Online Catering Ordering Statistics
Digital ordering is the single biggest operational shift in catering since 2020. These benchmarks cover order-share, AOV, mobile share, and the after-hours patterns that distinguish online catering from phone-and-email workflows.
Last updated
62%
Share of US corporate catering orders placed online
$1,840
Average online catering order value
41%
Online catering orders placed from mobile
38%
Share of online orders placed after standard business hours
27%
Reduction in order-processing time after online ordering adoption
$4.6B
US online catering order volume (annual GMV)
Full statistics with sources
| Metric | Value | Source | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of US corporate catering orders placed online | 62% | Technomic — Corporate Catering Trends | 2024 |
| Average online catering order value | $1,840 | ezCater — State of Workplace Food | 2024 |
| Online catering orders placed from mobile | 41% | ezCater — State of Workplace Food | 2024 |
| Share of online orders placed after standard business hours | 38% | ezCater — State of Workplace Food | 2024 |
| Reduction in order-processing time after online ordering adoption | 27% | Technomic — Foodservice Technology Survey | 2024 |
| US online catering order volume (annual GMV) | $4.6B | Technomic — Corporate Catering Trends | 2024 |
| Corporate buyers who say menu photos influence ordering choice | 73% | ezCater — Catering Menu Conversion Research | 2024 |
What the numbers mean
62% — Share of US corporate catering orders placed online
Phone-and-email workflows are still dominant in social/wedding catering but corporate accounts have largely shifted to digital ordering.
Source: Technomic — Corporate Catering Trends · 2024
$1,840 — Average online catering order value
Online orders skew higher than phone orders because the digital format encourages add-ons (dietary alternatives, dessert tier, sides).
Source: ezCater — State of Workplace Food · 2024
41% — Online catering orders placed from mobile
Mobile share has climbed steadily as platforms invested in mobile-first ordering interfaces. Tablet share remains small (3-5%).
Source: ezCater — State of Workplace Food · 2024
38% — Share of online orders placed after standard business hours
After-hours ordering is the single biggest reason caterers cite for moving to online ordering: it captures demand from event planners working evenings and weekends.
Source: ezCater — State of Workplace Food · 2024
27% — Reduction in order-processing time after online ordering adoption
Caterers report median 27% reduction in admin time spent on order entry, confirmation, and clarification after switching from phone/email to a branded online ordering interface.
Source: Technomic — Foodservice Technology Survey · 2024
$4.6B — US online catering order volume (annual GMV)
Total GMV passing through online catering platforms (ezCater, Fooda, ChowNow Catering, branded direct ordering). Represents ~18% of total US catering GMV.
Source: Technomic — Corporate Catering Trends · 2024
73% — Corporate buyers who say menu photos influence ordering choice
High-quality menu photography is the single biggest conversion lever on online catering platforms. Listings with full-bleed photos convert 2.4x higher than text-only.
Source: ezCater — Catering Menu Conversion Research · 2024
Related on CaterCamp
The benchmarks above sit alongside our product and operator-guide pages. Use these to apply the data to your own catering or foodservice operation.