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By the end of this guide, you will have created catering orders for trips, selected vendors, built menus, accommodated dietary restrictions, scheduled delivery, and tracked costs.
The Operations module must be enabled for your workspace. You also need the appropriate operations permissions. Contact your workspace administrator if you cannot access these features.
You need the dispatch.update permission to create or modify catering orders on a trip.

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Prerequisites

  • A trip must exist (any status from Draft through Active).
  • Passengers should be assigned to the trip so dietary preferences can be pulled automatically. You can add catering without passengers, but preference auto-fill will not work.
  • At least one catering vendor should be configured in your workspace. See Configure Flight Settings to add vendors.

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Open the catering tab

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Step 1: Navigate to the trip detail page
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Open the trip from the All Trips list, the Dispatch Board, or the Schedule page.
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Step 2: Click the Catering tab
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On the trip detail page, click the Catering tab. If this is a new trip with no catering orders, you see an empty state with a Create Catering Order button.

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Create a catering order

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Step 1: Click Create Catering Order
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Click the Create Catering Order button. A dialog opens with the order form. For multi-leg trips, you are prompted to select which leg the catering order applies to (e.g., Leg 1: KTEB to KPBI, Leg 2: KPBI to KTEB).
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Step 2: Select a vendor
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Choose a catering vendor from the Vendor dropdown. The list shows vendors configured in your workspace, sorted by proximity to the departure airport for the selected leg.
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Each vendor entry displays:
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  • Vendor name
  • Airport or city served
  • Lead time requirement (e.g., “24 hours minimum”)
  • Rating (if your team has rated previous orders)
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    If the vendor you need is not in the list, click Add Vendor to create a new vendor record inline. You need the vendor’s name, contact information, service area, and lead time requirement.
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    Step 3: Build the menu
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    The menu builder section lets you assemble the order item by item:
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  • Click Add Item to add a line to the order.
  • For each item, enter:
    • Item name — e.g., “Grilled chicken wrap”, “Fruit platter”, “Espresso service”.
    • Quantity — Number of units.
    • Unit price — Cost per unit. If the vendor has a catalog configured, selecting an item from the catalog auto-fills the price.
    • Category — Appetizer, Entree, Side, Beverage, Dessert, Snack, or Other.
  • Repeat for each menu item.
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    The order subtotal updates in real time as you add items.
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    Using vendor catalogs: If a vendor has uploaded their menu catalog, click Browse Catalog to view available items organized by category. Select items from the catalog and they are added to the order with pre-filled names and prices.
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    Step 4: Note dietary restrictions
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    The Dietary Restrictions section lists each passenger on the trip along with any dietary preferences stored in their passenger profile (e.g., “Vegetarian”, “Nut allergy”, “Gluten-free”, “Kosher”, “Halal”).
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    Review the list and add any additional restrictions or special instructions in the Special Instructions field. These notes are included when the order is sent to the vendor.
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    Always verify dietary restrictions before finalizing catering orders. Allergies are a safety concern — an allergic reaction at altitude is a medical emergency. Cross-reference passenger profiles and confirm directly with the trip requester or passengers when there is any doubt.
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    Step 5: Set delivery timing
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    Configure the delivery logistics:
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    FieldDescriptionDelivery dateThe date the catering should arrive. Defaults to the departure date of the selected leg.Delivery timeThe time the catering should be at the aircraft. Best practice is at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure.Delivery locationThe FBO or ramp location. Auto-populated from the departure airport; editable if the crew will be at a specific FBO.Contact on siteName and phone number for the person receiving the delivery (typically the line crew or dispatcher).
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    Step 6: Add special requests
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    Use the Special Requests field for any additional instructions:
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  • Presentation requirements (china service vs. disposable)
  • Ice and beverage setup
  • Crew meals (specify separately from passenger catering)
  • Branding or labeling requests
  • Hot vs. cold delivery requirements
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    Step 7: Save the order
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    Click Save. The catering order is attached to the trip and leg. The order status is set to Draft.

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    Advance the order status

    Orders move through Draft, Sent, Confirmed, Delivered, and Cancelled statuses. To advance, click the status chip on the catering order card and select the new status.

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    Send the order to the vendor

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    Step 1: Review the order
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    Open the catering order from the Catering tab and verify all items, quantities, dietary notes, delivery timing, and special requests.
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    Step 2: Click Send to Vendor
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    Click the Send to Vendor button. The system generates a formatted order summary and sends it to the vendor’s email address on file. The order status changes to Sent.
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    The email includes:
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  • Trip details (date, route, aircraft tail number)
  • Complete menu with quantities and prices
  • Dietary restrictions and special instructions
  • Delivery date, time, and location
  • Contact information for on-site coordination
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    Step 3: Confirm receipt
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    When the vendor confirms the order (typically by reply email or phone), update the order status to Confirmed.
    If your organization uses a catering vendor with an API integration, orders can be sent electronically and confirmation is received automatically. Check Admin > Integrations for available catering vendor integrations.
    Passenger profiles in PlaneConnection can store catering preferences that carry across trips. To take advantage of this:
    1. Ensure passenger profiles have the Preferences field populated with catering-related notes (dietary restrictions, favorite items, beverages).
    2. When creating a catering order, the Dietary Restrictions section automatically pulls these preferences for all passengers on the trip.
    3. Use the preferences as a starting point and adjust for the specific trip.
    For repeat passengers — especially aircraft owners and regular charter clients — this saves time and ensures consistency.

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    Edit or cancel a catering order

    • Edit: Open the catering order and click Edit. Modify any fields and click Save. If the order has already been sent to the vendor, a re-send prompt appears so you can notify the vendor of changes.
    • Cancel: Click the three-dot menu on the order card and select Cancel Order. Confirm the cancellation. If the order has been sent, a cancellation email is automatically sent to the vendor.

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    Track catering costs

    Catering order totals automatically flow into the trip cost estimate under the Catering line item. The catering cost on the Estimate tab updates whenever you save changes to a catering order. To view catering spend across trips, use the Ops > Reports page and select the Expense Summary report with the Catering category filter.
    Compare catering costs across vendors by reviewing the vendor-level summary in Admin > Flight Settings > Catering Vendors. The summary shows average order value, total spend, and order count for each vendor over a configurable date range.

    Manage Passengers

    Set passenger dietary preferences that feed into catering orders.

    Manage Trip Cost Estimates

    See how catering costs integrate into the overall trip estimate.

    Create a Trip

    Set up trips and passenger manifests before ordering catering.

    Log Expenses

    Record actual catering receipts against trip expenses.
    Last modified on April 11, 2026