we score.
Total Party Planner
Best for full-service caterers wanting end-to-end management
88/100Our score
★★★★★
4.8
153 reviews · 1 source
An end-to-end catering platform that consolidates invoicing, contracts, menus and costing.
- All-in-one: invoicing, contracts, menus, costing, inventory
- Responsive support with continuous improvements
- – Noticeable learning curve to get up to speed
- – Pricing can feel steep for smaller operations
Curate
Best for caterers and florists wanting proposal automation
87/100Our score
★★★★★
4.8
252 reviews · 2 sources
A proposal-automation platform that speeds quoting for caterers, florists and rentals.
- Speeds up proposals/quoting to increase bookings
- All-in-one for full-service catering, florists, rentals
- – Some dislike recent UI changes
- – Proposal-limit pricing tiers can feel restrictive
CaterZen
Best for drop-off and corporate caterers wanting ease
85/100Our score
★★★★★
4.8
55 reviews · 1 source
An easy-to-learn catering platform with strong support and online ordering.
- Very easy to learn and use, even occasionally
- Responsive, thorough support and help articles
- – Recipe/production-report setup is time-consuming
- – Configuring products per package is tedious
HoneyBook
Best for small service businesses wanting all-in-one client management
83/100Our score
★★★★★
4.4
1,522 reviews · 3 sources
A polished all-in-one client-management tool for small service and event businesses.
- Polished all-in-one client management and automation
- Easy to use with a centralized workflow
- – Pricing can be steep at scale or for light users
- – Limited flexibility for complex workflows; slow support
FoodStorm
Best for grocery and retail catering programs
83/100Our score
★★★★★
4.7
18 reviews · 1 source
An order-management-first catering platform (Instacart-owned) for retail and grocery programs.
- Runs the whole operation from online cart to delivery
- Built around caterers’ needs with responsive development
- – Weaker mobile/phone customer experience
- – Add-on modules (e.g. accounting export) are expensive
Caterease
Best for established banquet and event operations wanting depth
80/100Our score
★★★★★
4.1
150 reviews · 2 sources
A deep, highly customizable event/catering suite — powerful but dated and occasionally glitchy.
- Highly customizable; centralizes event information
- Strong feature depth and integrations
- – Can be slow or glitchy at times
- – Dated UI and a steeper learning curve
Feature comparison
| Feature | Total Party Planner | Curate | CaterZen | HoneyBook | FoodStorm | Caterease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposals & menus | ◑ | |||||
| BEO / event orders | ◑ | ◑ | – | ◑ | ||
| Invoicing & payments | ||||||
| CRM / leads | ◑ | ◑ | ||||
| Online ordering | ◑ | – | – | ◑ | ||
| Public pricing | ◑ | – | ◑ |
Head-to-head comparisons
Compare any two Catering Software options side by side — or pick your own matchup.
What Catering Software is & who it’s for
Who this is for
Off-premise caterers, restaurants with catering arms, and event/banquet operations that quote custom menus and coordinate staff, rentals and deliveries.
- Create branded proposals and menus that clients approve online
- Generate BEOs and kitchen prep / pull sheets
- Schedule staff, rentals and deliveries per event
- Cost recipes and track food/labor margins
- Invoice, take deposits and collect balances
Features to look for
Must-have
- Proposal and menu builder with online client approval
- BEO and event timeline generation
- Recipe costing and packing/prep lists
- Staffing and rental scheduling
- Invoicing, deposits and payments
Nice-to-have
- CRM and lead pipeline
- Online ordering for drop-off catering
- Inventory and purchasing
- Accounting and POS integrations
- Client portal and e-signature
Pricing & what it costs
Catering platforms typically charge a monthly subscription from about $100–$300 for a single operation, scaling with users, locations or event volume. Some online-ordering-focused tools take a percentage of orders, so compare subscription vs. commission models against your mix.
| Typical tier | Ballpark | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Small caterer | ~$100–$200/mo | Proposals, BEOs, invoicing |
| Full-service operation | ~$200–$400/mo | Staffing, costing, portal |
| Online ordering focus | Sub + % of orders | Drop-off / e-commerce catering |
Ballparks are general market ranges, not quotes. Confirm current pricing with each vendor.
Evaluation & demo checklist
- Build a real proposal and send it for online approval
- Generate a BEO and a kitchen prep sheet from one event
- Confirm recipe costing reflects your true food cost
- Test deposit + balance invoicing and payment
- Check integrations with your POS or accounting
Risks & hidden costs
- Commission models that get expensive on high online volume
- Rigid templates that fight your proposal style
- Weak staffing tools forcing side spreadsheets
Frequently asked questions
Do restaurants need separate catering software?
If catering is occasional, your POS may suffice. Once you run custom proposals, BEOs and event staffing regularly, dedicated software removes a lot of manual work.
Can clients approve and pay online?
Yes — online proposal approval, deposits and balance collection are core features. Confirm e-signature and payment options during a trial.
How we research. Rankings use a transparent 100-point rubric plus a consensus user rating aggregated across public review sites — never paid placement. We may earn a commission if you choose a provider through our links, at no cost to you; it never affects our assessments. Last reviewed July 17, 2026. Read our full methodology →