Guide

Catering software in Québec: how to choose?

Catering management software brings proposals, orders, kitchen production, delivery, invoicing and reports into one tool. In Québec, six more criteria apply: GST and QST, Revenu Québec’s MEV-WEB compliance, French, support in your time zone, the link to your accounting, and the protection of personal information. This guide reviews them, then lists the questions to ask in a demo.

Updated October 4, 2026

What catering software must do

Six functions, from the web to the kitchen.

01 Proposals and orders A quote that becomes an order, then an invoice, without re-entry, with deposits and last-minute changes.
02 Online ordering A store for boxed lunches, platters and recurring menus, connected to production.
03 Kitchen production Production plans, purchase orders, BEOs (banquet event orders), labels.
04 Delivery Run sheets, statuses, fees by area, an app for drivers.
05 Invoicing and payments Payment links, deposits, export to accounting.
06 Reports and customers Sales by period and by customer, quote follow-up, history.

The six criteria specific to Québec

1 Native GST and QST Both taxes must calculate themselves on every line, with registration numbers on the invoice. Software built elsewhere “configures” them; check the result on a real invoice with one service and one product.
2 MEV-WEB Since June 1, 2025, meal sales for immediate consumption must go through a sales recording system certified by Revenu Québec. Management software is usually not certified itself: ask which certified point of sale it integrates with, and how your group events reach it without double entry.
3 French, everywhere Interface, documents handed to customers (proposals, invoices, receipts) and support. The Charter of the French Language requires invoices and contracts in French for your Québec customers; English-only software forces you to translate or work around it.
4 Support in your time zone An event happens on Saturday morning, Eastern time. Ask about support hours, language and the real response time.
5 The link to your accounting Most Québec caterers work with QuickBooks Online or with an accountant who uses it: ask whether the export or bridge is native, and what it transfers (invoices, payments, taxes).
6 Your data and Law 25 Since 2023, Law 25 governs how you collect and keep your customers’ personal information. Ask where the data is hosted, who has access, how it exports if you leave, and whether the software manages consents for your mailing list. Caterer Manager’s data is hosted in Canada.

Questions to ask in a demo

Show me an order, from quote to invoice, with a change in guest count the day before.
What does my kitchen see on the morning of the event?
How do my online orders reach production?
What happens with MEV-WEB for an 80-person buffet delivered to a company?
How much does one more user cost, and are there setup fees?
Do I own my data, and how do I get it back?
Who answers the phone on a Friday at 4:30 p.m.?

How much it costs

In Québec you will find three models: platforms paid by commission on sales (3% to 6%, no fixed fee, mostly for the storefront), subscriptions from $60 to $500 per month depending on users and modules, and ERPs with implementation fees and commitments. Count the options too (online ordering, modules, users) and the setup fees, which often change the ranking. Caterer Manager publishes its prices: $199, $495 and $999 per month on yearly billing, all included, with MEV-WEB as an option (pricing on request).

Pricing

Frequently asked questions

Do I need MEV-WEB certified software?

Your meal sales must go through a certified system. It can be your point of sale; what matters is that your management software integrates with it without double entry.

Does American software suit a Québec caterer?

It can, if you accept an English interface, manually configured taxes, support in another time zone and billing in US dollars. Check all four in a demo.

How long does it take to switch software?

Expect two to six weeks: export of customers and menus, import, training, then a period where both tools run in parallel.

What does Law 25 change for a caterer?

You must know what personal information you keep and why, and be able to delete or hand it over on request; your software must let you do that.

Tame the chaos of your catering operation.

45 minutes with an expert, using your own menus and events.