Office lunch and meeting caterer

Offices, clinics, real estate and law firms, schools, and any team that orders food for meetings or training days.

A per-person or per-tray price with a minimum order and a delivery fee. Repeat weekly or monthly clients can make income steadier than one-off events.

• Batch cooking and packing
• Reliable, on-time delivery
• Pricing and cost control
• Building relationships with office managers

• Health department permit and licensed kitchen requirements, which differ by county and state
• Cottage food rules often do not cover perishable foods like sandwiches or hot dishes, so check before you start
• Food safety certification for you and any helpers, check your state or county
• General liability insurance and commercial auto coverage if you deliver in your own vehicle
• Allergen labeling and clear ingredient information for clients
• Late payments from companies, consider deposits or card on file for new clients
• Local sales tax rules on prepared food, check with your state

Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on your menu, kitchen and delivery setup. These are estimates, so build your own budget, including insurance, before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many repeat clients you win and your order sizes. The estimate starts at about 15 hours a week. Revenue is not profit, so subtract your costs.

Check health department permit and licensed kitchen requirements, which differ by county and state. Cottage food rules often do not cover perishable foods like sandwiches, so check before you start. Also check food safety certification, insurance, allergen labeling and local sales tax on prepared food.