The verdict in three sentences
A London event caterer running 900 events a year loses time and margin on every quote rebuilt by hand and every production sheet copied out for the kitchen. Off-the-shelf catering software costs EUR 150 to 500 a month (roughly GBP 130 to 430), while a custom tool linking quotes, allergens and kitchen sheets costs EUR 25,000 to 50,000. Custom software is justified when your recipes, mark-ups and trade show logistics do not fit a standard product.
Where time and margin go at a 40-person caterer
A 180-cover wedding, a 60-person conference lunch in the City and a stand at ExCeL are not costed the same way. Yet in many businesses, the salesperson starts from an old Word quote, recalculates quantities in a spreadsheet, and then the chef re-keys everything to produce kitchen sheets, supplier orders and the equipment loading list.
| Step | Manual method | With a connected tool | Estimated 2026 impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing the quote | 1 h 30 to 2 h | 15 to 20 min | 1,400 quotes a year, 2,000 h freed |
| Food cost calculation | Approximate, flat mark-up | Per recipe, current supplier prices | 2 to 3 margin points recovered |
| Declaring the 14 allergens | Copied by hand | Inherited automatically from recipes | Lower compliance risk under UK rules |
| Kitchen production sheets | Re-keyed by the chef | Generated when the quote is confirmed | 3 to 5 h saved per week |
| Supplier orders | Quantities added up manually | Consolidated per production day | 5 to 8% less food waste |
| Staff and equipment | Separate spreadsheet rota | Linked to each event | Fewer double-booked casual staff |
| Invoicing and deposits | Tracked on bank statements | 30% on booking, balance at D+15 | Late payments tracked properly |
Margin is won or lost on food cost per recipe. A flat 3.2 mark-up applied to every dish hides canapés sold at a loss and overpriced hot mains. A tool that computes the real cost of each recipe with this month's supplier prices commonly recovers 3 to 5 margin points.
Off-the-shelf or custom: the real costs
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf catering software | Custom tool |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 0 to 3,000 of setup | EUR 25,000 to 50,000 |
| Subscription | EUR 150 to 500 per month | Hosting EUR 100 to 300 per month |
| 5-year cost | EUR 9,000 to 33,000 | EUR 31,000 to 68,000 excluding enhancements |
| Recipe sheets and allergens | Yes, fixed structure | Matched to your production method |
| Multi-option quotes and menu variants | Basic | Variants, options, trade show packages |
| Link to accounting and POS | Limited connectors | Custom integrations |
| Time to go live | 4 to 8 weeks | 3 to 5 months |
For a 10-person caterer, off-the-shelf software is almost always the right choice. At 40 staff and 900 events, the question changes: if every quote still needs edits outside the software, the real gain disappears. Custom software remains a significant investment, to be justified by a time and margin calculation like the one below.
A 3 to 5 month project plan
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Sales, kitchen and logistics workshops | 2 to 3 weeks | Validated quote-to-production flow |
| Recipe migration | 3 to 4 weeks | 250 to 400 sheets with weights and allergens |
| Quote and variants module | 4 to 5 weeks | PDF quote signed online with deposit |
| Production sheets and orders | 3 to 4 weeks | Sheets per station, consolidated supplier orders |
| Test on 20 real events | 2 to 3 weeks | Fixes, team training |
Recipe migration is the longest phase. Plan for the head chef and a sous chef to be available 1 day a week for a month.
Mini case study
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Emma, managing director of a 40-person event caterer in London, delivers 900 events with an average ticket of EUR 6,500, which is EUR 5.85 million of revenue. Her sales team writes 1,400 quotes a year: going from 2 hours to 20 minutes frees about 2,330 hours, or EUR 105,000 at a loaded cost of EUR 45 an hour. By recovering 3 margin points on food cost, she gains EUR 175,500 a year. With a custom tool at EUR 42,000, payback comes in under 4 months, even counting only half of these gains.
FAQ
How much does event catering software cost in 2026?
Off-the-shelf products cost EUR 150 to 500 a month depending on the number of users. A custom tool costs between EUR 25,000 and 50,000, plus EUR 100 to 300 a month for hosting.
Does the software handle allergen declarations?
Yes, each recipe carries its allergens among the 14 regulated ones, and both the quote and the label pick them up automatically. A single recipe update flows through to every upcoming event.
Can clients sign the quote and pay the deposit online?
Yes, the client signs electronically and pays a 30% deposit by card or bank transfer. This shortens the gap between quote and confirmation by 5 to 10 days on average.
How many recipes need to be migrated at the start?
A caterer of this size often starts with 250 to 400 sheets. You can launch with the 100 best-selling recipes, which cover 70 to 80% of revenue.
Does the software calculate staffing needs?
Yes, using ratios per event type, for example 1 server per 15 to 20 seated guests. The casual staff rota is then generated along with the production sheet.
Let's scope your project. Event volume, number of recipes, quote-to-kitchen flow and an indicative budget comparing off-the-shelf and custom: we scope your tool over 3 to 5 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
