Catering
How culture can make or break your catering operations
The culture of your catering business is always reflected in the experience of your customers
April 11, 2025 by Terry Matthews — Managing Partner, Off Premises Growth Academy
I wrote an article in 2013 about how culture trumps strategy. In the past 12 years, the world has evolved in many ways; we get our news from different sources, interact with our friends differently and even run our businesses on mechanisms we couldn't have dreamed up a decade ago. The weeks get thrown at us fast-balled, curving unpredictably, completely unrecognizable from pitch to pitch. This is true in every business, but even more true in hospitality and catering
And in any business, caterig included, when the bases are loaded and the game is on the line, you're standing there staring at the pitcher, bat in hand, and all you can hear is the thumping of your heart. You're trying to figure out where the ball is going, but the closest you can get is an educated guess. So you set your feet, square your shoulders, and focus on the things you can control. But the fact is, you can be the best batter in the world, if you have the wrong mindset you're going to miss. Even more than your mindset, what matters is the mindset of everybody else on your team — how they think and feel, how they share in your losses and victories.
If it wasn't abundantly clear, now that I've beaten the metaphor to death, culture is what happens when a mindset is disseminated across a group of people. So many things have evolved over the decades, but the power of culture has remained identical.
What defines a great culture?
I've had the honor in the 30 years of my career of observing the guts of many companies. Some of these companies are incredible, some are less so. One of the things that all the best companies have in common is a great culture. But what is a great culture? It might feel like a nebulous concept, easy to over-academize, hard to pin down; maybe it's just a you-know-it-when-you're-in-it kind of thing. In my opinion, a great culture is one in which the whole is greater than the parts.
Your salespeople might sell because they don't want to be fired. They might sell because they make good commissions. But a culture is great when your salespeople are selling because they want the company to succeed. When they have relationships with their coworkers and want to see them prosper. When your developers are proud of what they do and feel appreciated for it. When your cooks enjoy the food and want to share it.
Adapting culture to modern challenges
Cultural needs haven't changed, but their support structure and environment have. It has become easier and easier for people to be atomized and pigeonholed. Remote work, for example, offers incredible flexibility and freedom, but it also poses a threat to cohesion if not managed properly. In such environments, it's more important than ever for leaders to intentionally nurture culture. This means fostering open communication, recognizing and celebrating individual and team achievements, and creating opportunities for collaboration and connection.
A great culture can help weather the inevitable storms that every business faces. When trust, respect, and shared purpose are deeply embedded in a company, challenges become opportunities, setbacks are met with resilience, and success is celebrated collectively. On the other hand, a poor culture will magnify every problem. Miscommunication turns into conflict, employee turnover skyrockets, and morale plummets.
Catering to culture
The culture of your catering business is always reflected in the experience of your customers. In hospitality, every interaction—from a warm greeting at the door to the way a dish is served — reflects the internal culture of your team. Customers may not know the specifics of what's happening behind the scenes, but they can feel it in every interaction. That's why cultivating a strong, unified culture is not just important; it's essential for delivering exceptional service and building lasting relationships with your clientele.
Culture is not built overnight. It requires deliberate effort, from hiring decisions to daily interactions. Leaders must model the behaviors and attitudes they want to see. They must listen actively, show empathy, and be willing to adapt. At its core, culture is about people — how they work together, support each other, and push toward shared goals.
Ultimately, while strategy, technology, and market trends will continue to evolve, culture remains the foundation on which great organizations are built. It's the silent force that drives innovation, loyalty, and success. Companies that prioritize culture create an environment where everyone can thrive, and when that happens, the game is yours to win.
About Terry Matthews
Erle Dardick is an entrepreneur, author, and off-premises thought leader in the global foodservice industry. His mission is to help operators create successful off-premises revenue channels. He turned a small Vancouver deli into a flourishing operation and developed MONKEY, the leading cloud platform for takeout, delivery, and catering. He founded The Catering Institute, MonkeyMedia Software, and Off Premises Insights. Now, he leads The Off Premises Growth Academy, advocating for the industry and providing training. Erle holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and lives in Vancouver, BC.
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