An MIT Alumni Association Publication

woman standing at head of table with catered foodIf you’ve ever been tasked with ordering food for a big meeting, you may have quickly learned what seems like a perk—free lunch—can turn into a headache. Stefania Mallett ’76, SM ’77 agrees. That’s why she cofounded ezCater, an online platform that connects business customers with local caterers—helping them plan and manage catered events.

The idea for ezCater came straight from Mallett’s customers—from a previous startup. While the business coordinated meetings between health care representatives and doctors, Mallet frequently heard other requests. “I was working to build [that] company and was hitting a brick wall,” she says. “But in these meetings, we kept hearing, ‘It’s great you got me the coveted lunch appointment. Now, can you make the food appear?’”

Seeing the opportunity, Mallett shut down that startup and launched ezCater with cofounder Briscoe Rodgers days later. The company’s business model is simple: make it easy for corporate customers to order catered lunch for groups from two to 2,000.

Launched in 2007, long before app-based food delivery services became ubiquitous, ezCater began partnering with local restaurants to provide customers with hundreds of searchable options for their next catered business event. By browsing restaurants online or through ezCater’s app, corporate customers can compare pricing, menu, and reviews—replacing the tedious process of calling individual restaurants to research options. Customers can then place, edit, and schedule orders online or talk to ezCater’s customer service for help finding the best match for their needs.

Since its launch, ezCater has progressed from a handful of partner restaurants to more than 60,000, with 600-plus people on its own payroll. Billions of dollars are spent on business catering each year—a sign of shifting business culture. More companies are offering their employees daily catered meals. And “it used to be that you would take a client out to lunch to close a deal,” Mallett explains. “But now, you need to bring in food for [the client’s] entire office to close business.”

ezCater is Mallett’s second startup success—a previous company, InSite Marketing Technology, was acquired in 2001—a feat for the Course 6-3 alumna, who came to entrepreneurship later in her career. “I started my own company thinking I was done working for other people after 20 years of it,” she says. “But I learned that’s a fallacy—you’re working for your landlord, your customers, your employees.”catering app on mobile phone

To do that work, Mallett says she often relies on skills from MIT—specifically problem solving. “There’s an attitude at MIT of ‘we can figure this out,’” she says. “My employees and I operate from that and create a positive space for everyone.” That positive space allows for innovation—like an enterprise solution to make frequent orders easier—that’s propelled the company to industry leader status.

The positivity extends beyond ezCater’s offices: Mallett says her favorite part of the job is helping partner restaurants and their customers succeed. “We’re here to make people look good,” she says. “Whether you’re a sales rep, an assistant, or a restaurant, we want to help you have happier companies and customers."

As ezCater continues to grow, it is looking for MIT alumni to join its team. Visit the MIT Alumni Job Board to see job opportunities posted by ezCater, other alumni companies, and top organizations looking for MIT talent.

 

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