FAQs

FAQs

We know a thing or two about sandwiches & salads

Whether you need morning tea for 10 or lunch for 100+, let us bring some EARL to you.
For bigger events or bespoke catering solutions request a custom quote at [email protected]

What do I need to know before placing an order?

  • Our HQ operates from 8:00am to 4:00pm weekdays
  • Orders need to be placed before 2:00pm for the next business day (update: at times we are reaching capacity earlier than this, so please get your order in as early as possible to avoid missing out)
  • Select your preferred 30 minute time slot, however we may need to deliver up to 60 minutes prior to this

How do I order?

Place your order online – It’s super quick & easy!

  • Head to online ordering, choose what you need and submit your order. You will receive confirmation within 2 business hours.

If you’ve not ordered with us before, you’re welcome to email or phone us to get menu advice and the lowdown on how it all works.

  • Email us anytime at [email protected], we’ll get back to you within a couple of hours during our business hours of 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday
  • Call us between our office hours of 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday on 03 9943 3339

What time do I need to get my order in by?

Orders need to be placed by 2:00pm for the next business day to guarantee our full menu offering & delivery.

Monday orders need to be submitted by 2:00pm on the Friday prior (at times we are reaching capacity earlier than this, so please get your order in as early as possible to avoid missing out)

How do I get a quote?

The fastest way is to create an order summary on our website – this will calculate your order and total cost. Alternatively, for custom events, email us at [email protected] with the following info:

 

  • Date & time catering required
  • Number of people catering is required for
  • Delivery/pick up location
  • Items required (including any dietary requirements)

How many can EARL cater for?

How many guests do you have?

Our platter catering solutions are designed for groups of six or more and we’re yet to encounter a group that’s too big for us to cater for!

Who does EARL cater for?

You! Well, anyone really.

Because our main delivery zone is the CBD, most of our clients are corporate and are already very familiar with EARL.

However, we have also previously catered for the following:

Is EARL a full-service caterer?

We offer a drop-off service and provide you with disposable platters so that you can set up your catering however you like.

Do you have a menu or catalogue?

Our online menu is the best representation of what we have to offer. Some items are not included in our menu, please email us for custom event catering options.

When & where will the food be made?

All of our food is made fresh at our catering kitchen in Cremorne, or in an EARL store.

When is EARL Catering HQ open?

Our office hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours, please email [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Delivery & Pick Up

Where do you deliver & how much does it cost?

For weekday delivery:

Zone 1 – CBD, Cremorne, Southbank, St Kilda Rd Corridor

  • $100 minimum for delivery
  • $12 delivery fee
  • For orders below $100, please select pick up when checking out – we can offer collection from one of our locations

Zone 2 – North City Fringe, South City Fringe

  • $100 minimum for delivery
  • $15 delivery fee

Zone 3 – St Kilda, St Kilda East, Parkville, Carlton, Fitzroy, Prahran, Windsor, Port Melbourne

  • $100 minimum for delivery
  • $20 delivery fee

Can I pick up from an EARL store?

Store pick up from our Melbourne CBD stores is a great option if you are unable to meet the minimum $100 for delivery.

Select Pick Up at the cart, and choose which store and a pick up time (times vary depending on the store).

Available from 8.30am:

  • 360 Collins - Enter via Lt Collins Street
  • 567 Collins - The Grid, Rear 567 Collins St
  • Collins Place - Lower Ground, 45 Collins Street
  • Emporium - Level 3, Cafe Court

EARL CBD store locations.

Handy tip: Catering orders can also be placed directly in store with a store manager. The menu is slightly limited than what we can offer from our Catering Kitchen, please see here.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us 03 9943 3339 or email.

 

What time will my order arrive?

You will need to select your preferred delivery window when placing your order, so make sure the latest time of the delivery window is prior to your serving time.

Note that we may need to deliver up to 60 minutes prior to your selected time.

Weekend Catering

For weekend catering, please get in touch

We would love to satisfy your weekend catering needs!

We offer delivery services on Saturdays to select zones. Orders must reach our $300 minimum to be eligible for delivery.

For smaller orders, we welcome pickup from our Emporium store.

Please note there is a 10% surcharge on all weekend catering, and orders are required to be placed by 2PM the Thursday prior.

Public holiday catering incurs a 15% surcharge.

Our Food

How much food do I need to order?

It can be tricky to predict, we know! Especially if you haven’t ordered from EARL before. As a general guide:

  • All our platters have an indication of servings, these are an easy option
  • Sandwiches & Salads - 2 pieces per person + 1 mini salad each
  • Sandwiches & Savouries - 2 pieces per person + 1.5 savouries per person
  • Sandwiches & Sweets - 2 pieces per person + 1.5 sweets per person
  • Sandwiches & Fruit - 3 pieces per person + 1 fruit skewer per person

Do you supply drinks?

We sure do, they will be delivered to you cold, straight from our coolroom. The full range can be found here.

Do you do hot food?

All our catering is designed to be served at room temperature.

However, some stores may be able to. Please check the online menu or EARL App.

How do you provide for guests with dietaries & allergies?

First off, have a look at our dietary requirements menu.

  • We supply all sandwiches & savouries at ¼ vegetarian as a standard offer.
  • You will receive a menu with your sandwich platter that lists the sandwich fillings and their dietaries so that guests can work out what they can and can't eat.
  • We can supply sandwiches, salads, sweets and savouries individually packed and labelled, these need to be ordered in addition to any platters you are selecting.
  • We can also accommodate other special eating plans - email us directly for advice on the best options to suit individual requirements.
  • All EARL chicken is Hazeldene's free-range & Halal.
  • We use products containing all common allergens in our catering kitchen and while we take the utmost care isolating products and labelling, we cannot guarantee that our food is free from traces of allergens, even when packed separately.

What about Kosher?

We aren't equipped to offer strict kosher meals, but we find that a lot of people are happy with a vegetarian meal for Kosher. It's best to check with the guest as it is a bit of a personal choice.

Do you have nutrition and allergy info?

You can find complete nutritional & allergen info here.

Nutritional info is available for all Everyday Sandwiches & Salads (all of which are also available for catering orders), you can find this under the product in the Everyday section of our website.

How long does EARL Catering keep?

We have designed our catering to be the best in Melbourne. It's intended to be eaten within a few hours of delivery.

Do I need to refrigerate my catering once it’s been delivered?

  • EARL Catering is intended to be eaten the day it is delivered
  • Your catering can remain unrefrigerated for up to 4 hours before being consumed, or 2 hours if it’s going to be refrigerated to be served again later that same day
  • All EARL Catering is best served at room temperature, not straight from your fridge

Can I amend platter inclusions?

Our platters come served exactly as they’re pictured online and can’t be amended. If you have requirements for additional dietaries or extras, see our dietary needs menu here.

Packaging & Labelling

Will you send disposable cutlery, plates & napkins?

We have made a Sustainability Promise and in an effort to reduce wastage, we don’t send cutlery or plates as a default, but let us know if you do need them and we will be happy to help you out. 

Our packaging and cutlery are all made from recycled & recyclable materials;

  • EARL napkins are made from recycled paper
  • Our cutlery is made from timber is 100% compostable
  • Our plates are 100% recyclable bamboo

Mini tongs can be purchased for an additional $3.5 each to accompany your order for serving.

How is the food packaged?

We package most sandwiches & salads in recycled & recyclable kraft boxes with smart removable lids, lined with EARL greaseproof paper.  Your catering is table-ready.

Can you label meals with guests' names?

Due to our kitchen processes and time constraints for catering, we don't have the capacity to label individual meals with guests' names, unless of course it is for specific dietaries.

Other

I have a last minute order, can you help?

We know last minute catering pops up from time to time!  Between our stores & catering kitchen, we will always do our best to help.  Store pickup is usually required for late orders.  

If you do have a last minute order, please call us on 03 9943 3339, rather than emailing, so we can get onto organising something for you straight away.

Can I place a tentative order?

If you’re not sure of numbers for your event, we suggest placing a tentative order, then get back to us with firm numbers. We require this info by 2pm the business day before your order.

What if I need to cancel?

We understand plans can change and we’ll always do our best to accommodate last-minute adjustments, just let us know as early as you can.

Cancellations before 2 pm on the business day prior to delivery are eligible for a full refund for the total amount paid.

Cancellations made after 2pm on the business day prior to delivery are eligible for a 50% refund for the total amount paid.

Please note that we’re unable to accept cancellations after 4 pm on the day prior to delivery, and no full or partial refund will be issued after this time.

How does payment work?

For online orders, we require credit card details to be provided at checkout. Your card details will be securely stored and payment will be automatically processed at 3 pm on the day before your order is due.

If you’re a regular catering customer, we may be able to offer you 7-day payment terms. Please get in touch with us in advance to discuss this option.

We accept VISA, Mastercard, AMEX and EFT payments. Please note that a credit card surcharge applies.

All prices are inclusive of GST.

I have another question…

Ask away.

You can email us at [email protected] or phone us during our office hours of 8.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday on 03 9943 3339.

Check if we
deliver to you

Let us bring some
EARL to you

Enter your postcode to check if we can deliver to your area.

Vanessa Oxley 11/06/2026

I ordered for a meeting and as always Earl do not disappoint. The delivery is always on time and the staff are always so friendly. I would highly recommend!

Lana Dawson 22/05/2026

The best Catering Company ever. Delivery always on time. Very friendly and efficient staff. The quantities very well explained online, which makes the process of selction very easy!

Rosemary Raj 23/04/2026

Delicious, fresh food. The order was ready on time and enjoyed by all.

Dimy Gerrard 22/04/2026

I have been using Earl for about two years for the catering of Board Meetings. The recipients are very specific in what they want! I have never had a complaint about Earl’s food. It is extremely easy to order, arrives within the delivery window and is really, really fresh. Every time. The couriers are so friendly and happy to walk the product all the way to the internal kitchen and fridges. I’m really happy with Earl.

Lana Dawson 01/04/2026

Warren Lee 26/03/2026

Arrived on time, Great communication, Delicious food. Would highly recommend

Amelia Gullett 09/03/2026

We love Earl Catering! SO reliable and great variety in the mixed boxes, used for multiple events now and will continue to use for the future.

Gisela Wildie 27/02/2026

Used Earl Catering for a corporate event in Melbourne. Easy to use platform, catering arrived on time and food was delicious. Thank you!

Chantel Br 25/02/2026

Professional service and catering was a huge success for our corporate event. Food was delicious and popular with the Team. Highly recommend. Will certainly be a returning customer.

David Gonzalez 25/02/2026

Consistently satisfied with the quality and freshness of the catering I order from Earl. It doesn’t hurt that staff are always helpful and lovely. Earl has become my ‘go to’ for work lunches as everyone always loves it and they can cater (without fuss) to different dietary requirements.

Fiona Parry-Jones 21/02/2026

Love Earl for the fresh and tasty sandwich selection these are definitely my favourite for catering right now. Client raved about them. Thank you keep it going!!

Andy McKechnie 23/10/2025

Great range of food options. Happy and cheerful staff who are genuinely there to create a brilliant customer experience. I had a customer event and their feedback on the lunch we supplied by Earl was super positive. Highly recommend.

Vanessa Oxley 04/09/2025

I ordered for a meeting, the food was very fresh and well presented. It was very popular, not much was left over

Patricia Murray 13/07/2025

I recently ordered catering from EARL Canteen for a bridal shower with a large group of guests, many of whom had different dietary requirements. The team at EARL was incredibly helpful and accommodating throughout the whole process. They made everything so easy! The food itself was a huge hit, fresh, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. Every guest commented on how much they enjoyed it. I couldn’t be happier and wouldn’t hesitate to order from them again!

Elise Bucholtz 02/06/2025

Charmaine and the team at Earl are amazing. She was so caring, swift on responses and helped make my charity event a huge success. The crowds loves our catering and it really helped elevate the experience. I am a huge Earl fan! Thanks again team, I will be back.

Google Rating
5.0