MicroSale Catering is an all-in-one solution for managing catering operations alongside your regular restaurant business. This comprehensive guide covers everything from setup to advanced features.
MicroSale Catering Overview
Core Functionality:
- Streamlined takeout management and enhanced catering services
- Specialized tax calculations and intelligent order routing
- Versatile payment options including deposits for future orders
- Revenue tracking and "Bill Later" options for flexibility
- Professional proposals sent via email
- Seamless integration with your everyday operations
- Built-in B2B corporate account management
- Automated prep sheets and dynamic marketing tools
Key Business Benefits
- Higher Check Averages – Drive larger catering orders with an intuitive, streamlined process
- Seamless Online & In-Store Integration – Manage all catering orders alongside daily restaurant operations
- Built-In Corporate Account Management – Extend credit, manage house accounts, and automate invoices for corporate clients
Core Operational Areas
Back-of-House Control
- Ensure every catering order is accurate, fresh, and on time with powerful management tools
- Automated prep and pack sheets
- Real-time alerts for order changes
Branded Catering Experience
- Deliver a seamless branded experience across your website and app
- Professional proposal documents with your restaurant branding
- Consistent customer experience from order to delivery
Automated Marketing & CRM
- Engage your catering clients with personalized offers
- Automated follow-up communications
- Customer loyalty rewards for repeat catering clients
- Track customer preferences and order history
- Target marketing campaigns based on past orders
Management Features
- House Accounts & Tax-Exempt Orders - Allow corporate clients to pay monthly and manage tax exemptions for non-profits
- Backend Order Entry for Staff - Simplified interface for phone and in-person orders
- Multi-Location Order Transfers - Easily reassign orders between locations based on capacity, proximity, or specialized menu items
- Loyalty Program for Catering Customers - Reward repeat catering clients with points, discounts, and special offers specific to large orders
- Integrated Marketing CRM - Track customer data, preferences, and order history to enable targeted promotions
- Automated Prep & Pack Sheets - Generate detailed preparation lists automatically based on order requirements
- Delivery Radius & Fee Customization - Set zone-based delivery fees and customize service areas by location
- White-Glove Catering Delivery Dispatch - Premium delivery service with professional setup options and special handling instructions
Setting Up Catering
To enable catering as an order type:
- Go to Managers Menu
- Select Register Setup
- Go to Terminal Configuration
- Select Register Options Phone Orders
- Enable "Catering as Order Type"
Setting Up Catering Proposal Button
To add the Catering Proposal function button:
- Go to Managers Menu
- Select Register Setup
- Go to Terminal Configuration
- Select Edit Order Screen Buttons
- Select Catering Proposal
Email Configuration
By default, catering proposals are sent from auto-reports@posinsights.net.
To change the outgoing email server, consult with your MicroSale representative.
Understanding Order Types & Color Codes
The system uses color coding to help you identify order status:
| Color | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Black | Active & In Production | Order is currently being prepared |
| Blue | Active & Pending | Order is active but not yet in production, possibly pending for a specific pickup/delivery time |
| Red | Future Preorder | Preorder set for a future day. Preorders are automatically printed the night before to notify the kitchen. |
IMPORTANT: Do not close preorders at the end of the night. The system automatically handles printing them for kitchen preparation.
Takeout Dashboard Toolbar
The takeout dashboard toolbar provides these important functions:
- Change Order / Customer Info: Modify contact information, print customer receipts, add prepayment, or a deposit
- Release Order: Manually release pending orders to the kitchen (touch the order to release)
- Show All Orders: Toggle between delivery, pickup, preorders, and unassigned delivery orders
- Assign Driver / Get Directions: Dispatch delivery orders, view open delivery orders on a map, and get directions from stop to stop
- Close All: Quickly add tips for delivery drivers and/or close multiple orders at once (at the end of each driver's shift, enter all tips in one place)
- Search By: Search open phone orders using selected criteria
- Sort By: Resort open orders by time or group pickup and delivery orders together
Placing Catering Orders
These instructions are for orders called in or placed in person. If the order is placed online, no additional steps are needed.
STEP 1: Starting the Order
- Tap "Phone Order" (can be accessed from multiple places):
- From the order screen, select Phone Orders → New Phone Order, or
- Use the shortcut function "New Phone Order" (bypasses the submenu)
- When prompted with Order Type, tap "Catering"
- Options: Pick Up – Delivery – Catering
- Enter the customer's phone number when prompted
- If you see "No Match Found" message, this means it's a new caller not matching any profiles in your database
STEP 2: Customer Information
- Enter complete customer contact details on their profile
- Enter a valid email address if you plan to send a proposal
- Catering proposals can be automatically emailed to the customer from the Order Screen
- You must enter the Time and Date when the catering order is needed:
- Tap "Pick Up @" to select time (prompts a time window)
- Tap "Date Needed" to choose date (prompts a calendar)
- Tap "Place Order"
Don't forget to ask when the catering order is needed!
STEP 3: Completing the Order
- Add menu items to the order
- To send a proposal to the customer:
- Tap the "Catering Proposal" button
- The proposal is automatically emailed to the customer (if you entered their email address)
- The proposal displays onscreen - tap "Print" to keep a copy for your records
- When you exit the onscreen proposal, select "Save" when prompted
- When the customer is finished ordering, tap "Done"
The catering order will stay open as a "future order" until it is picked up or delivered.
Managing Catering Orders
To view, edit, or cancel an order:
- From the takeout dashboard, tap "Change Order / Customer Info"
- Tap on the customer's name
- Make necessary changes
You have the ability to modify the promised date, preparation time, and information for any open or paid catering order. The changes will also be reflected in the new Proposal/Invoice.
Printing Order Summaries
To print a summary of items needed for future catering orders:
- Go to Phone Orders
- Select Close Or Edit Phone Orders
- Tap Option Menu
- Select Pending Summary
If this is an order for a future time or future day, do not close the order. Keep it open!
Payments and House Accounts
Taking a Deposit
- From the takeout dashboard, tap "Change Order / Customer Info"
- Tap on the appropriate order (tap on the customer's Name)
- Use the "Prepay / Change Payment" button, located on the bottom of the window to take a deposit (partial payment) or to prepay the entire order
Closing an Order with a Deposit
If a Deposit Amount is listed, a customer has already paid a portion of the check:
- Access the phone order regularly and select "Close Check"
- The Balance Due (or Refund Due) is in the upper right corner
- A Deposit button (a partial payment made earlier) appears as a payment media with the amount that has already been paid
- The Check Total is shown in large green numbers on the bottom of the screen
- If there is a Balance Due, tap the appropriate payment media to complete the order
- Example: if a customer hands you a credit card, select Credit Card and complete the payment
Understanding House Accounts
House Accounts are used for customers who may pay orders at the end of the month.
How House Accounts Work on Reports:
- When an order is closed to a house account, it's treated as a regular sale (specifically, a non-cash tender)
- Non-cash tenders are payment medias used other than cash, such as credit cards, gift cards, checks, online payment, etc.
- On your Daily Balance Sheet and various reports, it will show as "House Account" or another custom labeled house account payment type (e.g., "Customer Account", "Billable Later")
Analogy: Think of your personal credit card statements. A house account is a credit on the account; when you use your credit card at the grocery store, you see Grocery Store -$100.00. The credit card company is your house account – you owe the credit card company $100.00. When you pay your credit card statement from your bank account, your credit card statement is now back at $0.00, squaring up your purchase.
The order on the House Account is like a "Credit" and when you get paid, it's a "Debit".
When a customer pays their House Account balance, it is non-sales revenue and does not count as a sale for that day. Since you did not provide the goods or services on this day, your customer simply paid their outstanding credit on their account.
Closing an Order to a House Account
For catering jobs billed to the customer at a later date:
- When you are ready to "cash-out" the customer, tap on "Pay" (from the Order Screen)
- From the Payment Screen, tap on the House Account payment media
- The House Account payment tender may be listed under a more descriptive payment name such as: "To be billed later", "To be collected" or, "House Account"
- When prompted, swipe the house account card, or manually type in the account name or account number associated with the customer
- If the account is not in the list, select "No Acct Name". You can also search with the Search Function
- Tap "Accept Amount" when prompted
Collecting Payment for a House Account
When applying a payment to a balance on a house account, note that it is considered non-sales revenue and will not count as a sale on your daily balance sheet.
- Go to the Ordering screen and tap on "Apply Payment"
- Depending on your settings, this button may be named differently, such as "Collect Payment", "Funding Account", etc. However, "Apply Payment" is the default name
- When prompted, enter the amount that the customer is paying
- When paying catering orders billed through house accounts, you may want to reference the invoice/receipt. You can use the Proposal or go to Transaction Review and reprint the catering receipt so that you can enter the exact amount from the invoice
- Tap "Pay Order"
- Tap on the payment type for how the customer is paying, such as Credit Card, Cash, etc.
- After closing the check, the system will prompt you to swipe the customer's house account card or manually enter the account number or customer name to update the account payment
DO NOT USE THE "CATERING BILLED LATER, etc.," PAYMENT TYPE when collecting payment
Catering Delivery & Logistics
Key Delivery Features:
- Built-in Delivery Dispatching - Efficiently assign and track catering deliveries with integrated tools
- Photo-Verified Order Delivery - Drivers can take photos upon delivery for verification and quality control
- Guest Flexibility for Post-Order Modifications - Allow customers to make reasonable changes after placing orders
- Integrated with Major Delivery Networks - Connect with third-party delivery services when needed
Managing Deliveries
To assign drivers and manage deliveries:
- From the takeout dashboard, tap "Assign Driver / Get Directions"
- View open delivery orders on the visual map
- Assign drivers based on location and efficiency
- Use the "Get Directions" feature to map routes from stop to stop
- At the end of each driver's shift, use "Close All" to enter all tips in one place
White-Glove Catering Delivery
For premium catering experiences, the white-glove delivery option provides:
- Professional setup at the delivery location
- Temperature-controlled transport for optimal food quality
- Special handling instructions for delicate items
- Presentation arrangement according to customer specifications
- Confirmation of delivery details with the client on-site
White-glove service can be assigned to specific orders based on order size, customer type, or as an add-on service.
Delivery Radius and Fee Configuration
Customize delivery zones and associated fees:
- Set different delivery radiuses for each location
- Configure tiered pricing based on distance
- Create special rates for frequent catering customers
- Adjust fees based on order size or total value
- Implement minimum order requirements by zone
Back-of-House Features
Catering Manager Tools:
- Automated Pack Sheets – Generate detailed prep lists to ensure every catering order is fulfilled with precision. Includes:
- Itemized ingredient requirements
- Special preparation instructions
- Packaging requirements
- Timing sequences for optimal freshness
- Catering Calendar View – Gain a clear, organized schedule of upcoming catering orders with:
- Color-coded status indicators
- Time-specific preparation requirements
- Staff assignment tracking
- Capacity planning visualization
- Real-Time Order Alerts – Get notified of:
- Day-of changes to orders
- Cancellations or postponements
- Urgent requests or modifications
- Delivery delays or issues
- Flexible Delivery Management – Assign catering deliveries based on:
- Driver workload balancing
- Geographic efficiency
- Time-sensitive delivery requirements
- Special handling needs
Automated Printing of Preorders
The system has built-in automation for preorders:
- All preorders (red button orders) are automatically printed the night before
- This ensures the kitchen has advance notice for preparation
- Prep sheets include all necessary details for production planning
- Special instructions are highlighted for kitchen attention
Remember: Never close preorders at the end of the night. The system needs them to remain open to properly process them for the following day.
Multi-Location Order Management
For restaurants with multiple locations, MicroSale offers:
- Ability to transfer orders between locations based on:
- Kitchen capacity
- Proximity to delivery location
- Special menu item availability
- Staffing levels
- Central management of all locations' catering calendars
- Consolidated reporting across all locations
- Load balancing during high-demand periods
Loyalty Program for Catering Customers
MicroSale's catering system includes comprehensive loyalty features:
- Points Accrual: Customers earn points based on catering order value
- Special Incentives: Create catering-specific rewards and discounts
- Tiered Programs: Establish different reward levels based on order frequency or value
- Redemption Options: Allow points to be applied to future catering orders
- Corporate Rewards: Special loyalty programs for corporate account holders
Customers can use their loyalty points when placing catering orders, potentially reducing the total cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do catering payments process?
Catering orders are charged once accepted through the MicroSale POS.
What are House Accounts?
House Accounts function like a credit line for loyal catering customers, allowing balance tracking and invoicing.
Can catering orders be tax-exempt?
Yes, tax-exempt status can be applied for non-profits and eligible businesses.
Can guests use loyalty points for catering orders?
Yes, MicroSale allows loyalty points and discount-based incentives for catering.
Can I customize menus & hours for special events?
Yes, catering menus, time slots, and special holiday hours can be configured.
What kind of reporting is available?
MicroSale offers comprehensive reporting including:
- Sales by Region, Customer, or Timeframe
- Loyalty & Discount Usage Reports
- Catering Order Details & Transfers
- Open Invoices & Account Balances
- Production & Prep Sheet Summaries
Can guests order catering directly from my website?
Yes! Guests can place catering orders directly from your restaurant's website via an embedded ordering button.
Can I assign catering orders to different locations?
Yes! Easily reassign orders based on demand and location capacity.
Can I set up delivery radius fees?
Yes, catering delivery fees can be customized by distance and specific order criteria.
Can I configure tipping options for catering?
Yes, tips can be enabled or disabled for catering orders, with preset percentage suggestions.