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Marketing Programs Overview

ezCater offers several marketing programs to help you increase visibility, attract more customers, and convert more Marketplace traffic into catering orders

Updated over a week ago

Program availability by location

States with Sponsored Listings and Marketplace Promos

In these states, you have access to Rewards, Sponsored Listings, and Marketplace Promos (no PPP)

  • States

    • Arizona (AZ)

    • Colorado (CO)

    • District of Columbia (DC)

    • Kansas (KS)

    • Maryland (MD)

    • New Mexico (NM)

    • Oklahoma (OK)

    • Texas (TX)

    • Virginia (VA)

    • West Virginia (WV)

Available programs:

  • Rewards

  • Sponsored Listings

  • Marketplace Promos

All other states

In all other US states and territories not listed above, you have access to Rewards and the Preferred Partner Program

Available programs:

  • Rewards

  • Preferred Partner Program (PPP)

Use the Marketing program matrix below for a full, state‑by‑state view

Program overviews

Preferred Partner Program (PPP)

Goal: Boost Marketplace ranking to get more views

PPP increases your position in Marketplace search to drive visibility

  • You set an additional percentage fee (between 2% and 20%) on the food subtotal of each Marketplace order

  • The higher your PPP setting, the more your visibility can increase in search

  • PPP does not show a customer‑facing deal or incentive; it functions like an extra commission on the food subtotal (not on delivery fees)

Eligibility

  • At least 4+ star rating

  • At least one rated order

You can opt in or out directly in the Partner Portal at any time

Key benefits and information

  • Increase Marketplace ranking and visibility to get more views and clicks

  • Maintain instant control from the Partner Portal so you can adjust settings any time

  • Often lifts orders when paired with Rewards; locations using both have historically seen more orders

Rewards

Goal: Incentivize purchasers to pick you and build loyalty

Rewards is ezCater’s loyalty program for catering buyers

  • Customers normally earn 1 point per $1 on Marketplace

  • With your Rewards multiplier (up to an additional 5% back), they can earn extra points on eligible Marketplace orders at your restaurant

  • This gives you a tag and filter in search that highlight your extra rewards

Important

Key benefits and information

  • Attract loyalty‑focused customers by offering up to 5% back that is clearly surfaced in search

  • Improve visibility and differentiation with search indicators and filters

  • Stack with other programs (PPP or Sponsored Listings, depending on market) to amplify clicks and conversions

  • Rewards does not apply on Online Ordering pages for your site

Marketplace Promos

Goal: Convert customers with compelling deals

Marketplace Promos are partner‑funded deals that

  • Display on your listing

  • Show up in a Marketplace “Deals” filter

  • Don't require a promo code

Supported promo types include

  • Dollar‑off

  • Percent‑off

You can

  • Set them up in your Partner Portal

  • Choose eligibility by locations and dates

  • Limit promos to weekdays only if you prefer

  • Track performance (redemptions, sales, trends)

Availability

  • Currently available in the same markets as Sponsored Listings

Key benefits and information

  • Win attention with a visible Deals badge and dedicated Deals filter

  • Motivate higher conversion with auto‑applied dollar‑off or percent‑off offers

  • Self‑serve setup and reporting in ezManage so you can test and improve

  • Supported options include

    • $10, $15, $20, $25, $50 discounts

    • Optional order minimums like $100–$500

    • Weekday‑only limits

  • Promos are restaurant‑funded and only apply to Marketplace orders (not Online Ordering)

Sponsored Listings

Goal: Premium visibility to high‑intent buyers

Sponsored Listings are labeled, paid placements that give your restaurant top visibility across Marketplace search

  • Campaigns run on a pay‑per‑order basis

    • You only pay when a customer clicks your ad and places an order within 28 days

  • You set budgets and strategy in your portal and see clear reporting on

    • Views

    • Clicks

    • Orders

    • ROAS (return on ad spend)

  • Fees are withheld from payouts; in some jurisdictions, a data processing tax may apply

Key benefits and information

  • Appear in prime, high‑intent search placements where business buyers are actively shopping

  • Pay for performance (orders after an ad click), not just placement

  • Get full budget control and simple self‑serve campaign management in the Partner Portal

  • Ads are clearly labeled “Sponsored” and shown via an instant auction for each search

  • Internal guidance for getting started

    • Set a weekly budget cap per store

    • Run and iterate based on results

    • Directional benchmark of 4–7 additional orders per month per campaign, depending on market and competition

  • Cancellations or rejections after an ad‑driven order is placed do not change the Sponsored Listings fee

Marketing Program Matrix

Use this matrix to quickly see where each program is available and its primary goal

Program by goal and placement

Program

Primary goal

Where it shows

Preferred Partner Program

Boost Marketplace ranking to get more views

Search ranking only (no customer‑visible deal or incentive)

ezRewards

Incentivize purchasers to pick you

Listing and search indicators that highlight extra rewards

Marketplace Promos

Convert customers with compelling deals

Deals badge on listing and Deals filter

Sponsored Listings

Premium visibility to high‑intent buyers

Labeled Sponsored slots in search

Program availability by state

Preferred Partner Program (PPP)

  • States

    • AL, AK, AR, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY

Rewards

  • All US States

Marketplace Promos

  • States

    • AZ, CO, DC, KS, MD, NM, OK, TX, VA, WV

Sponsored Listings

  • States

    • AZ, CO, DC, KS, MD, NM, OK, TX, VA, WV

How to choose and combine programs

Choosing by goal

If your goal is prime visibility in competitive markets:

  • Use PPP or Sponsored Listings (depending on your state)

    • PPP boosts ranking

    • Sponsored Listings give you premium placements with pay‑per‑order efficiency

If your goal is to incentivize more clicks and stand out in search

  • Add a Rewards multiplier so customers earn extra points

  • Many buyers actively look for listings that offer more rewards

If your goal is to convert more shoppers into orders

  • Run Marketplace Promos (where available) for

    • Weekday discounts

    • End‑of‑quarter pushes

    • Seasonal deals

In markets without Sponsored Listings

  • PPP remains the main lever to boost search ranking

  • Pair PPP with Rewards for added visibility and appeal

Combining programs for maximum impact

You can combine programs to

  • Attract more customers

  • Convert more views into orders

  • Retain loyal buyers

Examples

  • Sponsored Listings + Rewards

    • Sponsored Listings drive more views

    • Rewards encourages customers to choose and return to your brand

  • Marketplace Promos + Sponsored Listings

    • Sponsored Listings boost exposure for your promo

    • You only pay for ads when an order is placed after a click

  • PPP + Rewards (in PPP markets)

    • PPP increases visibility

    • Rewards gives an extra reason to choose your listing over others

FAQ

Is PPP going away

  • In expansion states, PPP is being replaced by Sponsored Listings

  • PPP continues in all other states for now

Do I pay for ad clicks in Sponsored Listings

  • No

  • You only pay when a customer clicks your ad and places an order within 28 days

Can I target specific days with Marketplace Promos

  • Yes

  • Weekday‑only restrictions are supported

Do buyers earn ezRewards on Online Ordering / ezOrdering

  • No

  • ezRewards applies to Marketplace orders, not orders placed on your own website via ezCater’s online ordering solution

For any questions about these marketing programs, please contact our Partner Success team at [email protected]

Related Articles
Selling Fees & Payouts
Customer Rewards
Preferred Partner Program
Sponsored Listings
Marketplace Promos
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