US catering marketplace requirements
ezCater Photo Requirements: Catering Menu Image Size, Orientation & Upload Prep
Catering photos have to communicate portion size, package contents, serving context, and food quality before an office buyer opens the item page. This page is specific to ezCater catering menu images and does not compete with the broader ezCater platform or food-photography pages.
Create ezCater-ready photos in FoodPhoto.ai or see paid credits and plans.
Quick answer
Prepare ezCater catering menu photos as JPG or PNG, at least 1200×800 px, in horizontal orientation. Show the real tray, platter, boxed lunch, or bundle accurately, avoid promotional overlays, and make serving size obvious so buyers know what will arrive.
ezCater image specs and composition rules
| Minimum resolution | 1200×800 px. |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Horizontal landscape. |
| Formats | JPG or PNG. |
| Best ratio | 3:2 landscape for the minimum size, with safe margins for responsive crops. |
| Best subject | One real catering item, tray, platter, boxed lunch, or bundle exactly as sold. |
| Avoid | Promotional overlays, coupons, price text, watermarks, artificial text, inaccurate serving counts, unrelated props, and photos that do not match the real item. |
Sources checked June 23, 2026: ezCater API menu image requirements; ezCater partner photo guide PDF.
What to show for trays, platters, boxed lunches, and bundles
- Trays: show the tray shape and enough food detail for texture, ingredients, and scale.
- Platters: keep the full platter visible, but crop close enough that buyers can identify the protein, side, or dessert.
- Boxed lunches: show the box open with only the sandwich, salad, side, dessert, utensils, or drink components that are included.
- Buffet bundles: show the main, sides, sauces, and serving setup without adding items from another package.
- Per-person clarity: use the image and item title together so a buyer can tell whether the offer is a single serving, half pan, full pan, tray, or package.
Accuracy and AI-photo caution
ezCater buyers are often ordering for teams, meetings, and events, so trust matters. Use a real restaurant-shot source photo and keep the final image faithful to the actual item. Do not submit a stock image, a competitor image, another brand’s image, or a fully synthetic-looking item that does not match what your kitchen sends. FoodPhoto.ai is best used here as a real-photo improvement and export workflow: better lighting, cleaner background, sharper crop, and platform-ready sizing from your actual catering item photo.
Common ezCater photo mistakes
| Mistake | Why it hurts conversion |
|---|---|
| Vertical phone photo | Landscape placements crop the tray or leave the food too small. |
| Ambiguous bundle photo | Buyers cannot tell whether sides, drinks, desserts, sauces, or utensils are included. |
| Text inside the image | Text is hard to read on mobile and can conflict with live menu pricing or copy. |
| Stock-style image | Corporate buyers expect the food that will arrive, not a generic catalog photo. |
| No scale cue | A tray, platter, or boxed lunch needs enough context for serving-size confidence. |
| Wrong package contents | Showing extra items can create support issues and low repeat-order trust. |
Export workflow before uploading
- Start with a real photo of the catering item, tray, platter, or boxed lunch.
- Clean the background, improve lighting, and keep actual portions and included components unchanged.
- Export a horizontal JPG or PNG at 1200×800 px or larger.
- Check the image at thumbnail size; the main food should still be clear without reading the title.
- Name the file clearly, such as
boxed-turkey-lunch-1200x800.jpg, so staff can match it to the right item.
Turn real catering phone shots into platform-ready images
FoodPhoto.ai helps restaurants improve real item photos, create clean horizontal crops, and export catering menu images that are easier to approve and easier to order from.
Related FoodPhoto.ai guides
- ezCater food photography – AI-assisted workflow for ezCater restaurant partners.
- ezCater photo size guide – Broader ezCater platform specs page.
- Catering menu photos – Photo strategy for trays, platters, and boxed lunches.
- Delivery photo specs – Compare requirements across marketplace and ordering channels.
- FoodPhoto.ai studio – Create ezCater-ready photos from real phone shots.
- Pricing – Paid credits and plans for image generation.
Frequently asked questions
What size should ezCater menu photos be?
Use at least 1200×800 px in horizontal orientation. Larger source images are fine if the final crop stays clear and accurate.
Does ezCater accept JPG and PNG images?
Yes. ezCater menu image requirements list JPG and PNG file formats.
Should catering photos show the whole tray or a close-up?
Show enough of the tray, platter, or box to explain serving size, while keeping the food close enough to look appetizing.
Can I add promotional text or price overlays to ezCater images?
Avoid promotional overlays, price text, coupon graphics, and watermarks. Put pricing and offers in the menu fields, not inside the image.
Can FoodPhoto.ai help prepare ezCater-ready photos?
Yes. Use a real restaurant-shot source photo, improve the presentation, and keep portions, ingredients, and included components faithful to what the customer receives.