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!
🎙️ Episode 10: From Hustle to High-Volume—Allen Beck’s No-Fluff Formula for Catering Growth
In this episode, I sit down with Allen to discuss what it truly takes to scale a multi-unit catering program across corporate and franchise locations.
Spoiler: It’s not just software. It’s people. It’s packaging. It’s processes.
And Allen lays it all out.
Here’s what you’ll learn in Episode 10:
✅ Why sales reps are the single biggest driver of growth
✅ How to win franchisee buy-in by involving them early in the process
✅ The ROI of hiring before automating—and why tech alone won’t solve your sales problems
✅ How working interviews help find the right people for catering roles
✅ Why some Costa Vida stores say no to certain orders—and grow faster because of it
✅ What to look for when engineering your menu for travel and scale
✅ Why packaging audits and QA visits keep brand standards strong
✅ The labor math Costa Vida uses to ensure catering stays profitable
Whether you run one location or 100, this episode is packed with hard-won lessons and zero fluff.
🎧 How to Tune In
You can watch the full video or listen to the episode of the podcast here.
Why Restaurant Catering Smarts?
This podcast pulls back the curtain on how successful restaurant catering programs are built—from strategy to staffing to systems.
Every episode features real operators sharing real wins, real mistakes, and the playbooks you can borrow to grow your own catering business.
We Want to Hear From You!
Have a question or story from the field? Got a win worth sharing? Let’s connect—we love hearing from catering pros who are in the trenches.
Stay Connected with Us on Social Media!
Don’t miss out on updates, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive tips for growing your catering business. Follow us on social media to stay in the loop:
- LinkedIn: CaterZen LinkedIn
- Twitter/X: @CaterZen
- Instagram: @CaterZenCateringSoftware
- Facebook: CaterZen Catering Software
Ready to Treat Catering Like the Sales Engine It Should Be?
If catering still feels like a reactive, bolt-on service in your business, Allen’s approach might be the shift you need.
The most successful brands don’t just wait for catering to happen—they put the right people in place, define the right processes, and stay laser-focused on profitability.
Give this episode a listen and pick one thing to implement—maybe it’s hiring a dedicated sales rep, auditing your packaging, or choosing your top three target customer segments. Because when you treat catering like a real business channel, it pays off like one.
