“We Knock” (Opportunity Answers): How Restaurants Can Turn Corporate Cravings into Reliable Revenue

Published By Robert Kuypers
September 8, 2025

You know that joyous sound the kitchen makes when a single ticket prints for 28 covers at 11:45 a.m.? That’s not a printer; that’s hope. If you’re a restaurant operator, you already know the math: one large order > twenty micro orders. Which is why the phrase “We Knock is bringing a catering opportunity” should set off the same dopamine fireworks as “free staff meal” and “the ice machine fixed itself.”

Today we’re digging into We Knock—a platform many operators use to capture office catering, group orders, and scheduled large-format meals—and how to make it work like a calm, predictable revenue engine. We’ll mix humor (because catering always provides comedy) with painfully practical advice (because Friday at 11:58 provides… everything else).

Quick vibe check: This is not a sponsored love letter. It’s the operator’s playbook for using a catering marketplace—We Knock in particular—to grow sales without torching your line or your margins.

What is We Knock (for operators)?

Short version: We Knock connects hungry teams (offices, events, schools, studios, you name it) to restaurants that can feed groups well and on time. Think: pre-scheduled, larger-ticket orders with per-person pricing, dietary filters, and delivery windows that allow you to plan production like a civilized adult.

Why restaurants care:

Bigger tickets, fewer transactions. The average office order might equal a busy lunch’s worth of checks—minus the chaos.
Advance notice. Many orders are placed in advance, so you can prep earlier, staff smarter, and avoid panic-sauté.
Repeatable demand. Offices eat… constantly. Nail the first delivery and you’re on a rotation.
Marketing that actually shows up hungry. You’re not just buying impressions—you’re putting sandwiches in mouths and business cards in decision-makers’ hands.

The business case: why catering is the profit center hiding in plain sight

We’ll spare you the spreadsheets and use friendly logic:

Labor: A good 40-person catering order lets you batch and stage. The same labor you’d spend corralling ten separate orders now produces one beautifully labeled feast.
COGS: Family-style and buffet formats often carry better food cost thanks to portion control and economies of scale.
Waste: Advance orders let you par more intelligently. Fewer “whoops” pans at close.
Marketing: Every delivery is a live demo for 20–80 potential repeat customers (including the mythical Person Who Books All The Meetings).

Translation: when tuned correctly, We Knock catering can be a high-margin, low-drama line of business—provided you set rules that protect the kitchen and the guest experience.

Set up for success: how to onboard to We Knock like a pro

1) Engineer a catering-specific menu (do not mirror dine-in 1:1)

Bundle by headcount (“Feeds 10–12” or per-person pricing) with clear inclusions: main + sides + salad + dessert + servingware.
Create three price tiers (Good/Better/Best). Most offices pick the middle. The CFO picks “Good,” the birthday committee picks “Best.”
Use fewer SKUs with flexible volume. Avoid items that wilt, sweat, or require last-second French poetry to plate.

Chef’s shortlist that travels like a champ:

Proteins with sauce (braises, roasted chicken, pulled pork, meatballs, shawarma, tikka, teriyaki).
Roasted veg + hearty grains (farro, rice, potatoes) that forgive time.
Big salads with dressing on the side; crunchy toppings in separate cups.
Cookies/bars over delicate pastries. They stack. They smile.

2) Price for reality (not wishful thinking)

Include disposable servingware in your pricing (tongs, ladles, cutlery, napkins, plates). Nothing tanks a review like a 50-person salad and one lonely fork.
Bake in delivery/driver cost transparently (platform rules vary—use their structure, but don’t subsidize the highway).
Set order minimums and lead times that match your kitchen rhythm. “Day-of” availability should be a premium, not standard.

3) Write the packaging SOP (and never deviate)

Trays labeled with item name, allergens, and “feeds X.”
Hot items go in shallow pans for even heat; tight lids to prevent sadness.
Sauces in sealed deli cups labeled like tiny, adorable billboards.
Drinks: gallons with ice separate, or cans/bottles. (Water is hospitality; include it or offer as a low-margin add.)
Tamper seals and a clean brand sticker—small spend, big trust.

4) Install the catering cadence

Daily 9 a.m. catering huddle: review orders, assign tasks, confirm driver windows.
Create a production board separate from the line: items, quantities, timestamps, initials.
Stage deliveries by route order, not “vibes.” A catering rack with numbered shelves saves lives.

Operations: the “calm kitchen” checklist

Prep maps for each 10-person bundle: exactly how much protein, starch, salad, veg, dessert, and garnish.
Allergen matrix printed for the driver and stapled to the invoice. You will become a hero to office managers with high-stakes eaters.
Redundancy bag: extra plates, cutlery, napkins, serving spoons, gloves, and one emergency dessert for “we added five people.” (It happens. Often.)
Driver handoff script: confirm name, destination, contact person, load order, and “what’s hot vs. cold.” Snap a photo of the loaded order.
If you deliver: install hot boxes/Cambros and ratchet straps. If you use courier partners via We Knock, insist on staging photos and require insulated carriers.

Pro tip: Put a tiny card on each order: “Reheat/holding tips inside.” It reduces panicked calls and increases five-star reviews.

Menu psychology: how to make the office hero look even more heroic

Office decision-makers want three things: no stress, everyone fed, and a bit of flourish. Design your We Knock menu to make them look good.

Name the bundles (“The Boardroom,” “The Team Huddle,” “The New-Hire Welcome”).
Offer dietary swap packs: vegan entrée’ pan, gluten-free rolls, dairy-free dessert box. Don’t make them guess—give them a click.
Create a “meeting add-on” shelf: fresh fruit platter, sparkling waters, crudité, cookie upgrade. Low lift, high love.

Marketing within the marketplace (and beyond)

You’re on We Knock to acquire and retain. Do both—ethically and delightfully.

Photography that matches reality. Shoot actual catering trays, not dine-in beauty shots. Group buffets read better than close-ups.
Menu copy that solves problems. “Feeds 10–12 hungry adults. Labels & servingware included. 15-minute setup.”
Packaging-level branding. A tasteful card: “Thanks for choosing local! Questions? Text us.” (Always follow platform terms of service; stay classy.)
Forty-eight-hour follow-up (if allowed): “How did we do? Reorder link. Pro tip: next time add our roasted veg; it’s the office favorite.”

Loyalty lives where truth + convenience live. Be both.

The economics of “We Knock” done right

Let’s sanity-check the margin stack (no exact rates here—markets vary):

Price per person accounts for protein, sides, disposables, and delivery.
Food cost targets ~25–32% on bundles (higher on premium proteins; lower on sides/desserts).
Labor efficiency from batching improves the prime cost picture relative to a chaos lunch.
Whole-order discounts? Use sparingly and only above a generous minimum (e.g., 60+).

Remember: you’re not a discount service; you’re a reliability service. Price accordingly.

The most common ways catering goes sideways (and how to stop it)

Late start = late everything. Solve with the 9 a.m. huddle and a printed production board.
“We forgot utensils.” Solve with redundancy bag taped to every order.
Sauce entropy. Solve with double-lidding, tape, and secondary bags for liquids.
Wrong headcount. Include a labeled “overflow pan” of a neutral crowd-pleaser (extra pasta or rice) as a small upsell.
Traffic ate the schedule. Buffer delivery windows. If a driver is stuck, your manager calls the client before they call you.

Data, reviews, repeat: build your office fan club

Track top-selling bundles, add-on attach rate, and re-order intervals.
Read reviews by topic (speed, labeling, taste, setup). Fix the biggest friction every week.
Identify VIP offices (3+ orders/quarter). Surprise them quarterly: a free upgrade or a dessert tray. (People talk. In offices, they yell—nicely.)

A 30/60/90-day We Knock launch plan (steal this)

Days 1–30: Build the bones

Engineer 3–5 catering bundles with Good/Better/Best tiers.
Shoot 15 real photos (buffets + labeled pans + happy servingware).
Write SOPs: prep maps, labeling, redundancy bag, driver handoff.
Publish We Knock menu with clear copy and dietary options.
Train a Catering Captain (one accountable human).
Soft-launch with 2–3 test orders (friends & family offices).

Days 31–60: Smooth and scale

Add 2 seasonal bundles (comfort for winter, lighter for spring).
Negotiate vendor pricing on disposables; switch to bulk packs.
Run a “New Client” offer via platform (if available): free cookie tray or drinks with $X minimum.
Collect reviews. Fix the loudest complaint.
Map delivery zones and time buffers; codify your “no” rules.

Days 61–90: Own the category

Build a simple Catering Playbook PDF (menu, dietary notes, setup time, contact).
Outreach to top 20 nearby offices with the PDF and a small sampler (if permissible).
Add AM meeting options (breakfast burritos, parfait bar) and late-day fuel (boxed snack packs).
Launch quarterly office holiday menus (Admin Day, Back-to-School, End-of-Quarter).

Sample bundles that print money (and smiles)

The Team Huddle (Feeds 10–12)

Herb-roasted chicken (sliced), lemon potatoes, market salad (dressing OTS), rolls & butter, cookie box.
Add-ons: grilled veg tray, seasonal fruit, sparkling waters.

The Flexitarian (Feeds 10–12, mixed diets)

Chicken shawarma, falafel tray, saffron rice, chopped salad, hummus + pickles + pitas, GF wraps available.
Add-ons: tahini brownies, extra sauces.

The Pasta Party (Feeds 10–12)

Baked ziti (ricotta), chicken penne rosa, Caesar (croutons OTS), garlic bread, tiramisu bars.
Add-ons: roasted broccoli, extra parm cloud.

The Breakfast Build (Feeds 10–12)

Breakfast burritos (bacon/veg split), salsa roja + verde, yogurt parfaits, seasonal fruit, coffee box.
Add-ons: hot sauce trio, GF burrito bowls.

Each bundle should have clear allergen flags and holding guidance (“best within 60–90 minutes; reheat 275°F for 10–12 min”).

Packaging that wins five stars (and office hearts)

Full pan for 20–25; half pan for 10–12. In doubt, go shallower—holds heat better, serves prettier.
Consider compartment trays for mixed entrées; keep textures separated like polite neighbors.
Color-coded labels for dietary categories (green = vegetarian, blue = GF, etc.).
Sturdy carrier bags/boxes sized to the pan (no tray Tetris in a windy parking lot).
Ice on the side for drinks; watery soda is the enemy of morale.

Photos and copy (yes, they matter)

Shoot:

Buffet-style table with trays, tongs, labels visible.
Close-ups of actual tray portions.
A staged “office setup” with clean lines and happy food lighting.

Write:

Benefit-forward: “Feeds 10–12, labeled, servingware included, 15-minute setup.”
Dietary clarity: “Vegetarian & gluten-free options available in every bundle.”
Timing: “Order by 2 p.m. for next-day delivery; same-day subject to availability.”

A few gentle legal/terms reminders (we love your future self)

Follow We Knock terms of service on communication and marketing inserts. Be charming and compliant.
Publish a sane cancellation policy (platform-aligned) and apply it consistently.
Document delivery acceptance with a signature or photo at drop—especially for unattended setups.

Troubleshooting guide (aka: what to do when catering does catering)

Order doubled overnight: Call the client, propose a menu that scales, and swap fragile items for reliable ones.
No elevator, sixth floor, 14 minutes to start: Split the load, send two runners, and start with the protein & plates. People will eat carbs with their hands; they will not eat salad with their minds.
“We forgot Karen’s gluten-free.” Keep two emergency GF/DF boxed meals in the walk-in. You’ll be a legend.

SEO snack tray (use on your website and We Knock profile)

Primary keywords: We Knock catering, office catering platform, corporate catering marketplace, group ordering for offices, restaurant catering bundles, per-person catering, scheduled catering delivery, catering packaging, catering operations, Kuypers Creative restaurant consulting.

Secondary keywords: catering menu engineering, catering pricing strategy, restaurant off-premise, catering SOPs, driver handoff checklist, corporate lunch ideas, breakfast catering near me, team lunch delivery, labeled allergen catering, reliable office catering.

Title tag idea: “We Knock Catering: How Restaurants Win Corporate Orders (Menu, Pricing, Packaging) | Kuypers Creative”
Meta description idea: “Turn group orders into profit. Our We Knock catering playbook covers menu bundles, pricing, packaging, delivery, and a 90-day launch plan for restaurants.”

The Kuypers Creative angle (what we can do for you)

Menu engineering for catering that protects margin and wows the room.
Brand + photo kit so your We Knock profile converts (and matches reality).
Packaging standards and labeling systems your crew will actually use.
Ops playbooks (prep maps, par sheets, driver handoff) that make Fridays boring—in a good way.
Launch marketing and CRM to turn “first order” into “standing monthly meeting.”

If you’ve ever whispered “there has to be a calmer way,” there is. It’s called a system—and we build them for a living.

Final bite

Catering is where restaurants turn skill into scale. Platforms like We Knock are not silver bullets; they’re silver megaphones—they amplify whatever you’re already good at. With the right bundles, pricing, packaging, and cadence, you’ll feed offices, cheer up calendars, and make your accountant dance tiny, respectable dances.

When the next big order “knocks,” we want you to smile, not sprint. And if you want a co-pilot, Kuypers Creative will show up with prep maps, camera gear, label printers, and an unreasonable amount of tape. (There’s never enough tape.)

Ready to build a catering line that behaves?
Tell us your city, your menu, and your dream margin. We’ll turn “We Knock” into “We Win.”