---
title: "Catering"
description: "Configure catering preorder and lead-time settings while keeping request, checkout, payment, and fulfillment outcomes separate."
canonical: https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/addons/catering/
---

# Catering

Use **Catering** in the Ordering.co Dashboard to configure preorder and lead-time settings for catering delivery and pickup. These settings shape customer request windows; they do not by themselves reserve a time, accept an order, capture payment, guarantee a lead time, or complete delivery or pickup.

> **Availability and access**
>
> The Catering add-on is required, and you must be signed in as an **Administrator (level 0)**. The **My addons** sidebar separately excludes read-only sessions. The available categories and fields are returned for the current project, so they can differ across projects.

## Open and review Catering settings

1. In the Dashboard, open **My addons** and select **Catering** when it is available to your account.
2. Select **Settings** to review the configuration returned for the current project.
3. Review delivery and pickup values separately before changing either set.
4. Select **Save** only after the complete change is approved.

![Catering Solutions Addon panel with a Settings button](https://docs.ordering.co/img/docs/dashboard/addons/catering-settings.jpg)

## Configure preorder and lead times

The reviewed Catering settings can include these fields for delivery, pickup, or both:

| Setting                                     | Operational purpose                                                                                |
| ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pre-order Time**                          | Sets advance notice before a preorder can be requested.                                            |
| **Lead times per order type**               | Sets preparation notice in minutes for the selected fulfillment type.                              |
| **Slot times**                              | Sets the interval between candidate catering times.                                                |
| **Time range**                              | Sets the length of a candidate catering time window.                                               |
| **Minimum days to preorder per order type** | Sets the earliest number of days before the requested date that a customer can request a preorder. |
| **Maximum days**                            | Sets how far ahead a customer can request a catering date.                                         |

![Catering configuration with delivery and pickup preorder settings](https://docs.ordering.co/img/help-center-import/8f6e011145fae5791b2eaf94.jpg)

For example, a 30-minute time range and a 15-minute slot interval can create candidate windows that begin 15 minutes apart, such as 9:00–9:30 and 9:15–9:45. A range and interval are configuration inputs, not proof that every shown time is available or can be fulfilled.

Do not interpret a zero or default value as a promise that a customer can order immediately or that a catering time is available.

> **Review every change before saving**
>
> The settings page saves changed configurations sequentially. If saving is interrupted, some values can persist while later values do not. Keep the approved delivery and pickup values together, and confirm the returned configuration through your approved process before changing customer-facing availability.

## Customer request and eligibility

A customer request begins when the customer selects a Catering delivery or Catering pickup flow and chooses a date or time that the current experience offers. A candidate time can still be unavailable because of the order type, configured boundaries, account/session, cart, business, address, or other checkout validation.

Do not treat an enabled Catering setting, a visible date, or a selected time as a reservation, accepted preorder, promised lead time, or guaranteed delivery or pickup. Those results require separate checkout, order, and fulfillment outcomes.

## Checkout and payment

The [Checkout by order type](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/settings/checkout-by-order-type/) settings can show Catering delivery and Catering pickup when the current project allows them. Checkout fields, requirements, and visibility are configured separately from Catering timing controls.

Selecting a time does not choose a payment method or establish a payment result. The customer must still satisfy the available checkout requirements and payment flow. A submitted request or confirmation screen does not prove payment authorization, settlement, order creation, or acceptance.

## Delivery or pickup

After an order is returned, use [Orders — Overview](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/orders-overview/) and your available order filters to locate and monitor it. A catering order can be identified by its order type, such as **Catering pickup**, but an order type is not an acceptance or fulfillment result.

![Catering pickup order shown in the Orders list](https://docs.ordering.co/img/help-center-import/decdb65696af6ac2b1e31a1d.jpg)

**Preorder** appears in the Orders list's Pending group. It is informational in the generic status selector, so it is not a manual status choice. Confirm the order's current status and available actions before coordinating preparation, delivery, or pickup.

## Operational outcome

Preorder and lead-time settings can help teams plan inventory, staffing, preparation, and customer-request windows. Common applications include:

- A caterer preparing for an event scheduled in advance.
- A grocery business coordinating holiday meal-kit pickup windows.
- A bakery allowing time to prepare a custom order before pickup.

Use these settings as planning inputs. They do not promise that a customer can place a preorder, that a time remains available, or that any particular delivery, pickup, customer-satisfaction, efficiency, revenue, or customer-notification outcome will occur.

## Troubleshooting

### Why is Catering or a setting unavailable?

Confirm that the Catering add-on is enabled and that you are signed in as an **Administrator (level 0)**. The **My addons** sidebar excludes read-only sessions. A missing field can mean that the project did not return that configuration; it does not by itself identify the underlying add-on, project-configuration, or account condition.

### Why can a customer not select a catering time?

Review the relevant delivery or pickup timing values, the requested date, and the checkout requirements for the current order type. Do not change a live setting or create a test order merely to verify a customer-facing time window.

### Why is a preorder not ready to fulfill?

The request window, payment, order creation, business acceptance, preparation, delivery, and pickup are separate states. Review the returned order status and coordinate the next permitted action; do not infer fulfillment from the preorder label alone.

---

**Related guides:** [Checkout by order type](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/settings/checkout-by-order-type/) · [Orders — Overview](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/orders-overview/) · [View and manage an order](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/orders/view-manage-order/) · [Add-ons overview](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/addons/)