Ever feel like your staff’s stretched thinner than pulled pork at a vegan potluck?

You’re not alone.

We’re in the middle of what I like to call the “catering labor crunch.” Fewer hands on deck. More orders rolling in. And if you’re not using the right tools, you’re stuck doing things the hard way - tape, spreadsheets, and prayers.

But here’s the good news:

CaterZen's catering software gives smaller teams the power to handle more volume without hiring more people - or losing their minds in the process.

Let’s break it down...

At CaterZen, we believe barbecue catering isn’t just “extra food” — it’s one of the most powerful profit centers a BBQ restaurant can build when it’s done with discipline, quality, and intentional systems behind it. That belief is exactly why we created Barbecue Catering Smarts—your go-to podcast for actionable insights, expert advice, and real-world strategies to grow your restaurant’s catering business.

Hosted by me, Michael Attias, founder of CaterZen Catering Software, each episode dives deep into the challenges and opportunities unique to BBQ catering. I talk with pitmasters, smokehouse owners, and catering leaders who’ve figured out how to turn barbecue into a scalable, repeatable catering operation — without chaos, compromise, or guesswork. 

We’re excited to share Episode 27 of Barbecue Catering Smarts, featuring Jim Lenzen, Owner of Jimmy L’s — a BBQ operator who built a multi-state catering business from small-town roots by leaning into quality, consistency, and systems that hold up even when orders get big.

Let me ask you something...

How often do you look at your catering numbers and think, "Well, we were busy... but were we profitable?"

If you're anything like I was back in the day, you don't have time to babysit spreadsheets or play detective. You're too busy putting out fires, feeding clients, and trying to remember where you put your car keys.

That’s why I built CaterZen's catering software, to be your right hand when it comes to understanding what’s actually moving the needle in your catering business.

Recently in our blog, we've been showing you how to use CaterZen's built-in reporting tools. This post builds on that foundation with a few extra calculations and power-user tips to help you dig deeper into your data and grow your catering business faster.

Let’s dig in.

At CaterZen, we believe catering isn’t just extra food—it’s one of the most powerful profit centers a barbecue restaurant can build when it’s done right. That belief is exactly why we created Barbecue Catering Smarts—your go-to podcast for actionable insights, expert advice, and real-world strategies to grow your restaurant’s catering business.

Hosted by me, Michael Attias, founder of CaterZen Catering Software, each episode dives deep into the challenges and opportunities unique to BBQ catering. We talk with pitmasters, smokehouse owners, and catering leaders who’ve figured out how to turn barbecue into a scalable, repeatable catering operation—without chaos.

We’re excited to share Episode 26 of Barbecue Catering Smarts, featuring Linda Bogach, Catering Director at Central BBQ.

Every year, our team gets together for our annual Traction meeting. And every year, we do something that I think matters more than most people realize - we revisit our core values.

Not because we’re bored.

Not because EOS says we should.

But because values only matter if they’re still true.

Businesses evolve. People evolve. The industry definitely evolves. If your core values don’t keep up - or worse, if they turn into empty words - you’re just decorating a wall.

I wanted to share ours publicly, not as a branding exercise, but as a transparency exercise. These values guide how we build CaterZen, how we support our clients, how we make decisions, and how we work together when things aren’t black and white.

So here they are - explained the way we actually live them.

As the year comes to a close, this week between Christmas and New Year’s has a way of slowing things down just enough to breathe.

If you’re in catering, the holiday season usually brings a strange mix of emotions.

For some, it’s one of the busiest stretches of the year. For others, it’s finally a brief pause after weeks of controlled chaos. And for most people I know in this business, even when you’re technically “off,” part of your brain is still on - thinking about orders, staff, drivers, food, and what tomorrow looks like.

That’s just the nature of this industry.

At CaterZen, we’re all about empowering restauranteurs to grow their catering businesses, and our Restaurant Catering Smarts podcast is your backstage pass to insights, strategies, and stories from the industry’s best. Hosted by me, Michael Attias, founder of CaterZen Catering Software, each episode is designed to help you level up your catering game with actionable advice and real-world success stories.

We’re excited to announce Episode 25 of Restaurant Catering Smarts, featuring Erin Childs, Independent Restaurant Consultant & Coach!

Let me guess: You didn’t get into catering to become a spreadsheet jockey. But between writing quotes, tracking orders, and trying to remember which customer ghosted you last month... you might feel like you’re running a data company instead of a catering operation.

Well, good news. AI isn’t here to replace you. It’s here to rescue you.

At CaterZen, we’re on a mission to help restaurateurs grow thriving, profitable catering businesses — and our Restaurant Catering Smarts podcast is one of the best ways we can put real-world strategies straight into your hands. Hosted by me, Michael Attias, founder of CaterZen Catering Software, each episode delivers actionable insights from leaders who are scaling off-premise, building powerhouse teams, and transforming the way restaurants grow.

Today, we’re excited to release Episode 24 of Restaurant Catering Smarts, featuring a powerhouse operator and leader in the franchising world: Phillip Scotton, President & COO of Primo Partners.

Back in the day, catering software was basically a glorified calendar with some order forms attached. Fast forward to 2026, and the demands are far more intense. Rising food costs, labor headaches, delivery complexity, and customers who expect Amazon-style convenience? That’s the new normal.

So if you're a restaurant owner or catering manager trying to grow your off-premise revenue without losing your sanity, this guide is for you. We’re diving into the top catering software platforms for 2026 - what they do well, where they fall short, and which one might be your secret weapon.