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.
Wayne Gretzky famously said you have to skate to where the puck is going, not where it’s been. That quote has stuck with me for decades because it applies perfectly to software - and especially to catering software.
For us, innovation means constantly asking, “What’s next?”
How do we reduce manual work?
How do we automate the boring stuff?
How do we surface better data so owners can make smarter decisions faster?
That’s why we’re investing heavily in automation, smarter workflows, AI where it makes sense, and better reporting across the board.
But here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough: innovation is useless if the fundamentals aren’t rock solid.
If the system is slow, unreliable, or confusing, it doesn’t matter how “advanced” it is. So while we push forward, we’re obsessive about the basics—speed, stability, security, and clarity. Catering software should just work. Quietly. Consistently. Without drama.
We’re not a giant corporation with departments stacked on top of departments. And we’re definitely not a faceless software company where no one knows your name.
We’re a small, tight-knit team that genuinely enjoys what we do - and understands catering at a real-world level.
That means everyone here takes ownership. If there’s a problem, we don’t kick it down the road. If something can be improved, we don’t wait for permission. That mindset has allowed us to adapt as the industry changes, respond quickly to client needs, and stay energized instead of burned out.
The best ideas don’t come from hierarchy. They come from people who care enough to solve problems like the business is their own - because in many ways, it is.
This one is personal for me.
Long before CaterZen existed, I was teaching, consulting, speaking, and creating content. Back before blogs, podcasts, and “thought leadership” were things people planned marketing calendars around.
I’ve always believed in giving value first.
When it comes to our software, we don’t want clients blindly clicking buttons. We want them to understand why things work the way they do - and how to use them in a way that fits their specific business.
The better educated our clients are, the more successful they become. And when our clients win, everyone wins. The same philosophy applies internally. Learning isn’t optional here—it’s part of the job.
This sounds obvious, but in software, it’s surprisingly rare.
A lot of catering tools are built as side projects - add-ons to restaurant systems or generic platforms stuffed with features that look impressive but don’t actually help operators make more money or save time.
Catering isn’t an afterthought for us. It’s the whole point.
We take client feedback seriously. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team, not ignored or buried. And when we build features, we ask one simple question: Does this actually move the needle for caterers?
If it doesn’t save time, reduce friction, or increase sales, it doesn’t belong—no matter how flashy it looks.
This one costs us money sometimes. And I’m completely fine with that.
CaterZen is flexible. It works for restaurants, catering companies, food trucks, single-unit operators, and multi-unit brands. But we’re not the right fit for everyone - and we won’t pretend otherwise.
We won’t make promises we can’t keep.
We won’t twist ourselves into knots just to close a deal.
We think of our clients as partners, not transactions. Many of them feel the same way - and that’s why so many have been with us for years.
Long-term trust beats short-term revenue. Every single time.
Core values aren’t meant to sound good on a website. They’re meant to guide decisions—especially the uncomfortable ones.
These values shape how we build, how we support, and how we show up every day at CaterZen. If they resonate with you, there’s a good chance we’ll work well together. When you’re ready, you can explore the platform through a 30-day free trial or by booking a quick walkthrough - no pressure, no sales gymnastics.
And if they don’t resonate? That’s okay too.
Doing the right thing includes knowing when something isn’t the right fit.