Updated 2026-02-01

Best Email Marketing Tools for Caterers

Book more events, stay connected with clients, and grow your catering business with the right email marketing platform.

Running a catering business means seasonal peaks and building lasting client relationships. You need to book corporate events, weddings, and private parties while staying top of mind for repeat business. Email marketing helps you reach event planners and past clients directly. But most email tools are built for tech companies. Here are 13 platforms that actually work for caterers, ranked by ease of use, automation features, and value for money.

Why Caterers Need Email Marketing

Book Seasonal Events

Holiday parties, wedding season, and corporate events. Timely emails capture bookings before competitors.

Stay Connected with Planners

Event planners book catering regularly. Stay in their inbox and top of mind.

Generate Repeat Business

Corporate clients have quarterly events. Past clients have new occasions. Email brings them back.

Showcase Your Menus

New seasonal menus and signature dishes inspire bookings. Email showcases your culinary creativity.

13 Best Email Marketing Tools for Caterers

Our Top Pick for Caterers
#1
Sequenzy

AI-powered email marketing built for service businesses. Creates client sequences automatically.

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Best for
Caterers wanting automated client communication without complexity
Pricing
$29/month for 50,000 emails

Pros

  • AI writes follow-up and promotional sequences
  • Simple interface for busy seasons
  • Pay for emails sent, not contacts stored
  • Direct founder support

Cons

  • Launched in 2025, less track record
  • No built-in SMS
  • Fewer templates than established competitors
#2
Mailchimp

The most popular email marketing platform. Solid features but can get expensive.

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Best for
Caterers wanting a well-known platform
Pricing
Free up to 500 contacts, then $13-350/month

Pros

  • Extensive templates
  • Many integrations
  • Strong deliverability
  • Good analytics

Cons

  • Gets expensive fast
  • Interface overwhelming
  • Support has declined
  • Not designed for events
#3
Constant Contact

Long-standing email platform popular with small businesses.

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Best for
Caterers wanting simple email with phone support
Pricing
From $12/month for 500 contacts

Pros

  • Very easy to use
  • Excellent phone support
  • Event management
  • Social integration

Cons

  • Limited automation
  • Dated templates
  • Higher prices
  • Basic segmentation
#4
ActiveCampaign

Powerful automation platform with a learning curve.

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Best for
Larger catering companies with office staff
Pricing
From $29/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Excellent automation
  • CRM included
  • Great deliverability
  • Detailed scoring

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Overkill for small operations
  • Complex interface
  • Price jumps with features
#5
Brevo

Formerly Sendinblue. Good value with transactional email included.

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Best for
Budget-conscious caterers needing email and SMS
Pricing
Free up to 300 emails/day, then from $25/month

Pros

  • SMS included
  • Generous free tier
  • Transactional included
  • Good automation

Cons

  • Daily limits on free
  • Support can be slow
  • Limited integrations
  • Branding on free tier
#6
MailerLite

Clean, simple email marketing with good automation.

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Best for
Caterers wanting simplicity and affordability
Pricing
Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then from $10/month

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Clean interface
  • Good landing pages
  • Generous free tier

Cons

  • Strict approval
  • Limited advanced features
  • Basic reporting
  • Approval can take time
#7
Drip

E-commerce focused. Works for selling meal kits or products.

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Best for
Caterers selling products online
Pricing
From $39/month for 2,500 contacts

Pros

  • Strong automation
  • Revenue tracking
  • E-commerce features
  • Detailed analytics

Cons

  • Built for e-commerce
  • Expensive
  • Overkill for events only
  • Learning curve
#8
GetResponse

All-in-one marketing platform with webinars and landing pages.

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Best for
Caterers wanting landing pages included
Pricing
From $19/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Landing page builder
  • Automation templates
  • Webinar hosting
  • Competitive pricing

Cons

  • Busy interface
  • Email editor could improve
  • Support varies
  • Unused features
#9
AWeber

One of the original email platforms. Simple and reliable.

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Best for
Caterers wanting no-frills reliability
Pricing
Free up to 500 subscribers, then from $15/month

Pros

  • Reliable deliverability
  • Simple to use
  • Good support
  • Long track record

Cons

  • Feels dated
  • Limited automation
  • Basic templates
  • Little innovation
#10
ConvertKit

Built for creators. Not ideal for caterers.

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Best for
Caterers who create content
Pricing
Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then from $29/month

Pros

  • Great for newsletters
  • Clean management
  • Tag-based automation
  • Creator features

Cons

  • Not for event businesses
  • Limited design
  • No free landing pages
  • Wrong focus
#11
HubSpot

Enterprise marketing platform with email included.

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Best for
Large catering operations
Pricing
Free basic, paid from $50/month (realistically $200+)

Pros

  • Full CRM
  • Great for teams
  • Excellent reporting
  • Many integrations

Cons

  • Overkill for most caterers
  • Expensive
  • Complex setup
  • Ecosystem commitment
#12
Moosend

Budget email marketing with solid features.

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Best for
Very price-conscious caterers
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 subscribers

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Good automation
  • Responsive support
  • Landing pages

Cons

  • Less known
  • Limited integrations
  • Smaller templates
  • Fewer features
#13
Campaign Monitor

Professional email marketing with beautiful templates.

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Best for
Caterers prioritizing beautiful email design
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 contacts

Pros

  • Beautiful templates
  • Professional emails
  • Reliable delivery
  • Great visuals

Cons

  • Contact-based pricing
  • Limited automation
  • Gets expensive
  • Not catering-specific

Feature Comparison

FeatureSequenzyMailchimpConstant ContactActiveCampaign
Event follow-ups
Seasonal campaigns
Basic
AI content generation
Drag-and-drop editor
Automation workflows
Basic
SMS marketing
Free tier available

Email Sequences Every Caterer Needs

These are the essential automated email sequences that will help you grow your business and keep clients coming back.

Event Inquiry Follow-Up

Trigger: After inquiry received

Convert inquiries into bookings with timely follow-up.

Immediately
Thank you for contacting {{company_name}}, {{first_name}}

Confirm receipt. What to expect next.

Day 2
A taste of what we can create for your event

Share menu samples and past event photos.

Day 5
Questions about your upcoming event?

Address common concerns. Invite conversation.

Day 10
Your event date is getting closer

Gentle urgency. Easy next steps.

Holiday Season Campaign

Trigger: Before major holiday seasons

Capture holiday party bookings before calendars fill.

10 weeks before
Holiday party planning season is here

Early bird benefits. Menu previews.

8 weeks before
Our most popular holiday menus

Showcase bestsellers. Past event photos.

6 weeks before
Holiday dates are filling fast

Create urgency. Remaining availability.

4 weeks before
Last chance for holiday catering

Final push. Limited spots remaining.

Post-Event Follow-Up

Trigger: After event completion

Turn successful events into testimonials and repeat business.

Day 1
Thank you for trusting us with your event

Express gratitude. Event photos if available.

Day 7
How was the food at your event?

Request feedback and testimonial.

Day 30
Planning your next event?

Encourage repeat booking. Loyalty offer.

Corporate Client Nurturing

Trigger: After corporate event

Build ongoing relationships with corporate clients.

Monthly
Seasonal menu updates from {{company_name}}

New menu items. Corporate event ideas.

Quarterly
Upcoming events at your company?

Holiday planning. Budget season alignment.

How to Choose the Right Email Tool

The best email marketing tool depends on your situation:

Visual presentation matters. Food sells with beautiful photos. Choose tools that showcase your work well.

Business size. Solo caterers can use simple tools. Larger operations need more organization.

Budget is real. Calculate cost at your expected list size.

What Actually Works for Caterers

After talking to many catering business owners about email marketing:

Seasonal timing drives revenue. Holiday and wedding season emails sent early capture bookings before competitors.

Beautiful food photos sell. Professional food photography in emails dramatically increases inquiries.

Corporate clients need nurturing. Regular contact with corporate clients keeps you top of mind for quarterly events.

Getting Started

Pick a tool from this list. Then:

  1. Import your client and prospect list
  2. Set up inquiry follow-up sequences
  3. Create seasonal campaign templates
  4. Build post-event follow-up automation

Start simple and expand later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly to corporate clients and planners. More frequent before holiday seasons and wedding season. Follow-up sequences for active inquiries.

Beautiful food photography is essential. Also event photos, menu previews, and client testimonials. Make it visually appetizing.

Start marketing 10 weeks before holiday season. Create urgency with limited dates. Showcase previous holiday events to inspire bookings.

Email for initial follow-up and information. Phone for qualified inquiries and tastings. Email warms leads for your call.

Collect emails from every inquiry. Partner with venues and planners. Offer menu guides or planning checklists.

Open rate (aim for 30%+), inquiry-to-booking rate from email, and seasonal campaign response. Track corporate client repeat bookings.

Consistent valuable communication. Share new menu items and seasonal offerings. Be a reliable partner they can recommend.

Yes, menu updates are great content. New seasonal items, dietary options, and signature dishes inspire bookings.

Timely and visual work best. Examples: 'Holiday party dates filling fast' or 'New spring menu: Fresh, local, delicious' perform well.

Stay in regular contact. Remind about quarterly events and holidays. Make reordering easy with package options.

Ready to grow your caterer practice?

Start your free trial today. Set up your first email sequence in minutes with AI-powered content generation.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com