# ChowNow catering separates big orders from daily takeout

> Source: https://qsr.pro/articles/chownow-catering-order-controls-preparation-fees
> Publisher: QSR Pro
> Last content update: 2026-11-12T19:59:57.531932+00:00


Separate menus, preparation rules and inquiry routing shape ChowNow’s catering workflow. Its commission comparison covers only part of an operator’s costs.

Published: 2026-11-12T19:59:57.531932+00:00

By QSR Pro Staff

![ChowNow catering separates big orders from daily takeout](https://gadzwjyojqpwmxtgebnh.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/daily-20261111-chownow-catering-terms-v1-42e5c2253bb5.webp)

*AI-generated illustration: QSR.pro.*

A 24-hour preparation note in a menu did not keep Real Mediterranean Kitchen from receiving large catering orders on the morning they were needed. Some reached $2,500 or more, and the Palo Alto restaurant sometimes had to cancel them, according to an account published by its ordering provider, ChowNow. The company describes a later move to a separate catering page with built-in preparation windows. [Restaurant account](https://get.chownow.com/blog/real-mediterranean-kitchen-catering-case-study/)

ChowNow highlighted catering in its November 10 platform update. The underlying tools predate that announcement: its April 15 product post described a dedicated storefront, order minimums and preparation lead-time controls. [November update](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chownow-expands-its-platform-to-help-independent-restaurants-keep-more-of-what-they-earn-302934332.html), [April product description](https://get.chownow.com/blog/whats-new-at-chownow-this-spring-2026/)

## From a menu note to a separate ordering path

The case study identifies the restaurant's online-ordering, menu and pricing consultant only as Ash. In that account, Ash says the built-in lead time helps the kitchen arrange supplies and staff schedules. ChowNow also says catering orders are flagged and printed for the kitchen. It describes corporate buyers discussing $3,000 or $4,000 orders with the restaurant before being sent online to complete the purchase. Ash says those conversations cover what food to choose and how much to order. This is vendor-hosted testimony; QSR.pro has not independently measured the change in cancellations or labor. [Operator account](https://get.chownow.com/blog/real-mediterranean-kitchen-catering-case-study/)

The restaurant's own website shows what customers encounter before checkout: a separate catering menu and ordering button, plus contact details for inquiries. Its falafel bar and plate offerings carry a ten-person minimum. Soup and salad trays are listed for 10–12 people, based on a full-course menu; dips and sides serve 12–15. The page says serving utensils, plates, cutlery and napkins are excluded. Those details let the person feeding a group work out quantities and supplies before submitting an order. The public page does not reveal the restaurant's internal preparation settings. [Current catering menu](https://www.realmediterraneankitchen.com/catering)

ChowNow's setup instructions require a Restaurant Success Manager to unlock catering. Settings cover minimum and maximum order amounts and advance booking for pickup or delivery, up to 30 days. Operators can cap submissions per 15 minutes; this does not establish a limit on orders due for pickup together. [Configuration instructions](https://get.chownow.com/restaurant-support/how-to-enable-catering/)

ChowNow's general agreement lists a $4,000 per-order ceiling, subject to change without notice. Its separate Catering Terms and this restaurant's order form were not reviewed, leaving the restaurant's actual catering checkout limit unverified. [General agreement](https://get.chownow.com/legal/registermyresto/)

Inquiry forms route questions outside the standard menu to email addresses chosen by the operator. Restaurants can designate a catering menu and add its ordering link to their website. [Inquiry and menu setup](https://get.chownow.com/restaurant-support/how-to-enable-catering/)

Once an order is placed, the April product description says, catering and takeout appear in the same dashboard, with catering orders labeled for the kitchen. It also describes serving-size guidance, dietary labels and a hosted inquiry form. The separate storefront gives customers a group-ordering path while staff monitor both kinds of orders in one place. [Product workflow](https://get.chownow.com/blog/whats-new-at-chownow-this-spring-2026/)

## Read the fee comparison narrowly

The support page states that catering orders incur a 5% commission. ChowNow's general restaurant agreement separately describes subscription fees, payment processing and optional services. It places the restaurant's selected services and fees in its order form. For U.S. Elevate, Grow, Launch and legacy subscriptions, it lists processing at 2.95% plus 29 cents per order; for use of third-party POS integrations, it lists 2.9% plus 30 cents. [Catering charge](https://get.chownow.com/restaurant-support/how-to-enable-catering/), [Restaurant agreement](https://get.chownow.com/legal/registermyresto/)

The November announcement illustrates the commission difference with ten $360 catering orders a month. At that constant volume, annual order value is $43,200. A 15% commission would be $6,480, compared with $2,160 at 5%, a $4,320 difference. That calculation reproduces ChowNow's scenario; it does not establish that a particular restaurant would receive the same orders through either channel. [Company comparison](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chownow-expands-its-platform-to-help-independent-restaurants-keep-more-of-what-they-earn-302934332.html)

That $4,320 is a commission difference before any change in subscription, processing or delivery charges. It also excludes food, packaging and fulfillment labor. The applicable order form and service terms determine which other charges enter the restaurant's own comparison. [Agreement](https://get.chownow.com/legal/registermyresto/), [Comparison assumptions](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chownow-expands-its-platform-to-help-independent-restaurants-keep-more-of-what-they-earn-302934332.html)

Category: [Technology & Innovation](https://qsr.pro/categories/technology)