Every time I walk a client through CaterZen's Burq integration, we hit the same moment.
They like what they see. They understand the value. And then they ask the question that's been sitting in the back of their mind the whole time:
"Okay - but who are these drivers? Who's actually going to show up at my client's door?"
Good question.
Because here's what's really being asked: Will a third-party driver represent my brand the way I would?
That's not a logistics question. That's a brand question. A client relationship question. A "I built this catering program from scratch and I'm not handing it to someone who treats it like a pizza drop-off" question.
It's exactly why we chose DeliverThat as our featured catering delivery partner - and why we didn't just flip a switch and connect CaterZen to any driver network.
Not All Third-Party Delivery Is the Same
Most people hear "third-party delivery" and picture a gig worker picking up a bag from a counter and dropping it on someone's doorstep.
That's not catering delivery.
Catering delivery is a $1,200 board lunch that needs to be set up properly. It's a recurring corporate client whose executive assistant has very specific instructions. It's a driver who's the last thing your client sees before they eat - and the first thing they remember when they decide whether to reorder.
Standard gig platforms aren't built for this. Their drivers handle hundreds of different order types, often have no idea what's in the bag, and have zero reason to treat your catering setup with any particular care.
DeliverThat was built for exactly this—and nothing else.
What Makes DeliverThat Different
DeliverThat isn't a marketplace. It's not an ordering platform. It's a delivery company built specifically for restaurants and catering brands - that's all they do.
Their drivers know:
- Boardroom and office deliveries - proper presentation and setup, not drop-and-run
- Large-order logistics - multiple trays, beverage service, equipment handling
- What professional looks like - appearance, communication, and conduct
- What late costs you - because a lunch that arrives 20 minutes late isn't an inconvenience. It's a lost account.
Their network currently spans 45,000 professional drivers across all 50 states and every major metro, with a 99% fulfillment rate across the entire network. For any delivery service, that's impressive. For catering-specific delivery, it's exceptional.
We Don't Just Connect You. We Introduce You.
Connecting you to a delivery network is one thing. Making sure that the network actually understands your operation before the first driver shows up - that's another.
Here's what happens when a CaterZen client activates DeliverThat through our Burq integration:
We make a personal introduction.
Not a form. Not an automated onboarding email. An actual, direct introduction - we connect you with DeliverThat's team personally. From there, the two sides get aligned on:
- Your delivery needs and expectations
- Preferred workflows—lead times, communication, handoff protocols
- Coverage and availability in your market
- Best practices for getting started
This isn't a vendor relationship. By the time your first Burq delivery goes out through DeliverThat, they already know who you are, how you operate, and what you expect.
That's what "seamless extension of your team" actually means.
Your Brand Standards. Their Accountability.
One of the things that drew us to DeliverThat is how they think about brand ownership.
Their philosophy is simple: you define the delivery expectations, they execute them, and you keep first-party control.
They don't compete for your customer. They don't take a commission. They don't insert themselves between you and your guest.
They fulfill the delivery. You keep the relationship.
This matters because the real fear with third-party delivery isn't only whether the food arrives on time. It's also whether the experience holds up. Whether the driver is professional. Whether your client still associates that delivery with your brand - not whoever happened to show up.
DeliverThat's answer to that is infrastructure: their Driver App enforces brand standards on every single delivery. Every driver. Every time.
The Financial Case: Flat Rate, No Surprises
Most delivery services price dynamically - by distance, by demand, or as a percentage of order value. For catering, that creates real problems.
If your delivery cost is a percentage of order value, your fee changes every time the order size changes. If it's distance-based, you need to calculate the route before you can quote a client. And if demand surges the day of your delivery, you're paying more than you budgeted for.
DeliverThat's pricing model is different: a flat delivery fee of $28.99, regardless of order size or distance. You also set a driver tip during order entry - that amount passes directly to the driver, and you control it.
What that means in practice:
- No percentage-based erosion on large orders - your margin on a $1,200 delivery is the same as on a $300 delivery
- No surprises - your delivery fee and tip are both set during order entry, so you know your total cost before the driver is dispatched
- Predictable costs that make quoting delivery fees to clients simple
- No scaling penalties - as your catering program grows, your per-delivery cost stays the same
Through CaterZen's Burq integration, you see that cost upfront before you confirm the delivery. Set your own customer-facing delivery fee. Know your margin before the driver is dispatched.
How It Works: Burq + DeliverThat Inside CaterZen
DeliverThat is the partner. Burq is the integration that makes them accessible directly from your CaterZen dashboard.
Here's what a typical delivery looks like:
- Order comes in. Your in-house drivers are already booked.
- One click. You assign the delivery to Burq from your order entry screen or delivery route planner - no second login, no copy-pasting.
- Select DeliverThat. You see upfront pricing and confirm.
- Driver assigned. Real-time tracking flows back into your CaterZen dashboard.
- Delivery complete. Proof of delivery - photo and signature - goes into your order history.
You never leave CaterZen. Your team sees everything in one place. And because you've already aligned with DeliverThat on your delivery standards, you know the person showing up is prepared.
Burq access is $15 per location per month. From there, you only pay for the deliveries you actually book - DeliverThat always at $28.99 flat.
Who This Is For
This setup makes sense if any of these sound familiar:
- You've turned away catering orders because you didn't have a driver available
- You've pulled someone off the kitchen line to cover a last-minute delivery
- You want to expand your delivery radius without adding headcount
- You've tried third-party delivery before and had concerns about driver quality or professionalism
- You want delivery costs you can actually build into your pricing model
- You operate multiple locations and need consistent coverage across all of them
If none of those apply - you've got reliable in-house drivers, consistent capacity, and no gaps- you probably don't need this right now.
But if even one of them hit close to home, it's worth a 15-minute conversation.
A Word on Third-Party Delivery
I know some of you have been burned by third-party delivery before.
Uber Eats. DoorDash. Those platforms were built for restaurant takeout - a driver, a bag, a doorstep. They weren't designed for a $1,200 corporate setup with specific instructions and a client whose assistant is watching the clock.
DeliverThat is different. Their drivers only do catering. That's the whole business.
Which means the person showing up at your client's door understands what's expected - and your client still associates that delivery with your brand, not whoever happened to drop it off.
DeliverThat executes the delivery. You own the relationship. Your brand stays intact.
Ready to Meet DeliverThat?
If you want to see how the Burq integration works inside CaterZen -and get your own introduction to the DeliverThat team - book a 15-minute walkthrough our team.
We'll cover:
- How to activate Burq in your CaterZen account
- What the booking flow looks like from order entry
- How we'll personally connect you with DeliverThat's partnerships team
- What that first conversation looks like
Book your walkthrough here.
Not sure if it's the right fit? Book the call anyway - we'll help you figure out if your delivery volume makes sense for this.
If you're not already in CaterZen, the best way to see how all of this fits together is to get inside the system. You can start a free 30-day trial today - no hand-holding required. Set up a delivery, run a quote, see how the Burq integration sits right inside your workflow.
Or if you'd rather have someone walk you through it, book a demo. We'll show you exactly how CaterZen - and the DeliverThat connection - can work for your operation.
Your catering program is too valuable to hand off to a platform and hope for the best. The right tools and the right partners make the difference between a delivery that wins you the next order and one that costs you it.
