Sandwich and wrap lunch catering
Make sandwich platters and boxed lunches in a rented kitchen and deliver them to local offices and events.
- $2k-10k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
270,088 US businesses with employees in this field, +1.8% in a year
NAICS 722513 “Limited-service restaurants”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A pre-order sandwich, wrap and boxed lunch business prepared in a licensed shared or commissary kitchen, with no storefront or walk-in customers.
Your first three steps
- Find a licensed commissary or shared kitchen nearby and ask about hourly rates and storage
- Create a simple menu of three or four platters and boxed lunches with set prices and minimum orders
- Offer free tasting boxes to local office managers and ask for a first paid order
Who pays
Offices, clinics, schools, real estate teams and event organizers who order lunches for groups.
How it makes money
Per-box or per-platter pricing, usually with a minimum order, plus delivery fees and repeat weekly orders from regular clients.
Skills that help
- Batch food prep
- Planning and organizing orders
- Food safety habits
- Selling to businesses
Watch out for
- Check whether your state's cottage food rules apply; most sandwiches with meat or dairy typically need a licensed kitchen and a food permit
- Food handler or food manager certification requirements in your county
- General liability insurance, and food safety risks when transporting cold items
- Business license and sales tax registration with your state
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: sandwich and wrap lunch catering
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a sandwich catering business?
Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on kitchen rental, packaging and delivery setup. Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many group orders you win.
Can I make sandwiches for catering from home?
Check whether your state's cottage food rules apply; sandwiches with meat or dairy typically need a licensed kitchen and a food permit. Also check county food handler or manager certification, business license and sales tax registration, and general liability insurance.
How many hours a week does lunch catering take?
Estimates start at around 12 hours a week, depending on order volume. Useful skills are batch food prep, planning orders, food safety habits and selling to businesses. Check food safety steps for transporting cold items.
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