Otter Catering

Overview

Otter Catering streamlines the catering process— from order placement to delivery, all within the Otter Dashboard.

With Otter Catering, you can:

• Create & manage catering orders
• Generate & send catering order invoices
• Accept deposits & payments directly
• Plan ahead by viewing catering orders from a calendar or list overview
• Send eater notifications in regards to their catering order(s)
• Configure catering settings per brand, location, or organization

Catering Settings

You can configure the settings for catering from the Catering App in the Otter Dashboard. 

You can adjust Catering settings from an organization, brand, or location/store level. 

• Organization level: Applies to all brands and locations
• Brand level: Applies to all locations within that brand.
• Location/Store level: Applies to only that location within a brand.

Follow the steps below to edit Catering settings.

• Step	Process	Image
  1	From the Otter Dashboard, select Apps > Catering.
  2	Click the Settings tab for Org-level settings. Click the Brand or Locations tab for brand or location level settings.	Org Level Settings Brand/Location Level Settings
  3	If adjusting Brand or Location level settings, toggle Enable Overrides ON if edits differ from Org-level settings.
  4	Edit/Adjust Pickup settings listed: General Payment Scheduling Ordering Restrictions Tips Fees Learn more about Catering setting fields below.
  5	Edit/Adjust Delivery settings listed: General Payment Scheduling Ordering Restrictions Tips Delivery Area Delivery Fees Learn more about Catering setting fields below.
  6	Click [Save] to confirm Catering settings.
  7	Confirmation notification will show at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Catering Settings Fields

Toggle to Enable or Disable for pickup or delivery (from corresponding settings tab).

Delivery Services
When enabling delivery for catering, you are responsible for providing services — if working with a third party to provide delivery services please reach out to our team for integration with the platform.

 

Scheduling Setting	Insight
Lead Time	Select from drop down the amount of time (in days or hours) that is needed to prepare a catering order.
Advance Ordering	Enter the number of days an eater can place an order in advance of event day.

Order Restriction Setting	Insight
Basket Size Minimum	Enter the minimum dollar amount for basket size of catering order allowed.
Guest Count	Enter the range of guest count allowed for catering orders.

Tip Setting	Insight
Tip Enablement	Toggle to enable or disable tips for catering orders.
Tip Amount	Enter the preset percentage for an eater to select for tip amount.
Allow Custom Tips	Toggle to enable or disable to allow eaters to enter a custom amount for tips.

Pickup Fees Setting	Insight
Service Fee	Toggle to enable or disable to apply a service fee for pickup catering orders.
Fee Amount	Enter percentage to set for pickup catering service fees.

Step	Image
Limit Type	Select Type for how you’d like the delivery area to be set: Driving Distance: Calculates distance by travel miles while driving. (Most common choice). Straight Line Distance: Measures distance between two points in a straight line on a flat map and doesn’t consider land surfaces or obstacles.
Distance	Enter a mile or kilometer amount of allowance for delivery range.
Preferred Units	Select to calculate distance in Miles or Kilometers.

Step	Image
Charge Delivery Fee	Toggle to enable or disable setting a delivery fee for catering orders.
Different Fee Tiers	Select the distance range (in miles or kilometers) for a fee and the corresponding dollar amount fee.  You can add multiple delivery fees for different distances.
Service Fee	Toggle to enable or disable a service fee applied to all catering orders. Enter a percentage fee amount.

Creating a Catering Order & Invoice

Follow the steps below to take a catering order and create an invoice.

Invoices Cannot be Edited
Currently, once a catering invoice is created, it cannot be edited— only voided.

This feature will be coming soon! 

• Step	Process	Image
  1	From the Catering App, click [Create Invoice].
  2	Select the location for catering order. Click [Continue].
  3	You will be redirected to the Invoice Creation Mode online ordering website. If for delivery, a pop-up window will display for you to input: Delivery Date Time Headcount If for pickup, click [Switch to pickup] to fill out corresponding information.
  4	Select menu items needed and add them to the cart.
  5	Once all items have been added, click [Cart]. To edit any time or headcount  information, click the menu at the top of the page.
  6	Confirm order in cart. Click [Preview invoice].
  7	Enter Customer information: Name Phone number Email
  8	Enter payment information and/or discount code (if applicable). Click [Send invoice] to confirm catering order and send invoice to the eater.
  9	Invoice will display with order details & invoice status.

Eaters cannot self-create catering invoices
Eaters can place a scheduled online order, however, they cannot create a catering invoice. 

If eaters place a large scheduled online order, they will need to pay the full amount of the order at checkout and will receive confirmation/receipt, but not a formal invoice with headcount, deposit option, or breakdown of price per person.

Viewing Invoices

You can view Catering invoices in a calendar view or a list view from the Catering App in the Otter Dashboard. 

From each view, you can:

• View invoice details
• See order, invoice, & deposit status
• Filter by brand, location, & invoice status
• Resend invoice
• Void invoice
• Issue refund (if fully paid)

See each view below.

• Calendar Invoice View:

  

• List Invoice View:

  

   

Invoice Actions

• To resend a Catering invoice:

  • Select the invoice listed
  • Click [Resend invoice]

  

• To void a Catering invoice:

  • Select the invoice listed
  • Click the 3 dots in the top right corner
  • Select Void Invoice

  

• To refund a Catering invoice:

  • Select invoice listed
  • Scroll to the bottom of the invoice details
  • Click [Issue a refund]

  

Refunds can only be issued on paid invoices
If a Catering order invoice isn’t fully paid, a refund cannot be issued— the invoice can only be voided.

If the option to issue a refund is grayed out, that means the invoice isn’t eligible to issue a refund due to not being fully paid.

Eater Invoices

Once a Catering invoice is created, the eater will receive an email and/or SMS confirmation (if applicable). From those notifications, they can:

• View the invoice
• See Catering order details
• Review & pay their deposit/invoice

Check out the invoice experience from the eater’s perspective:

• Email Catering Confirmation

  

• SMS Catering Confirmation

  

• Invoice Review & Pay Page

  

FAQs

• No— eaters will not be able to redeem points towards their Catering orders.

• No— Eaters cannot create a Catering invoice, however, they can (if enabled) place an order on your Direct Orders website for a scheduled date/time.

• No— Gift cards are not available as a payment option for Catering Invoice payment.

Updated January 27, 2026 00:11