Catering management software
that handles the off-premise reality.
Off-premise drop-offs, on-premise plated dinners, multi-site corporate days, dietary-heavy weddings. One app from first enquiry to final invoice — built for caterers who work where the client is, not just where the kitchen is. from $39/month.
Six moments that break standard software.
Most event-management tools were built for venues that control the space. Catering is different — and here's where that difference shows up in the day-to-day.
Three drop-offs by noon, three addresses.
Office breakfast for 40 at the law firm by 8 AM. Lunch for 80 at the client conference at 11:30. Corporate dinner for 25 in Westmount at 6. Your van leaves at 6:45 AM. Every minute of timing matters.
In LightCater: each event has its own BEO with delivery address, arrival window, contact name and phone, equipment needed. Your driver carries the printed BEO; nothing's left to memory.
Every wedding wants something different.
One couple wants a passed-station hybrid. Another wants a fully vegetarian buffet with three protein swaps. A corporate client wants halal-certified for half their headcount. You're building proposals from scratch every time.
In LightCater: pull from your menu library, edit per-event, adjust quantities by guest count, apply taxes and gratuity. Save the customised menu to that event without polluting your master list. Polished proposal in minutes, not hours.
Vegan, GF, nut allergy, halal. On one BEO.
Your team needs to know exactly how many of each, which guests they belong to, and what gets substituted. Get it wrong and someone goes hungry — or worse.
In LightCater: dietary requirements logged per-guest during planning, summarized on the BEO with counts ("2 vegan · 1 GF · 1 nut allergy") and notes ("guest #12 nut allergy — separate prep"). Kitchen sees the full breakdown without digging.
"Make it 95 instead of 80." Twenty hours out.
The client emails late afternoon: their guest count went up. Your prep was based on 80. Now you need to update the kitchen, the rentals, the bill — and prove the change for invoicing.
In LightCater: update the headcount in one place, the BEO and invoice recalculate. The audit log captures the change with timestamp so you have the receipt when the invoice goes out. No "but I told you 80."
"Did we get all the chafing dishes back?"
Off-premise events go out with rented or owned equipment — chafing dishes, serving platters, linens, decanters. Half the time you don't know what came back until you need it for the next event.
In LightCater: equipment list per event on the BEO. Loaded → on-site → returned status. Nothing's "missing in action" because you can see what's owed.
Your phone is your office on Saturday.
You're at the venue setting up. A new client emails about a wedding tasting. You need to check availability, send a price range, follow up Monday — without driving back to the office.
In LightCater: works in any browser on any device. Pull up the calendar, send a quick reply, log the lead with a note. The app fits in your back pocket; the desk is optional.
Six features caterers use the most.
- Custom menu builder — pull from your library, edit per event, save the customisation to that booking.
- BEO with delivery addresses — load-in time, contact name, equipment, dietary breakdown — what your driver and kitchen team need.
- Dietary tracking per-guest — vegan/GF/halal/allergies summarised on the BEO with counts.
- Branded proposals + e-signature — proposal looks like your brand, client signs in the browser. No separate e-signature service fees.
- Mobile-friendly everywhere — manage events from your phone on-site, no driving back to the office.
- Five languages — function sheets and client emails in EN / DE / FR / IT / ES.
See every feature on the features page, or look up industry terms in the glossary.
from $39/month. No per-event fees.
1 user included in either plan. On Self-Service ($39/mo) each additional team member is $9/month; on With 24/7 Support ($59/mo) each additional is $14/month. Optional AI Agent add-on at $18/month, flat. 14-day free trial, no credit card to start, cancel anytime.
Questions off-premise caterers ask us
What's the best software for off-premise caterers?
How much does catering management software cost?
Can it handle multiple drop-off locations in one day?
Does it track dietary requirements on the BEO?
Do I need separate invoicing software?
Go deeper on the catering craft
Free, no-signup reads that pair with the way you work:
- How to price a catering event — the food-cost, labour and markup math so you stop leaving money on the table.
- How to write a catering proposal that wins — structure and language that turns enquiries into signed events.
- Banquet Event Order template — everything your driver and kitchen need on one sheet.
14 days. Real events. Real decision.
Quote your next event in LightCater. Print a BEO your team can use this weekend. See whether it fits how you actually work. No credit card to start.