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Cartwheel expands ezCater integration to streamline catering deliveries

Photo: Cartwheel

May 6, 2026

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Cartwheel, a delivery management platform, has expanded its partnership with workplace food technology platform ezCater to provide restaurant operators with deeper delivery orchestration tools.

The update allows restaurants to access ezCater Dispatch directly from the Cartwheel dashboard. The integration is designed to help operators manage "hybrid" delivery models — using both in-house drivers and third-party networks — without toggling between different software interfaces, according to a company press release.

Standardizing the catering experience

The move comes as catering customers increasingly demand the same real-time visibility common in the consumer delivery space. According to data from ezCater's 2025 Catering Growth Forum, the majority of catering clients report lower stress levels and fewer calls to the restaurant when they have access to live order tracking.

To meet these expectations, ezCater has implemented mandatory delivery tracking standards. The Cartwheel integration automates this requirement by syncing tracking events — such as driver assignment and delivery completion — directly to ezCater and the end customer via an API.

"Catering customers expect real-time tracking on every order today, and operators need a system that can deliver it consistently," Alex Vasilkin, co-founder and CEO of Cartwheel, said in the release.

Features and functionality

The expanded integration focuses on several key operational areas:

• Direct dispatch access: Restaurants can request an ezCater Dispatch driver from within the Cartwheel dashboard if internal staff is unavailable.
• Enhanced navigation: The platform utilizes entrance data for over 100 million U.S. addresses to help drivers locate specific delivery points, such as loading docks or office suites.
• Flexible tracking: For drivers who do not use personal smartphones, the system now supports hardware trackers to ensure live tracking remains intact.

Operational impact

For large-scale restaurant groups, the primary benefit is the consolidation of disparate delivery channels. By routing orders from various marketplaces and proprietary websites through a single orchestration layer, operators can apply consistent standard operating procedures.

"Catering at our scale means orders coming in from ezCater, our own site, and other marketplaces simultaneously," Gracie Paranson, VP of sales at Jason's Deli, said in the release. "Having a single platform to manage drivers and track orders is what makes it possible to grow catering without growing the complexity for our teams."

Liz Johnson, VP of supply operations at ezCater, said the partnership provides a scalable solution as the industry moves toward standardized tracking for every order.

Want to hear more about the catering strategy at Jason's Deli?

Join us at the Fast Casual Exec Summit, Oct. 4-6 and the Restaurant Catering Workshop, Oct. 6-7 both in Arlington. Register here, where Paranson is joining us live!