Some St. Louis area caterers are finding creative ways to serve customers during the coronavirus crisis. Butler’s Pantry is rolling out new products to respond to recent changes in the industry. The business’ catering arm, Butler’s Boardroom, is offering Heat & Eat dinners, individually wrapped meals with heating instructions that are available for curbside pickup or delivery during normal business hours Monday through Friday or 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday. Next-day orders must be placed by 2 p.m. The week’s menu is posted every Thursday, and items include everything from chicken marsala to burrito bowls. The caterer requires a minimum of eight meals per order.
Catering St. Louis, which serves private and corporate clients and runs the Whittemore House at Washington University in St. Louis, is “doing a lot of rescheduling,” says Carleen Kramer, director of sales and marketing. The caterer started corporate orders again this week but still faces a surplus of items due to canceled or rescheduled events. Catering St. Louis is donating items, such as soup, to party workers and other staff members who were laid off during the pandemic. “We’re trying to give out our food supply and make things for our family, so to speak,” says Kramer. The catering company will also take orders for boxed lunches. Customers can also pickup lunch from through the circle drive outside Whittemore House. The caterer is also looking into reinstituting its once-weekly family meal dinners.
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Russo’s Catering is offering chef-prepared, family-style meal packages for delivery. The meals, which feed four to six people and come oven-ready with heating instructions, can be delivered with one day’s notice and left at the door.
And Seed Sprout Spoon, the Tower Grove South caterer with a focus on plant-based fare, is offering daily meals for home delivery. Customers can email their orders to [email protected] or call before 11 a.m. for same-day delivery or carryout between 3–5:30 p.m. Meals consist of a vegan entrée, “omnivore” entrée, antipasto tray, seasonal salad, and soup of the day. The caterer is also planning to offer a carry-out brunch this Saturday and Sunday; it plans to post additional details on its Facebook page.
