Most restaurants say they want to grow catering. Few actually do.
And even fewer treat it like the strategic revenue pillar it deserves to be.
But when they do? The results can be massive.
Just ask our client, Padrino’s Cuban Cuisine — a 30+ year-old family-run brand with 5 locations across South Florida.
Their goal this year: Double their catering business.
In just three months, they’re already up 85% year-over-year in catering sales.
Here’s how we helped them do it — and what you can learn from it.
What It Really Takes to Grow Catering
Growing catering isn’t just about adding a tab on your website or posting trays on Instagram. It takes a strategic, full-funnel effort.
Here’s the multi-channel approach we implemented for Padrino’s:
1. Paid Lead Generation That Reaches Office Decision Makers
We launched a hyper-targeted paid strategy that puts Padrino’s directly in front of corporate catering buyers—the people who actually place recurring office orders.
2. Recurring Order Pitch Framework
We built a system that not only captures initial orders but turns them into ongoing, weekly relationships with local offices.
3. SEO to Compete with Catering Companies
We optimized their catering presence on Google to compete against not just restaurants, but major catering firms. They’re now ranking #1 for several key local catering terms.
4. Full-Funnel Visibility
This included:
- Organic social content that highlights real catering use cases
- A website UX optimized for catering conversion
- 4-wall signage and table toppers promoting catering
- Email signature banners across staff communications
- And most recently: Direct online ordering for catering via Appfront
5. Operations Team Buy-In
Padrino’s internal team is fully aligned with the growth strategy. They’re trained, responsive, and fully integrated with the marketing efforts—which makes everything work.
Key Takeaways
- Catering requires commitment. Treat it like a core revenue channel, not a side hustle.
- Paid media is your fastest route to recurring office clients. But it must be paired with the right pitch.
- SEO matters more than ever. You’re not just competing with restaurants—you’re competing with national catering platforms.
- Your entire presence should reinforce catering. From your website to your staff emails.
- Alignment across teams is non-negotiable. Marketing only works when operations are ready to deliver flawlessly.
FAQ: Restaurant Catering Growth Strategy
Q1: What if we don’t have a big catering operation yet?
Start with what you have. Build a basic menu, add it to your website, and begin collecting leads. You don’t need to go big overnight—but you do need to start.
Q2: What channels work best for catering lead generation?
Paid ads targeting office managers and admins, local SEO, email signature banners, and in-store signage all work well together.
Q3: Should I invest in a catering-specific ordering platform?
Yes—tools like Appfront, Lunchbox, or EZ Cater integrations can make a big difference in operational efficiency and conversion.
Q4: Can I do this without paid ads?
It’s possible, but much slower. Paid ads accelerate awareness and demand, especially when your organic reach is limited.
Q5: How long does it take to see results?
Our clients often see wins within the first 30–60 days when all pieces are aligned. In Padrino’s case, they saw 85% YoY growth by month three.
Want help building a catering strategy that actually scales? Book a Free Catering Growth Audit — and let’s build something predictable, profitable, and repeatable.