Technology is becoming more advanced each passing day.
As such, almost all industries rely on software for their day-to-day operations in one way or another.
Travel, health, hospitality, agriculture, sports, you name it. Whatever industry or subsector you can think of today needs software and the internet to drive business.
The catering industry, and drop-off catering to be specific, is no exception.
As a drop-off caterer, using software to automate online catering orders saves you time and increases productivity.
And don’t take my word for it.
Elizabeth Choto realized this a few months after using HoneyCart software to automate her catering operations.
In her words:
“I saved SO MUCH TIME! Before, I’d take orders manually and input those into a spreadsheet. I even did the whole Google Forms bit, but even that required me to text back and forth with my customers or spend more time on the phone than I really needed to answer the same questions each time.
Using HoneyCart makes the ordering process so much easier! My customers can see exactly what’s available on which dates and customers can book in one seamless experience.”
Ultimately, using catering software generated more revenue for Elizabeth.
It can do the same for you.
But how do you get the most out of purchasing one by ensuring it meets the needs of the drop-off catering business model?
First things first, I know from experience that catering businesses have so many moving parts. As such, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the plethora of catering software promising different benefits.
In the end, what you need is simple, yet effective software to help with order management, delivery, invoicing, and reporting. Beyond this, it’s essential to prioritize a platform that makes life easy and convenient for you and your customers.
And that’s where FoodStorm and HoneyCart, the two products I’m comparing today, come in.
Both software promise efficient catering solutions.
But is that really the case? And if so, how does both compare to each other?
To kick this comparison off, let’s start by looking at what FoodStorm and HoneyCart are.
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What is FoodStorm Catering Software?
FoodStorm is a web-based food and catering management solution.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, the cloud-based catering solution has been in existence for over a decade.
As such, the company has naturally tilted to serving big catering businesses when you consider the high financial commitment you need to use even one feature of this product.
We’ll get to pricing later.
For now, know that FoodStorm is more focused on helping food manufacturers, food distributors, event caterers, and aged care facilities manage catering services and events.
What is HoneyCart Catering Software?
HoneyCart is an online ordering system for drop-off catering.
It’s a platform that gives you full control over your menus, policies, customers, and the entire ordering process.
HoneyCart is built from the ground up for drop-off caterers.
As such, its solutions are focused on the same. Things our platform is bullish about is helping caterers save more time, streamlining operations and growing sales without sacrificing commissions to third-party websites.
As a US-based company, we’ve lived up to that billing.
For instance, Elizabeth Choto (whom I mentioned earlier) reduced her drop-off catering order processing time by 80% with HoneyCart:
“The time I spent processing orders has been cut by over 80% and it’s been such a relief and help to have more time on my hands.”
Now that you have an idea of what both platforms offer, let’s compare them based on their pricing, key features, and set-up time.
1. FoodStorm and HoneyCart Pricing
Pricing is a crucial thing to consider when choosing software for your catering business. Especially in these present economic times, there’s a need to cut unnecessary costs.
Essentially, you don’t want to overspend on catering software when there are other aspects of your business that need financing.
What you need is something capable of streamlining your operations without breaking the bank.
So, how does FoodStorm and HoneyCart compare in terms of price?
I have that laid out for you:
| Pricing | FoodStorm | HoneyCart |
| Monthly fees | Starts from $500 per month | Starts from $79/month |
| Free trial | No | 14-day free trial |
From the above price comparison, it’s obvious FoodStorm is for bigger caterers or restaurants with deep pockets. Apparently, these are the ones who can afford to spend at least $500 monthly without blinking.
HoneyCart on the other hand offers more pocket-friendly pricing for small business caterers who want to set up and automate their catering business online.
Also, FoodStorm has no free trial option.
However, they offer a free demo session where you can see how the product works and make a decision. Keep in mind, that doesn’t mean you can actually use the product for free.
HoneyCart, on the other hand, offers a 14-day free trial.
What’s more?
There’s no credit card required.
This way, you can get setup, try the software, and see if it’s the right fit for your business before you fully commit.
2. Key Features: FoodStorm Vs HoneyCart
Earlier, I mentioned FoodStorm is well-suited for food manufacturers, food distributors, event caterers, and aged care facilities that manage catering services and events.
The implication of this is that it comes loaded with features designed to accommodate all these aforementioned food and catering services.
But that’s not the case with HoneyCart.
HoneyCart is built with drop-off caterers in mind.
In other words, if you are a drop-off caterer, HoneyCart has features tailored-made for you.
This levels the playing field for small business caterers. It also offers your customers the same or even better convenience of online ordering that bigger companies use to streamline operations and grow sales.
So what are some of the features you’ll find in FoodStorm and HoneyCart?
Key Features in FoodStorm:
- Cloud-based
- Online ordering
- CRM software
- Order tracking
- Reporting
- Payment & Invoicing
Key Features in HoneyCart:
- Online ordering
- Payment processing powered by Stripe
- Menu management
- Multiple order types
- Minimum order amounts
- Ordering policies
- Delivery fees
- Ordering times
- Automated email messages
- Custom form fields
- Auto-assign orders to staff
With our focus on drop-off caterers, HoneyCart’s features go a long way in giving the customers of such businesses a superb user experience.
That’s something customers get to see whenever they visit your online menu to place their orders.
And it’s what endeared Abbey Duke of Sugarsnap Catering to HoneyCart:
“We gave HoneyCart a try and found it was really easy to implement, and our customers liked how intuitive it was. Features like lead times, blackout dates, and being able to charge cards later were designed for catering.”
3. FoodStorm and HoneyCart Set-Up Time
Still remember the last time you bought a new phone, car or gadget?
You couldn’t wait to start using it, right?
Now imagine it took you longer than expected to find your way around it. The excitement of owning something new would have turned into frustration.
This is what happens when you purchase software trying to appeal to different business use cases and with so many features.
For example, FoodStorm.
Trying to find your way around it can get overwhelming. And this explains why you have to reach out to support and book a demo just to get a hang of the product.
It also indicates one may constantly need to knock on customer support to fully integrate different features together.
Moreso, even though there’s customer support to assist, it could take weeks to set up.
Nothing beats being up and running almost immediately.
And this is one area HoneyCart thrives.
It doesn’t matter if you are not techy. Thanks to its simple, user-friendly interface, you can set up your online menu in just 48 hours or less without the need for customer support.
Jim Lenz of Two Unique Catering noted this when getting started with HoneyCart to automate his newly launched prepared home meal delivery business.
In his words:
“Setting up my (HoneyCart) account was very easy, and I had it up and running in less than two days.”
Final Verdict: Which one is best for Drop-Off Caterers?
FoodStorm offers all the features needed by modern-day food distributors, food manufacturers, and large scale caterers.
Its starting price ($500/month) clearly shows it’s for large restaurants with various retail or pick-up locations.
But as a small business owner and drop-off caterer, you don’t need to break the bank to get software that does an effective job. Neither do you need all the features justifying that price tag.
If all you need is an efficient way to set up and automate your catering business online…
HoneyCart will be fantastic for you.
Besides getting up and running in hours, you get a free trial (which FoodStorm doesn’t offer) and prices start at just $79 per month.
With HoneyCart, you get software that runs your entire online ordering process. You also get more time to focus on other aspects of your business.
Again, don’t take my word for it.
Linda of MyTacoGuy shared her experience with HoneyCart:
Now I’m spending less time processing orders, and customers love how easy it is to place an order. No more back and forth via email. They simply go to our website, browse the menu and place their order– I receive, confirm and print. DONE!
The best part?
You can take it for a spin right away. No credit card is required.