Some operators hope catering will grow by osmosis. Allen Beck knows better.

As the Director of Off-Premise and Catering at Costa Vida, Allen has helped the brand double catering sales year over year by treating catering like what it is—a sales channel, not a side hustle.

From building boots-on-the-ground sales teams to engineering menus that travel well, Allen brings a clear-eyed, results-first mindset to growing off-premise revenue.

We’re excited to bring you Episode 10 of Restaurant Catering Smarts, featuring Allen Beck of Costa Vida!

When I worked in my restaurant, I’d pop the lid off a tray of ribs, sniff the smoke, and know we were about to get slammed. Today, operators can open a dashboard and see the surge coming an hour before a server ties their apron.

That’s the shift: instinct is still valuable, but in 2025, data drives the decisions. And increasingly, AI is taking the wheel.

Let’s be honest—running a catering business can feel like chaos on a good day. Orders coming in from everywhere. Operations held together by Post-It Notes. And your to-do list? Let’s not even go there.

That’s why I sat down with Marianne Jeff, aka The Get It Done Diva, for Episode 9 of Restaurant Catering Smarts. Marianne is a systems coach, business strategist, and founder of the Women’s Business Momentum Center, and she’s spent two decades helping entrepreneurs clear the clutter, build better habits, and grow businesses that don’t burn them out.

Running a fast-growing, multi-faceted catering business should feel rewarding—not like hitting your head against a wall every week.

Kristen Bailey, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Sweets & Meats BBQ, knows that pain all too well. Between running a restaurant, three food trucks, full-service catering, and vending events, she found herself buried in manual paperwork, handwritten kitchen tallies, and sleepless weekends.

But once Kristen discovered CaterZen's catering software, everything changed.

Scaling a catering operation isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing it smarter. And no one knows that better than Erle Dardick, founder of CaterLinked and the Off Premises Growth Academy.

In Episode 8 of Restaurant Catering Smarts, I sat down with Erle to talk about the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts that restaurant operators need to grow their off-premises business without burning out. From his early days owning a deli to consulting with national brands, Erle shares what it really takes to scale catering with clarity and confidence.

Cuban Kitchen’s journey with CaterZen is a story of taking control and simplifying what used to be a cumbersome process. Alejandra Baladón, the Catering Coordinator, shares how switching from an old, clunky platform to CaterZen's catering software has reshaped their operations for the better. Let’s dive into her story and see how a few smart software features are making a big difference every day.

If you’ve ever felt like catering is way more complicated than it needs to be—this podcasts episode is for you.

In Episode 7 of Restaurant Catering Smarts, I sat down with Kelly Grogan, Founder & CEO of CRUMBS, a platform designed to help restaurants grow through smarter marketing, simplified systems, and a serious focus on catering as a scalable revenue stream.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the catering business, it’s that no two menus—and no two customers—are the same. Flexibility is key. Whether you’re serving boxed lunches, sandwich platters, or BBQ combos, your customers want choices. And let’s be honest: you don’t have time to deal with a rigid system that makes order-taking a headache.

That’s why we’ve rolled out Mix & Match Options—a game-changing feature that gives you complete control over how customers select their menu options.

Growing a catering business isn’t just about making great food—it’s about getting in front of the right customers, responding fast, and delivering an experience that keeps them coming back. That’s exactly how Aron Benon, CEO of LaLa Tacos, built a thriving catering operation with 22 taco carts, a 5,000-square-foot catering kitchen, and a never-ending stream of leads.

We’ve been hard at work on some big projects behind the scenes, and today we’re excited to roll out a powerful new catering software feature designed to make managing your catering business easier than ever: The Notes List—a centralized way to track, filter, and manage all your notes in one place.

Plus, we’ve revamped Highlighted Notes, making it easier to keep track of important customer details when viewing a contact record or placing an order.

Let’s dive in!