Catering

8 ways to BOOst your October catering sales

Photo: Adobe

October 7, 2025 by Kelly Grogan — Co-Founder, CRUMBS

Everyone's already hitting fast-forward to the holidays, but savvy restaurant operators know that October is prime time for community engagement and catering growth. There are events happening every weekend, themed office parties in the works and dozens of reasons to connect with local businesses without sounding salesy.

🎃 FALL EVENTS = BUILT-IN DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

Fall festivals, haunted forests, and neighborhood fright nights attract hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people from your community — aka your ideal catering guests. These events are more than just seasonal fun; they're distribution channels. You get the chance to introduce your brand to everyone walking through the gates.

Partner with organizers by offering to set up a tab; le at the entrance. Hand out mini samples, coupons, or QR codes to enter a giveaway for a free Halloween party. Ask if your info can be included in post-event emails (they definitely have attendee contact info). You're not just being helpfulyou're creating a moment and generating leads.

🎃 FOOD HOLIDAYS = FUN EXCUSES TO ENGAGE

Use food holidays like National Taco Day, National Chocolate Day, or National Pasta Month as a clever excuse to start conversations. Even if your cuisine doesn't match the holiday, you can still use it as a prompt to show up in a fun and relevant way.

Drop off a sweet treat and a catering menu to your top contacts with a cute note like, "Need help celebrating National Chocolate Day?" This beats the old "just checking in" email and shows that you're thinking creatively about ways to support them. Your outreach becomes a gift, not a pitch.

🎃 HALLOWEEN OFFICE PARTIES (BIG OR SMALL)

Offices love to celebrate Halloween - sometimes with a full-blown catered lunch, other times just with fun snacks or a themed costume contest. Either way, it's your time to shine.

Reach out and ask, "Can I help make your Halloween celebration more fun, more delicious, or easier to plan?" Even if their budget is small, suggest snack trays, nacho bars, or appetizer platters that are easy to share. Offer a gift card as a prize for their costume or pumpkin carving contest. Bonus points if you judged the contest yourself.

🎃 TRUNK-OR-TREATS = FAMILY FUN + BRAND VISIBILITY

Trunk-or-Treats are kid-friendly Halloween events hosted by churches, schools, car dealerships, and community centers - and they usually happen before Halloween. That means more exposure for you across the whole month.

Ask to participate and set up a decorated table where parents can grab a QR code, scan to win a free Halloween party, or redeem a "kids eat free" coupon. You'll not only engage local families but also network with the other businesses participating. It's a win-win.

🎃. APARTMENT COMPLEXES = LOCAL GOLDMINES

Apartment residents live nearby. They likely work nearby. They order food often. And they're easy to reach if you build the right relationship with management.

Offer to sponsor a costume contest or pumpkin carving competition with a gift card. Suggest a "show your key fob, save 10%" promotion. Ask if you can drop flyers for Halloween catering in the elevators. Apartment marketing teams are always looking for ways to engage residents - you just made their life easier.

🎃 POP-UP COSTUME SHOPS = UNTAPPED TRAFFIC SOURCE

Seasonal costume stores pop up fast and move even faster - but they have huge weekend foot traffic. The teams working there are overwhelmed, and you can be the hero who feeds them or helps them offer more to customers.

Ask to staple a coupon to their receipts, include your flyer in shopping bags, or set up a sampling table during their peak hours. If nothing else, drop off snacks and a sign for the counter. A little effort can equal big reach.

🎃 COLUMBUS DAY = STRATEGIC OUTREACH MOMENT

Columbus Day might not seem like a catering driver - but that's the point. It's quiet, and you can stand out. Some schools are out. Some parents are home. Some retail teams are swamped with weekend shoppers.

Use the holiday as a touchpoint. Offer to sponsor a school newsletter or staff email. Ask local retail stores if you can feed their team during the Columbus Day rush - and use it to tee up Black Friday partnerships early. This is relationship-building disguised as outreach.

🎃 BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH = COMMUNITY + CAUSE

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that gives you a powerful way to give back while growing awareness of your catering options. Nearly every city has walks, fundraisers, or volunteer events tied to this cause - and every one of them needs food, space, or support.

Partner with a local team to host a t-shirt pickup or meeting spot in your restaurant. Run a "Catering for a Cause" promotion and donate a portion of sales. Offer a gift card as a raffle item. Being present during these events aligns your brand with something meaningful and introduces you to hundreds of people in your neighborhood.

🎃 THE TAKEAWAY: PICK A PUMPKIN, BUILD YOUR PLAN

You're busy. You may not have time to do all of these. That's okay. But don't let October slip by without tapping into at least one of these opportunities.

Pick the one that's most fun. Or easiest to execute. Or totally new for you. Whatever it is; go all in, and track what happens. You'll be building relationships, generating leads, and setting yourself up to own the holiday season.

About Kelly Grogan

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