Group Ordering
What is Group Ordering?
Cater2.me’s Group Ordering platform gives you and your team the flexibility to enjoy customized meals from a curated selection of the best local vendors in your city. A Cater2.me expert plans vendors and curates menus based on your set schedule. Employees can be invited to join in on the meal and select and customize the items they’d like to order. Meals are individually wrapped and arrive in a single group delivery.
How much do meals cost?
We always aim to cater to a wide range of budgets. Group Ordering menus typically include several options for entrees, as well as sides, appetizers, desserts, and beverages. Individual entrees generally range between $14-18 with additional appetizers, sides, and other add-ons available at a variety of price points. Your Account Manager can present a variety of options at different price points based on your team’s budget and preferences.
Can I provide subsidies for team meals?
We offer multiple ways to pay for meals through Group Ordering. Companies can provide a full or partial subsidy for employee meals or let the team pay on their own. Subsidies can be allocated as a specific credit per meal or as a recurring allowance on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. Regardless of subsidy amount, the company will be charged only when subsidies are used towards employee meals. If employees choose to order above and beyond their allocated subsidy, they can pay out-of-pocket via credit card or direct debit.
Do I have to allow employees to see the price of meals?
No, you do not! Through our Group Ordering + Fixed Price offering, companies can set a specific per-person, per-meal budget, and employees are presented with meal options at or under the budget. Employees select a single meal option from the menu and enjoy a streamlined, two-click checkout process. Prices are hidden and employees do not have the option to order additional items or pay out-of-pocket.
Are there any order minimums?
Typically our Group Ordering programs are best for groups with expected meal participation of at least 20 people, though there are certainly exceptions based on your program specifics. For more information, get in touch!
How far in advance can we place an order?
The Cater2.me team typically makes menus available to meal program participants every Wednesday afternoon for meals taking place the following week (Monday-Sunday). Once menus are made available, participants have until 5pm the night before the meal to submit their order. In some cases, the deadline for placing orders for Monday meals is the prior Friday at 5pm.
What if an employee forgets to order?
If an employee realizes after the deadline that they forgot to order, please reach out to your Account Manager to see if they can get in contact with the vendor and add an additional meal. We cannot guarantee late orders will be accommodated, as vendors typically have a tight timeline for placing inventory and beginning their meal preparations.
As an alternative, the Host — the user who organizes the meal — is able to order extra meals in the Host Cart, which is connected to the company payment method. Hosts can order additional meals via the Host Cart just in case team members forget their meals, or they can label these meals with specific names if they know in advance that certain team members or guests will be unable to place orders. Extra meals can be labeled with team member names or something else — like “Extra Vegetarian Meal” — that helps identify them when they arrive onsite.
How many restaurants can we choose from per meal?
We typically schedule one restaurant for every fifty employees expected to participate in a meal. We do this to reduce the number of delivery personnel accessing your office for any given meal, and also to ensure a certain volume of orders for each vendor preparing your meal.
Every meal — whether served by one vendor or multiple — will have a number of options available, many of which are often further customizable. We always ensure that all dietary needs are covered for every menu we make available.
What if there is an issue with someone’s order?
Please contact us immediately if there is an issue with a participant meal and we will help remedy the situation. If your team has an On-Site Catering Coordinator, they will reach out to your Account Manager on your behalf, or you can contact us directly by email or by calling your local Cater2.me office.
As an additional step, employees can leave feedback at the end of each meal through their Cater2.me account. All feedback is taken into consideration when picking future restaurant options for your team.
How are the meals organized onsite?
All employees are assigned an alphanumeric code (ex. A21) upon joining the Group Ordering platform, and this code is placed on each person’s meals moving forward for easy identification onsite. For distribution, there are few different options:
Stations - We set up number-labeled meal stations that make sense for your office layout. For each delivery, all meals are assigned a station number and set up in the appropriate area upon arrival. Meal participants are notified of their station number by text and email each morning. We use available office furniture (countertops and tables) to set up for meal time and provide tabletop labels to designate each station.
Shelving - Clients with headcounts of 25+ frequently elect to install mobile shelving units in their office. If this option is selected, meals are automatically assigned a shelf number each day and set up on the corresponding shelf by the delivery person. Meal participants are notified of their meal location each morning by text and email. If interested, we would love to assist with shelving ideas and can facilitate purchase, delivery, and setup on your behalf.
If we’re providing an On-site Catering Coordinator for your meal, they will assist with setup and distribution of your meals, in addition to any cleanup or breakdown needed.
Are you able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergens?
Yes, we pride ourselves on being able to accommodate a wide range of dietary restrictions and preferences! We ensure that all menus have a variety of options for the most common dietary needs, and many of our items can be further customized by the participants so they can personalize their meals to fit their individual needs.
To make things easy, participants can fill out their allergen and dietary restrictions in their profile when signing up for Group Ordering. If they select an item that does not match their profile, they are notified prior to checkout to ensure all meals ordered are safe for them to eat.
