Shows
Catering Cage PodcastThe Evolution of Catering Delivery: Insights from the Catering CageJoin host Erle Dardick and DeliverThat CTO Matt Benzel as they explore the dramatic evolution of catering delivery from simple driver debates to sophisticated hybrid ecosystems. Discover how restaurants are moving toward specialized catering production facilities, leveraging AI for delivery optimization, and why the industry needs dedicated expertise rather than generic solutions. Learn about the operational challenges of managing B2B catering versus B2C takeout, the rise of orchestrated delivery platforms, and predictions for centralized kitchen operations with robotics integration.Sponsored by:OPGA: Off Premise Growth Academy - Join tight-knit communities for catering sales, operations, catering...2025-07-0134 min
Catering Cage PodcastThe Training Revolution: How Restaurant Brands Can Scale Their Catering SuccessJoin Erle Dardick and education expert RaVae Beck as they expose the #1 reason most restaurant catering programs plateau at just 12% of sales while industry leaders like Jason's Deli hit 50%+ at top locations. Discover the game-changing training framework that saved one restaurant group during the pandemic, learn why the industry desperately needs its first "Chief Catering Officer," and get exclusive insights into the Off-Premises Growth Academy's revolutionary approach to scaling catering success across restaurant brands, grocery chains, and beyond.Sponsored by:OPGA: Off Premise Growth Academy - Join tight-knit communities for catering sales, operations, catering in...2025-06-2424 min
Catering Cage PodcastWhy Every Brand Needs Catering LeadershipIn this insightful episode of The Catering Cage podcast, host Erle Dardick interviews Jennifer Saunders-Haynes, Catering Strategist at Elizabeth Jewel Consulting. The conversation explores the critical importance of executive-level catering leadership, with Jennifer emphasizing how a Chief Catering Officer coordinates across operations, marketing, and supply chain departments. They discuss community building in the catering industry, preparing for economic uncertainty by retaining talent who can pivot to off-premises opportunities, and addressing growing competition from non-restaurant sectors like grocery stores. Jennifer shares practical advice for restaurant professionals navigating changing market conditions and emphasizes how skills in catering management transfer to third-party delivery...2025-04-2222 min
Restaurant Catering SmartsEpisode 8: Why Systems, Not Sizzle, Drive Catering Profits—with Erle DardickIn this episode of Restaurant Catering Smarts, Michael Attias sits down with Erle Dardick, founder of CaterLinked and the Off Premises Growth Academy—and one of the most respected voices in restaurant off-premises strategy. Erle’s journey started back in 1996 with the purchase of Tony’s Deli in Vancouver. Fast forward nearly 30 years, and he’s become a major force in helping restaurant operators succeed in the off-premises world of catering, takeout, and delivery. In this candid conversation, Erle and Michael talk about: The evolution of catering from back-of-house afterthought to business-critical revenue stream.2025-04-1648 min
Catering Cage PodcastThe Future of Catering: AI, Robots, and Strategic GrowthIn the latest Catering Cage podcast, host Erle Dardick and CaterZen's Michael Attias discuss how AI and automation are transforming restaurant catering while emphasizing the need for specialized management systems, strategic investment during economic uncertainty, and community collaboration. They predict a future with AI order-taking and robot-assisted preparation but stress that investing in catering strategies now can potentially double restaurant profits.Sponsored by:OPGA: Off Premise Growth Academy - Join tight-knit communities for catering sales, operations, catering in the c-suite, and catering technology. Find a group that’s right for you and elevate your catering!https://op...2025-04-1531 min
Catering Cage PodcastEconomic Downturns and Catering: Investing in People During Challenging TimesIn this insightful episode of The Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick shares crucial advice for restaurant catering operations facing economic uncertainty. Drawing from 30 years of industry experience, he explains that while corporate spending cuts often impact food budgets first during downturns, these challenges are always temporary. Dardick emphasizes that the most powerful investment during tough times is in people—spreading catering expertise throughout your organization rather than keeping it siloed. He also highlights the importance of community connections through platforms like caterlink.com, where operators can share experiences and solutions. With convenience stores and grocery chains emerging as significant competitors, re...2025-04-0808 min
Catering Cage PodcastDoubling Down on Catering During Economic UncertaintyIn this insightful episode of The Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick joins catering experts Kelly Grogan and Cherryh Cansler to discuss why restaurants should invest in catering during economic uncertainty. The trio reveals how catering can contribute up to 50% of profits while only representing 20% of sales, making it a strategic focus during challenging times. They preview the upcoming Restaurant Catering Workshop in Austin (October 7-8) and emphasize the importance of investing in sales talent rather than cutting back, highlighting catering as both a revenue driver and effective marketing channel that leverages existing restaurant assets without requiring additional real estate.2025-04-0140 min
Catering Cage PodcastScaling Catering Delivery: Insights from FIRST's Andrew NakkacheIn this insightful episode of The Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick speaks with Andrew Nakkache, Co-founder and CEO of FIRST (YC W19), about revolutionizing catering delivery. Andrew shares FIRST's journey from managing their own delivery fleet to becoming a technology company that connects restaurants with delivery providers through their innovative Delivery Display System. The conversation explores the high-stakes nature of catering delivery, strategies for scaling operations beyond five deliveries per day, and the importance of a hybrid approach where restaurants handle VIP orders personally while leveraging partners for routine deliveries. Both experts emphasize relationship-building with key clients and menu consolidation...2025-03-1825 min
Catering Cage PodcastRestaurant Results: Turning Catering into Profit with Jeremy HoodJoin Erle Dardick as he interviews Jeremy Hood, founder of Restaurant Results Partners and former restaurant owner, who reveals how independent operators can leverage catering to dramatically increase profits. Jeremy shares his journey from working in his family restaurant to creating systems that allowed for a successful exit, and offers practical advice on menu costing, pricing strategy, and database marketing. Learn how to implement the "law of reciprocity" through strategic sampling, automate your prospecting, and finally start working ON your business instead of just IN it.Sponsored by: OPGA: Off Premise Growth Academy - Join tight-knit communities for...2025-03-1118 min
Catering Cage PodcastFrom Food Truck to Catering Empire: Mary Shillue Goldberg Reveals Clover's Secret SauceIn this insightful episode of "The Catering Cage," host Erle Dardick interviews Mary Shillue Goldberg, Director of Catering at Clover Food Lab, who shares her journey from making early morning box lunches to leading catering for Boston's beloved vegetarian restaurant chain. Mary reveals practical strategies for building successful catering operations, including prioritizing operational excellence before aggressive sales, training "catering captains," creating compelling in-store displays, and leveraging community resources like Caterlink. With competition intensifying from unexpected quarters like grocery stores and convenience chains, Mary's approach of relationship-building, storytelling, and extending brand experience beyond restaurant walls offers valuable insights for operators looking...2025-02-1731 min
Catering Cage PodcastRestaurant Technology Trends 2024: Expert Insights from Paytronix LeadershipIn a thought-provoking discussion, Erle Dardick and Charles Gray of Paytronix explored the rapid evolution of restaurant technology, highlighting how digital innovations are reshaping the industry's operational landscape, particularly in the growing B2B catering space. Gray shared insights on the importance of personalization, customer loyalty, and leveraging data-driven strategies to drive business success in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven market.#RestaurantTech, #FoodserviceInnovation, #DigitalTransformation🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://savorfm.substack.com/📈 Learn More ~ Restaurant Power Index featuring the top...2024-10-2838 min
Catering Cage PodcastCommunity Marketing: The Hidden Revenue Driver for RestaurantsRestaurant industry veteran Charley Donaldson has revolutionized community fundraising through DonationScout, a platform that transforms traditional restaurant fundraising events into profitable revenue streams. Speaking with Erle Dardick, Donaldson revealed how his experience as a Slim Chickens franchisee led to creating a system now used by over 4,000 restaurants across 25 brands. The platform automates fundraising management while delivering 30-40% flow-through profit margins, despite the standard 20% giveback to participating organizations. Beyond immediate financial benefits, these programs generate catering leads, strengthen community bonds, and create lasting customer relationships, proving that strategic community marketing is both good citizenship and smart business.RestaurantMarketing #CommunityGiving...2024-10-2133 min
Catering Cage PodcastThe Evolution of Catering Technology in RestaurantsIn a recent "The Catering Cage" episode, host Erle Dardick and Brett Spiegel, VP of Direct Ordering at Checkmate, discussed the evolution of catering technology in restaurants. They emphasized the need for bespoke catering solutions, robust back-end systems, and data consolidation to enhance operations. Spiegel highlighted the potential of AI in transforming various aspects of restaurant operations, from order-taking to customer support. The conversation underscored the importance of industry collaboration and designing solutions that address real-world challenges in the catering space, ultimately aiming to make it easier for restaurants to expand and optimize their catering operations.#CateringTech #RestaurantInnovation...2024-10-1531 min
Catering Cage PodcastInvesting in People: The Key to Catering SuccessIn a recent discussion, industry experts Erle Dardick, Bill Holloman, and Samir Wagle emphasized the critical importance of leadership development and training in the catering and B2B food sector. They highlighted the complexity of integrating off-premises programs with existing restaurant operations and stressed the need for a standardized approach. The experts advocated for investing in people through specialized training and certification programs, arguing that well-trained teams are crucial for success in this growing market. They concluded that prioritizing leadership development not only addresses the industry's need for specialized talent but also helps restaurants position themselves as leaders in the...2024-09-1632 min
Catering Cage PodcastThe Death of Dine-In? How Off-Premise is Reshaping Restaurants🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://savorfm.substack.com/The catering and food-at-work movement is emerging as a crucial revenue stream for restaurants, offering significant growth potential in the business-to-business sector. Industry expert Erle Dardick emphasizes the need for restaurants to invest in specialized technology, training, and sales teams to capitalize on this opportunity. As economic pressures mount, there's a potential resurgence in employer-provided meals, echoing practices from the early 1900s. The future of catering involves increased efficiency through automation, standalone order management sys...2024-08-0739 min
Restaurant OperatorCatching Up with the Catering Business - Interview with Erle DardickRecently, Erle Dardick, the catering guru, and fastcasual.com have partnered to create the Restaurant Catering Workshop, happening October 15-16, 2024 in Denver CO. Erle joins us for a candid conversation on hits and misses in the catering business. #catering #restaurant #podcast2024-06-0720 min
The Restaurant ReportTech and Consumer Trends for 2024 with Erle Dardick of LunchboxIn this episode of The Restaurant Report podcast, I speak with Erle Dardick, of Lunchbox, a leading restaurant e-commerce platform. We discuss the top tech and consumer trends to watch in the restaurant industry in 2024, including:AI and its impact: AI is already having a major impact on the restaurant industry, from automating tasks in the kitchen to personalizing customer experiences. In 2024, can we expect to see even more widespread adoption of AI, as restaurants look for ways to improve efficiency and profitability?POS and Third-Party Enterprise vs Internal tech stacks: Traditionally, restaurants have relied on third-party...2023-11-1032 min
The Restaurant Report156. The Future of Off-Premise | Restaurant Business PodcastErle Dardick is an independent consultant and off premises thought leader. Erle created “The 5 Pillars of Successful Takeout, Delivery & Catering” in 1997 based on his success in turning around a struggling Vancouver deli and developing it into a flourishing restaurant and off-premise operation. The 5 Pillars has since evolved to become the leading strategic framework for the restaurant and foodservice industry. On this episode, Paul and Erle talk about the potential future of off-premise.2021-01-2728 min
Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack OatesFulfillment of Prophecy: Moving Off Premise with Erle DardickSend us a text5 insights and other wisdom from food industry founder, consultant, visionary and thought leader, Erle Dardick for restaurateurs moving forward. 2020-08-0735 min
Tech Path EV PodcastPost Apocalypse For The Restaurant BusinessIn the midst of the coronavirus crisis, the future looks grim for many restaurants. In the latest episode of the Disruption Decade podcast, Paul Barron chats with Erle Dardick, the founder and former chief executive officer of Monkey Group, to discuss the necessary shift to a delivery and takeout business model and the dwindling options for fine dining establishments.2020-03-2628 min
Rock My Restaurant24. SLAB BBQ on Catering and Channel Management as a Fast Casual RestaurantOn this episode of the Takeout, Delivery, and Catering Show, podcast hosts Valerie Killifer and Erle Dardick chat with Mark Avalos and Rafael Robinson, the co-owners of SLAB BBQ. Avalos began SLAB in a barbecue trailer as a catering business in 2006. He subsequently opened a food trailer at the University of Texas in Austin, and established the company’s first brick and mortar restaurant location in 2014 with Rafael Robinson. A second SLAB BBQ location was opened in 2016.2019-08-0637 min
Rock My Restaurant23. Building a Menu that Differentiates Between Takeout, Catering, and DeliveryOn this episode of The Takeout, Delivery, and Catering Show, podcast hosts Valerie Killifer and Erle Dardick chat with Tad Low to discuss the importance of menu differentiation within off-premise.Tad Low is the Director of Off-Premise for Moe's Southwest Grill, an Atlanta based fast-casual restaurant chain with over 725 domestic and international locations. Low is leading a team that is working to bring delivery to the forefront of the guest experience.2019-06-2841 min
Rock My Restaurant21. Training Sales Employees For The Modern Catering LandscapeOn this episode of Takeout, Delivery, and Catering Show, our hosts Valerie Killifer and Erle Dardick sit down with Tracy Avolio, Vice President of The Catering Institute to discuss how to train sales employees for the modern catering landscape.2019-06-0336 min
Rock My Restaurant04. Your Restaurant Off-Premise Success Depends On Building A Strong FoundationThe 5 Pillars of Successful Restaurant Takeout, Delivery and Catering, authored by Erle Dardick, is the foundation of building a strategic profitable off-premise sector of your business. Centralized service strategies, sales and marketing, smart and effective operations, and strong leadership from the C-suite are paramount when it comes to building a scalable and profitable off-premises business. In this episode of The Takeout, Delivery, and Catering show hosts Erle Dardick and Valerie Killifer discuss actionable steps that can change the way your restaurant handles its off-premise business.2018-03-3049 min
Social Restaurant Podcast#046: Back to BasicsThere's just under a million restaurants in the United States and 10% of the work force is employed by the restaurant industry.Until now, no one has documented this massive industry we all interact with every day.In episode #045 of the Social Restaurant Podcast, I welcome Erle Dardick and Mike Tyler, the creators of Back to Basics, a restaurant documentary.Erle, CEO of Monkey Media and writer of Back to Basics, is back on the show for the second time, the first being episode #013 on restaurant catering.Mike Tyler, CEO of War Room...2014-07-1828 min
Social Restaurant Podcast#046: Back to BasicsThere's just under a million restaurants in the United States and 10% of the work force is employed by the restaurant industry.Until now, no one has documented this massive industry we all interact with every day.In episode #045 of the Social Restaurant Podcast, I welcome Erle Dardick and Mike Tyler, the creators of Back to Basics, a restaurant documentary.Erle, CEO of Monkey Media and writer of Back to Basics, is back on the show for the second time, the first being episode #013 on restaurant catering.Mike Tyler, CEO of War Room...2014-07-1728 min
Franchise EuphoriaHow Catering Can Increase Profits For Your RestaurantErle Dardick from Monkey Media joins me today. He talks about an often un-utilized aspect of the restaurant business. He talks about catering. Catering can have a huge impact on your bottom-line. Erle explains that up to 33% of restaurant sales can come from catering.
About Erle
Erle Dardick is best known for providing turn-around strategies to multi-unit restaurant operators and food manufacturers. For years he’s been helping our community members leverage their existing assets to drive new revenue channels. After owning and running a very successful retail deli and catering operation, Erle founded MonkeyMedia So...2014-05-2830 min
Social Restaurant Podcast022: Best CEO Interviews of 2013The Social Restaurant Podcast launched with it’s inaugural episode back in March of 2013. Since that time, we’ve produced 22 episodes and had the opportunity to sit and talk with some of the best and brightest leaders inthe restaurant industry.This special edition episode recaps some of the most compelling interview with restaurant CEO’s who are working to innovate and shape the trends thatwill drive the restaurant business this year.In episode #022 of the Social Restaurant Podcast, I look back on the show humble beginnings as an idea and primitive recording produc...2014-01-0436 minSocial Restaurant Podcast022: Best CEO Interviews of 2013The Social Restaurant Podcast launched with it’s inaugural episode back in March of 2013. Since that time, we’ve produced 22 episodes and had the opportunity to sit and talk with some of the best and brightest leaders inthe restaurant industry.This special edition episode recaps some of the most compelling interview with restaurant CEO’s who are working to innovate and shape the trends thatwill drive the restaurant business this year.In episode #022 of the Social Restaurant Podcast, I look back on the show humble beginnings as an idea and primitive recording produc...2014-01-0436 min
Social Restaurant Podcast013: Growing Sales with CateringAcross all segments, satisfying different day part goals is a constant struggle in the restaurant business.But does it have to be? My guest this week believes that there is a relatively simple way to keep revenues up by making an investment in taking your menu off premise in a way that increases sales and market awareness for your food.In episode #013 of the Social Restaurant Podcast, I talk with Erle Dardick, CEO of MonkeyMedia Software, a provider of web-based software, and strategy and education services for multi-unit restaurant operators.Erle is a 15-year...2013-10-2835 minSocial Restaurant Podcast013: Growing Sales with CateringAcross all segments, satisfying different day part goals is a constant struggle in the restaurant business.But does it have to be? My guest this week believes that there is a relatively simple way to keep revenues up by making an investment in taking your menu off premise in a way that increases sales and market awareness for your food.In episode #013 of the Social Restaurant Podcast, I talk with Erle Dardick, CEO of MonkeyMedia Software, a provider of web-based software, and strategy and education services for multi-unit restaurant operators.Erle is a 15-year...2013-10-2835 min
Get Legally New Releases of Full Audiobooks in Business, Career Skills Best SellersGet Catering and Grow Sales! Audiobook by Erle DardickVisit https://hotaudiobook.cοm to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.
Title: Get Catering and Grow Sales!
Subtitle: A Strategic Perspective for the Multi-Unit Restaurant Executive
Author: Erle Dardick
Narrator: Carl Willis
Format: Unabridged
Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
Language: English
Release date: 05-22-12
Publisher: MonkeyMedia Software
Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 6 votes
Genres: Business, Career Skills
Publisher's Summary:
Erle Dardick believes the multi-unit restaurant industry is leaving billions of dollars on the table. So he outlined a clear solution for food businesses struggling to stay afloat or to grow during the recession in his new book, Get C...2012-05-224h 40