CaterOps

CaterOps manages catering operations from event inquiry through kitchen preparation and event-day staffing. Its event pipeline follows work through quoting, confirmation, and completion, with list, board, and calendar views. The BEO builder calculates food, labor, fees, taxes, gratuity, discounts, and food-and-beverage minimums as details are entered. Teams can create menus and scaled floor plans, reuse templates, export layouts as PNG files, and share plans with clients within set limits. A branded client portal lets customers review proposals, update details and guest counts, select menus, arrange seating within limits, and approve and sign. Signatures capture a typed name, timestamp, and IP address. Signed BEO food lines seed station-based prep lists; the system also supports run-of-show schedules and staff role and time assignments. CaterOps describes itself as made for caterers. Its Free plan costs nothing and covers up to five events monthly and one team member. Pro is $3, paid once, billed at $3 per event. The site says signups are coming soon, as are its iOS and Android apps.

CaterOps connects client approvals with BEOs, prep lists, floor plans, and staffing workflows. Its stated availability is a consideration: signups and mobile apps are listed as coming soon.

CaterOps suits caterers coordinating proposals, event details, kitchen preparation, floor plans, and staffing. Its client portal also supports customer review and approval of event plans.

Overview

CaterOps brings catering sales and event execution into one workflow, from the first inquiry to kitchen preparation. It is best suited to caterers who want client approvals, event pricing, floor plans, and staff coordination tied to the same event. The connected workflow is appealing, but the stated signup and app availability make immediate adoption a concern.

Key features

The event pipeline tracks work from inquiry through quoting, confirmation, and completion, with list, board, and calendar views. That gives teams useful ways to monitor bookings at different stages. The BEO builder calculates food, labor, fees, taxes, gratuity, discounts, and food-and-beverage minimums as users enter them, keeping proposal totals connected to the event rather than requiring separate calculations.

A branded client portal lets customers review proposals, update event details and guest counts, select menus, arrange seating within set limits, and approve and sign. Signatures record a typed name, timestamp, and IP address. The floor-plan designer supports scaled layouts, self-seating tables, reusable templates, PNG export, and client sharing, though seating and sharing have limits.

Once a BEO is signed, its food lines seed station-based prep lists, connecting approved orders to kitchen work. Run-of-show schedules and staff role and time assignments support event-day coordination. CaterOps also includes menu management, catering order management, staff scheduling, payment processing, proposal building, and contract signing. Enterprise includes custom integrations, but no named integration is identified. CaterOps says inquiries receive a response within one business day; Enterprise customers get priority support.

The privacy policy says business data is stored on Supabase, protected by company-level row-level security, encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL, and encrypted at rest by the cloud provider. Customers retain ownership and may request an export or account deletion; deletion is completed within 30 days, subject to backup and legal obligations.

Pricing

Free: free. It allows up to five events a month and one team member, with an event pipeline, basic BEOs, and a menu builder. That is a practical way for a solo caterer to explore the workflow at low volume, but the event and seat caps make it a poor fit for a growing team.

Pro: $3, paid once, billed $3/ event. It includes unlimited events, a client portal and e-signatures, floor-plan design and sharing, auto follow-up reminders, and an unlimited team. The per-event charge ties cost to bookings and removes the free plan’s event and team limits, which may suit variable-volume caterers; frequent events will make that metered structure more consequential.

Enterprise: custom pricing. It adds custom volume pricing, advanced analytics, priority support, and custom integrations, making it the relevant option for businesses that need those capabilities rather than a published fixed rate.

The pricing note also gives a 90-day trial. CaterOps says signups are coming soon, so prospective customers should not count on starting a subscription immediately.

Platforms

CaterOps lists Android, iOS, and web platforms, but its site says the iOS and Android apps are coming soon on the App Store and Google Play. The stated app rollout and upcoming signups limit its appeal to teams that need to begin using a mobile app now.

Who it's for

CaterOps describes itself as built for caterers, drawing on event-day catering experience. Its strongest fit is a catering business that wants proposals, client decisions, BEO pricing, prep lists, floor plans, and staffing workflows connected. A solo operator with no more than five monthly events can start on Free; teams needing more users or client approvals will need Pro. It is less compelling for anyone who needs immediate signup or mobile-app access.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Signed BEO food lines seed station-based prep lists, reducing the gap between client approval and kitchen preparation.
• Pro: The client portal combines proposal review, event updates, menu selection, seating, approval, and signing in one branded workflow.
• Pro: Pro charges $3 per event and includes unlimited events and team members, which avoids a fixed event quota as the business grows.
• Con: Free is capped at five events a month and one team member, limiting its usefulness for busier operations or shared workflows.
• Con: Signups and mobile apps are coming soon, making CaterOps a difficult choice for teams ready to adopt now.
• Con: Floor-plan seating and sharing have set limits, so teams should not assume those client-facing functions are unrestricted.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Restaurant Catering Software.

Catertoo is another freemium option with Android, iOS, API, and web platforms. Its free plan allows three events a month but includes unlimited users and clients, proposals, e-signatures, and a menu builder, so it may suit a small team that values uncapped seats over CaterOps’ five-event allowance.

CaterTrack is a paid option with a seven-day free start covering orders, bookings, menus, customer history, and web, Android, and iPhone apps, with no card needed. It is worth considering for teams that want to try an app-supported ordering workflow now.

Excellent offers an annual plan at $300 a year, billed $3,600 a year per location, with every user included, unlimited events, leads, and proposals, no setup fees, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. It may fit a location-based business that prefers a fixed annual price and uncapped activity.

Civica Catering Management is a paid alternative available across Android, API, iOS, and web; its pricing is custom, with a demo offered.

Caterease is a paid option for Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows, with annual-billed enhancement modules priced separately. It may suit teams looking for a broader desktop and mobile platform with add-on modules.

CaterZen has a Pro plan at $179 a month, including unlimited users, transactions, menus and items, and orders and events. It may suit businesses that prefer a fixed monthly cost and broad unlimited operating quotas.

Curate is a paid option with annual-subscription pricing by chat; its Basic plan is described for a few employees and includes one saved configurable print and two custom properties. It may be relevant to a small team evaluating a configurable print workflow.

Jucas Catering Software is another option; its maker identifies QDev Technolab Pvt. Ltd. as the company powering JUCAS.

Verdict

CaterOps is worth considering for caterers who want client approvals, BEO pricing, floor plans, and kitchen and staffing workflows connected to each event. The $3-per-event Pro plan and unlimited team can suit variable booking volumes, but the five-event Free cap and stated wait for signups and mobile apps are meaningful constraints. Choose it if that connected workflow is the priority and timing is flexible; look elsewhere if you need to start now or require a mobile app today.