About
Total Party Planner is an all-in-one catering and event management software built from the ground up by a working caterer who understood the real pain points of the industry. The platform unifies every aspect of running a catering business — from capturing leads and sending proposals to generating Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), processing payments, scheduling staff, and tracking profitability — in a single, intuitive interface accessible from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. TPP serves a wide range of food-service professionals including independent caterers, restaurants, banquet venues, corporate event organizers, food trucks, stadiums, non-profits, and universities. Key capabilities include event and back-of-house (BOH) management, integrated payment processing via TPP Pay, online order management with TPP Order, smart staffing and scheduling tools, and real-time menu costing and expense tracking. Clients report a 40%+ boost in efficiency simply by moving away from spreadsheets, with measurable increases in revenue and profit margins alongside significant reductions in operational costs. The platform is cloud-based, requiring no local installation, and supports catering operations across any country. With a focus on ease of use — no technical jargon — TPP is designed to let caterers spend less time on admin and more time growing their business.
Key Features
- Event & BOH Management: Create professional invoices, Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), and manage all event logistics in one place, purpose-built for catering workflows.
- Integrated Payment Processing (TPP Pay): Capture leads, manage client communication, and accept payments directly within the platform for faster cash flow and fewer missed follow-ups.
- Online Ordering (TPP Order): Enable clients to place catering orders online, reducing phone tag and streamlining the order intake process.
- Staffing & Scheduling: Build smarter schedules, coordinate your team in real time, and integrate with third-party staffing tools to keep every event properly staffed.
- Menu Costing & Profit Tracking: Get instant menu costing calculations, track expenses, and monitor profit margins so you always know exactly what each event earns.
Use Cases
- A catering company replaces spreadsheets and email chains with TPP to manage event proposals, BEOs, and invoicing in one platform, cutting admin time by several hours per event.
- A banquet venue uses TPP to coordinate back-of-house logistics, staff scheduling, and client payments for dozens of concurrent bookings.
- A food truck operator leverages TPP Order to accept online catering requests and TPP Pay to collect deposits before events, improving cash flow.
- A corporate event organizer uses TPP's menu costing tools to accurately price large-scale catering contracts and track profitability across multiple clients.
- A university catering department standardizes its event management workflow across multiple dining facilities using TPP's centralized platform.
Pros
- Built by industry insiders: Created by a working caterer, TPP addresses real operational pain points rather than generic project management needs, making it immediately relevant to catering professionals.
- True all-in-one platform: Eliminates the need for multiple disconnected tools by consolidating proposals, BEOs, payments, staffing, and costing under one roof.
- Proven revenue impact: Clients report 40%+ efficiency gains and measurable increases in revenue and profit margins after switching from manual methods.
- Cloud-based and globally accessible: Works from any device with Wi-Fi, enabling caterers to manage events on-site, remotely, or across multiple locations worldwide.
Cons
- Niche-specific platform: Designed exclusively for food-service and catering businesses, making it unsuitable for general event planning or non-catering industries.
- Non-transparent pricing: Pricing details are not publicly listed on the website; prospective users must book a demo to get a quote, which adds friction to the evaluation process.
- Learning curve for full adoption: The breadth of features means new users may need onboarding time to take full advantage of the platform, especially when migrating from spreadsheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Total Party Planner designed for?
TPP is built for a wide range of food-service professionals including independent caterers, restaurants, banquet venues and facilities, corporate event organizers, food trucks, stadiums and arenas, non-profit organizations, and universities.
Do I need to install software to use Total Party Planner?
No. TPP is fully cloud-based and accessible from any device with an internet connection — all you need is Wi-Fi.
What is TPP Pay?
TPP Pay is the platform's integrated payment processing feature that allows caterers to accept client payments directly within the software, speeding up cash flow and reducing manual invoicing steps.
Can Total Party Planner help with staffing?
Yes. TPP includes staffing and scheduling tools that support smarter shift planning, real-time team coordination, and integrations with third-party staffing solutions.
How does Total Party Planner improve profitability?
TPP provides instant menu costing, expense tracking, and profit margin visibility so caterers can price events accurately. Clients report an average 40%+ efficiency boost and measurable increases in revenue and profit margins compared to manual methods.
