Dear Customers
Food is a unique experience which touches more senses than anything else can.
XCATER is dedicated towards building up a community where treating is made simple.
There is no joy like connecting food lovers to the varieties of cuisines and gobsmacking good food.

It gets even better when the food is home cooked and from your neighbourhood, And more interesting when you have a choice of three different order types.

1. Hot & Ready, provides you ready dishes.
   When you can't wait and want to grab the food as quickly as possible.. Place an order and pick it up immediately from the caterer location, as the order is ready before you have placed the order.
2. On Order,  it is cooked for you, upon order.
   When you want to treat yourself with best food.  This order type lists the best offerings from  the caterers.
   Make a choice and place the order. Caterer will cook whilst updating the status of the order.
   You can talk (online chat) to the caterer, tell your preferences and mention food allergies, etc.,
3. Cater for event.   
   When you have an upcoming event or you want to celebrate a long weekend with a family get together.
   You have an option to A la carte your menu items and quantities from the select caterer.
   The order will be processed and delivered to your place. You can stay tuned with the caterer on the chat.               

How it works?
Every Order follows these common steps

1. Pick up the precise location
2. The application brings up the dishes/menus from the caterers in the neighbourhood, by default it is within the 5 miles radius.
   In 'Cater for Event', it lists the Caterers
3. The payment is not on the website, it is made directly with the caterer. It depends upon the caterer on what mode of payment they allow (cash down, wallet payment, credit card, online transfer, etc.,)
4. The search filter available in the left, helps in narrowing the listing based on favourite cuisine, public reviews, etc.,
5. Please note that the order is limited to a caterer and  order type selected, which means in a given order the Customer cannot have dishes from two different Caterers or from different Order Types.
   When the customer tries to add a dish from another Caterer or Order Type, the system alerts about it and ask for the confirmation to clear up the cart.
6. Once the order is successfully completed, the Customer is asked to rate the Caterer.

Hot & Ready

Immediate Pickup

"Hot & Ready" order type lists the ready to serve dishes & menus from the caterers in customer's neighbourhood. It is meant to be "Picked up"  

1. After choosing this Order Type, and getting the Caterers listed for the location picked.  Customer can make a selection of dish/menu, he/she wants to order.
2. Add  Dish(es)/ Menu(s) to the cart and once done, confirm the order. 
3. Customer is supposed to pick the order within 2 hours before it gets cancelled.
4. Customer can trace the Caterer location to pick their order

On Order

Cooked upon Request

"On Order" order type lists the  best offerings (dishes & menus) the caterers can offer.  It is cooked upon order. 

1. The dishes/menus listed from different Caterers, displays the order processing time and the kitchen closing time. The Customer has to take care to place the order accordingly. For example, if the Kitchen timing is 10 AM - 7 PM. If an order is placed at 6PM and its calculated processing time goes beyond 7PM, the delivery date shouldn't be the same day, otherwise there are chances that the Caterer may deny the order.
2. Customer makes a choice of the dish/menu and places the order.
3. Customer is notified about the order's status in the following phases
   • Order Confirmed (when the order is taken)
     Caterer has the option to Confirm or Deny the order. Denial is for obvious reasons, as in:
     • There isn't enough cooking/processing time available between the order placed and delivery time or kitchen closing time.
     • The Caterer is overwhelmed with orders and cannot take up a new one.

   If the Caterer confirms the order, he/she then starts with processing the order, to complete by the delivery date and time.

   • In Process (when the order is initiated)
   • Order Processed (when the cooking per order is through)
   • Order Complete (when the order is delivered)
   • Order on Hold (when the Customer doesn't turn up after having chosen the pickup option and haven't paid too)
4. The Customer or Caterer can trigger a chat communication from their respective dashboards, while the order status is not yet complete. This chat is specific to the order id and the history of the communication will persist throughout the existence of the order
5. Customer can collect the order at their  residence or pick it up from the Caterer's location based on the delivery option chosen.
6. Pay by cash or card, as supported by Caterer
7. Note: In cases where Customer doesn't collect the order after having chosen the pickup option, the Customer is supposed to pay the Caterer at their residence or at Caterer's location, when Caterer makes the request for the payment.. The order doesn't need to be served.

Cater for Event
Plan with us

This order type helps Customer to plan for the events.

1. Unlike other Order Types, the Customer have to provide the event date, venue, number of people invited, select cuisine and choose the Caterer type, to list the Caterers who can cater accordingly.
2. The Customer can go over the Caterer profiles from the short listed caterers. The Caterer profiles displays their Offerings (menu items) in different menu courses.
   The Customer can decide the best Caterer for the event.
3. From the finalized Caterer profile, the Customer has  the option to prepare menu for the event from A la carte. and finally place the order. The Customer will be asked, to look for the order acceptance or denial
4. The Customer's order can be accepted  or can be denied too.  It will be notified to the customer by email.
   If the order is accepted, the Customer will be given the order processing date. The Customer has the option to cancel the order before this order processing date.
5. After the order is "Accepted", the Caterer or Customer has the option to communicate through the chat feature, which is specific to order id.
6. After the processing date is past, the Caterer starts processing the order whilst updating the order status, which the Customer is notified through email and in the "order" status  of the customer dashboard.
7. The order status is based on the stage it is in, as "In Process", "Order Processed" and "Order Completed" (this is once the order is delivered and paid for)
8. These order type is supposed to be home delivered. The Caterer will deliver the order by said time and date. Customer will collect the order and pay by cash or credit as already indicated in the Caterer's profile.
9. Finally the order is marked complete