ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Menus and Photos - Chicago, IL 60656
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Haztusitio - 6058 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60629, United States
• De La Foye Design Studio - 4045 N Rockwell St, Chicago, IL 60618
• Kara Creatives - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-5283, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Menus and Photos - 5122 N Natoma Ave, Chicago, IL 60656, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Lutzen, Creative Solutions for Business - 1100 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States

For a small catering company, I’d avoid paying for a big agency. You mainly need a polished mobile site with a menu, catering packages, inquiry/order form, phone button, and maybe online payment.

Here are the best inexpensive options I found:

• Menus and Photos — Particularly relevant to you because they specialize in food businesses and combine menu design, photography, branding, and websites. Their listed menu-design packages are around $450, although I’d ask them specifically for a small catering website + forms quote.
• Affordable Web Design Chicago — A Chicago-based provider specifically focused on budget-friendly websites for small businesses. Worth getting a quote and asking for a fixed-price package.
• Flamingo Agency — Chicago-based, small-business focused, with WordPress builds and ongoing support. Their publicly reported minimum project size is around $1,000, so I'd consider them if you want something more customized.
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company — Downtown Chicago, with website projects reportedly starting around $2,500. More expensive, but potentially worthwhile if you want the site to generate Google leads rather than simply act as an online brochure.

Particularly cheap alternatives

I also found a few non-Chicago-specific services with unusually low published prices that may be worth comparing:

• Storefront Studio — $300 for a one-page food-business site including menu, contact information and online ordering; $600 for a fuller site; $900 with online ordering/e-commerce. Storefront Studio
• Orderlanes — Free initial restaurant website design, then $39/month, with menu, photos, hours and online ordering. Orderlanes
• Get A Presence — $149/year, including a restaurant website, menu, photos, hours, location and contact form. Get A Presence
• VibeLaunch — Advertises Chicago small-business websites starting at $99, with a four-page site and very fast turnaround. I'd verify exactly what's included before paying. VibeLaunch by Next Level Solutions

What I'd do in your situation

I'd get 3 quotes and tell each designer:

“I'm a small Chicago catering company. I need a simple mobile-friendly website with our catering menu/packages, photos, contact information, and a form where customers can request a catering quote/order. I want to be able to update prices and menu items myself. What's your total price, including hosting and any monthly fees?”

I'd target $500–$1,200 one-time for a straightforward site. If someone quotes you $3,000+, I'd want a very good reason—such as custom ordering, payments, automated invoices, CRM integration, or substantial SEO work.

For a catering company, the order/inquiry form is more important than fancy design. Ideally it should collect event date, guest count, delivery/pickup, menu/package selection, dietary requirements, budget, contact information, and a message.

If you tell me roughly how many menu items you have and whether you want customers to actually pay online or just submit catering requests, I can narrow this down to the 3 best options and what I'd expect each to cost.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• SpeedyEatz - 155 N Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
• Haztusitio - 6058 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60629, United States
• Web For Lesss - Chicago, IL 60651
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Design Henge - 2259 W Rosemont Ave, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Web Action LLC - 350 N Orleans St #9000n, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Osmo Web Agency, LLC - 7427 S South Shore Dr #4K, Chicago, IL 60649, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

For a small catering company, I’d avoid paying a big agency for a complicated site. You mainly need a strong mobile site, easy-to-update menu, catering/order form, contact form, and ideally online payment/deposit capability.

Here are the options I’d shortlist:

• Flamingo Agency — Best local budget agency. Chicago-based, focused on small-business WordPress sites, with reviews specifically mentioning affordability. Their published minimum project size is around $1,000+.
• Affordable Web Design Chicago — Worth getting a quote from. Specifically targets budget-conscious small businesses and is based in Chicago.
• SpeedyEatz — Interesting for catering/food businesses. It's in the Loop and focuses on food businesses, with menu management and ordering-oriented functionality.
• Haztusitio — Good small-business option. Chicago-based with a portfolio that includes restaurants and food businesses.
• Web For Lesss — Budget-first choice. Small Chicago operation explicitly focused on simple, affordable websites for small businesses. I'd ask specifically whether they can build the catering order workflow you need.

A couple of non-local options I'd also consider

Finepoint Design has restaurant-specific packages starting at $49/month, including a digital menu and contact/inquiry form; its $99/month plan adds a dedicated catering/private-dining inquiry page. Finepoint Design

Still Waters Web Design advertises restaurant sites for $99/month, including menu updates and contact forms, with the site built for free and managed for you. Still Waters Web Design

What I'd ask for

When you contact them, ask for a quote for:

1. Home page
2. Catering menu with categories and prices
3. “Request a Catering Order” form — date, guest count, delivery/pickup, menu selections, dietary restrictions, budget, etc.
4. General contact form
5. Click-to-call button
6. Mobile-friendly design
7. Google Business Profile/local SEO setup
8. Easy menu editing without calling the designer
9. Optional Stripe/Square deposit or payment integration
10. Ownership of the domain and website

For your situation, I'd probably get quotes from Flamingo Agency, SpeedyEatz, and Finepoint first. If your main goal is keeping the cost extremely low, Finepoint's $49–$99/month model is particularly compelling; if you want a more conventional Chicago web designer you can call when something needs changing, Flamingo is worth comparing.

If you tell me roughly your budget ($500, $1,000, $2,000, etc.) and whether customers need to actually pay online or just submit an order request, I can narrow this to the 3 best fits and compare their pricing/features.

For your situation, I'd probably get quotes from Flamingo Agency, SpeedyEatz, and Finepoint first. If your main goal is keeping the cost extremely low, Finepoint's $49–$99/month model is particularly compelling; if you want a more conventional Chicago web designer you can call when something needs changing, Flamingo is worth comparing.

• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Design Henge - 2259 W Rosemont Ave, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Uptech Solution USA LLC - 6158 N Hoyne Ave 2nd FL, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Osmo Web Agency, LLC - 7427 S South Shore Dr #4K, Chicago, IL 60649, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

For a small catering company in downtown Chicago, I’d focus on designers who can build a simple, mobile-friendly site with:

• Catering menus (easy to update)
• Package/pricing pages
• Inquiry/order forms
• Event date fields and guest counts
• Photo gallery
• Google Business integration
• Optional online payments or deposits

Here are some budget-friendly Chicago-area options to consider:

For your specific business, I would ask for a quote for a 5-page site:

1. Home (photos + catering specialties)
2. Catering menus (PDF + web version)
3. Packages/pricing
4. Gallery/testimonials
5. Contact/order request form

A reasonable target budget:

• $500–$1,500: simple professional site with menu + inquiry form
• $1,500–$3,000: better branding, SEO setup, custom catering order workflow
• $3,000+: online ordering, payments, integrations with POS/catering software

When you contact designers, ask:
“Can you build a catering website where customers choose a menu package, enter event date/guest count/location, and submit an order inquiry from their phone?”

That question will quickly separate general web designers from people who understand catering businesses.

For a small Chicago catering company, I’d avoid a big agency and look for someone who can build a simple, mobile-first site with an editable menu, catering inquiry/order form, and clear phone/email buttons.

Here are some budget-friendly options I found:

My top 3 for your situation

1. Menus and Photos — I'd contact them first if your menu is a major part of the business. They understand food/catering businesses rather than just generic websites. www.prismaticsdigital.com

2. SiteMe Chicago — probably the best straightforward budget option if you want something polished without a huge project. Their published starting price is $549 and they specifically include forms and menu updates. sitemechicago.com

3. Affordable Web Design Chicago — worth getting a quote from because their positioning is specifically affordable small-business websites, and WordPress would make it easier for you to change menus yourself. www.choosechicago.com

One important distinction: if by “order forms” you mean customers submit a catering request (date, guest count, menu choices, budget, delivery address, etc.), that's relatively inexpensive. If you mean actual online checkout/payment, tell the designer that upfront—it can require Square/Stripe or a catering-ordering system and will cost more.

For your site, I'd ask for 5 pages max: Home, Catering Menu, Packages/Services, About, Contact/Order, with the order form prominently displayed on the menu and home page. That should keep the project inexpensive while giving customers a very short path from Google → menu → inquiry/order.

For a small catering company, I’d prioritize someone who understands food-service menus + catering inquiry/order forms, rather than paying a general agency for a big custom site.

Here are the most promising inexpensive options I found:

1. Affordable Web Design Chicago — Best budget-oriented local option. They specifically target small businesses and offer WordPress sites; their public listing describes them as budget-friendly. www.choosechicago.com

Website

2. Menus and Photos — Probably the best fit for a caterer. They're Chicago-based and specialize in restaurants/food businesses, including editable website menus and optional online-ordering integration.

Website

3. SpeedyEatz — Interesting if your biggest need is keeping your menu/prices updated yourself. They're in the Loop and focus specifically on food businesses and menu/ordering systems.

4. SiteMe Chicago — Publishes pricing from $549, including custom design, mobile responsiveness, and contact/booking forms, with $34/month maintenance that includes seasonal menu updates. sitemechicago.com

SiteMe Chicago

5. Emericano — A very low-cost Illinois option: roughly $300 for a basic site or $300 + $35/month for a 3–5-page site with lead forms and ongoing edits. You'd want to confirm they can add the specific catering order workflow you need. emericano.com

Emericano

6. Bripe Media — Not quite as cheap, but unusually well matched to catering: its published $850 package includes menu pages, catering quote forms, photo galleries, and online-ordering integration with Square Online or Shopify. design.bripemedia.com

Bripe Media catering package

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd get quotes from Menus and Photos, SiteMe, and Bripe Media and ask each for essentially the same package:

• Home page
• Catering menu with prices/photos
• Separate “Request a Catering Quote” form
• Order/contact form
• Pickup/delivery information
• Phone/text button
• Google Maps/business information
• Mobile-friendly design
• Ability for you to change menu items and prices yourself
• Square/Stripe/online ordering integration if you want customers to actually pay online

For a small catering operation, I'd aim for $500–$1,000 upfront, rather than paying several thousand dollars for a full agency website.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. under $500, $500–$1,000, or $1,000+) and whether you want customers to actually pay online, I can narrow this to the 3 best choices and compare their pricing/features.

For a small catering company, I’d avoid a big agency and look for someone who can build a simple mobile-first site with an editable menu, catering/order form, contact form, and basic local SEO.

My shortlist

1. Affordable Web Design Chicago — Best budget-oriented option
   • Chicago-based and explicitly markets to small businesses.
   • They specialize in WordPress, which is useful if you want to update menu items yourself.
   • Their site describes their service as budget-friendly. www.choosechicago.com
   • Ask for: 4–5 pages + editable menu + catering inquiry/order form.

2. Emericano — Best low-cost ongoing option
   • Advertises roughly $300 + $35/month for a 3–5 page small-business site, including lead-form monitoring and ongoing edits. emericano.com
   • Particularly appealing if you don't want to deal with website maintenance yourself.
   • Emericano

3. SiteMe Chicago — Best middle-ground option
   • Custom sites start at $549, including contact/booking forms, with maintenance at $34/month.
   • Their maintenance plan specifically mentions seasonal menu/content updates, which is a nice fit for catering. sitemechicago.com
   • SiteMe Chicago

4. Mauve Verse — Cheapest advertised package
   • Advertises a $199 three-page package with a contact/query form and deployment. mauveverse.com
   • I'd get very specific about what "menu" and "order form" functionality costs extra before hiring them.
   • Mauve Verse

5. Flamingo Agency — Worth getting a quote
   • Chicago-based, strong local review profile, and likely worth comparing against the budget specialists.
   • I wouldn't choose them solely on reviews, though—ask for a fixed price for your exact scope.

What I'd ask them to build

For catering, I'd keep it simple:

Home | Catering Menu | Packages/Pricing | Order/Quote Request | Contact

The order form should collect:

• Event date
• Pickup/delivery
• Guest count
• Menu/package selection
• Dietary requirements
• Delivery address
• Name, phone and email
• Additional requests

I'd also make the menu HTML/mobile-readable rather than just a PDF. That's better for customers on phones and makes it easier for you to change prices/items.

My first three calls would be Affordable Web Design Chicago, Emericano, and SiteMe Chicago. Get all three to quote the same exact scope so you can compare apples-to-apples.

If you tell me your rough budget (e.g. under $300, $500, or $1,000) and whether you need actual online payment/checkout or just an order-request form, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

Since you’re in downtown Chicago, I’d focus on small studios or freelancers rather than full-service agencies. For a catering company, you mainly need a polished mobile site, easy-to-update menus, and a solid catering inquiry/order form—not a huge custom build.

My shortlist

1. VibeLaunch — best ultra-budget option
   • Advertises websites starting at $99
   • Says it serves Chicago small businesses
   • Fast turnaround and simple setup
   • Good fit if you mainly need Home / About / Menu / Catering / Contact
   • I’d specifically ask whether their basic package can handle a custom catering order form rather than just a contact form. vibelaunchdesign.com
   • VibeLaunch

2. Mauve Verse — best if you want more functionality cheaply
   • Chicago-based
   • Packages currently advertised from $199
   • Includes contact/query forms; higher tiers offer custom forms and online ordering/payment integrations
   • Their $649 package includes a CMS, which would be useful for keeping menus updated yourself. mauveverse.com
   • Mauve Verse

3. SiteMe Chicago — best balance of price + ongoing help
   • Custom websites from $549
   • Includes mobile responsiveness, SEO basics, and contact/booking forms
   • Monthly maintenance is advertised at $34/month, including seasonal menu/content updates
   • This is particularly attractive for catering because your menu may change regularly. sitemechicago.com
   • SiteMe Chicago

4. Emericano — best low-cost ongoing option
   • Serves Illinois small businesses, including restaurants
   • Advertises roughly $300 for a 3–5 page site, followed by about $20–$50/month
   • Includes contact/lead forms and ongoing content updates
   • I'd ask them to build the catering inquiry form as part of the initial scope. emericano.com
   • Emericano

5. Prismatics Digital — best catering-specific choice
   • Chicago boutique studio specifically works with restaurants/small businesses
   • Their restaurant offering mentions menus, ordering, POS integrations and catering workflows
   • They also offer ongoing maintenance
   • I wouldn't assume they'll be the cheapest, but they're worth getting a quote from because your requirements are unusually well aligned with their restaurant experience. www.prismaticsdigital.com
   • Prismatics Digital

What I'd ask for

For your business, I'd request a 5-page site:

• Home
• Catering Menu
• Corporate/Event Catering
• About
• Contact / Request a Quote

And make the main CTA “Request Catering Quote” rather than simply “Contact Us.” The form could collect event date, guest count, location, menu/package choice, dietary requirements, budget, and phone/email.

I'd target roughly $300–$800 upfront for a straightforward site. If someone quotes several thousand dollars, I'd only consider it if they're providing substantial custom ordering/automation.

My first three calls would be SiteMe, Mauve Verse, and Prismatics. SiteMe looks strongest for inexpensive ongoing maintenance, Mauve Verse for low initial cost, and Prismatics for actual catering/restaurant functionality.

Yes. For a small catering company, I’d avoid paying a big agency for this. You mainly need a polished mobile site, editable menu, catering/order form, and optionally online payment.

My shortlist

1. Affordable Web Design Chicago — Probably worth contacting first because they specifically position themselves around budget-friendly websites for small businesses. Ask for a fixed-price quote including a menu and catering inquiry/order form.

2. 10com Web Development — Downtown Chicago, with a strong review count and experience with small-business websites and e-commerce/order functionality. I'd ask them for their smallest package rather than a full marketing engagement.

3. The Loop Marketing Inc — Actually in the West Loop, and focused on small businesses. They could be a good choice if you also want basic local SEO so people searching Google for Chicago catering can find you.

4. Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Downtown/Loop and experienced with restaurants and other small businesses. Likely worth getting a quote, although I'd specifically ask them to keep the scope lean.

5. VibeLaunch — Not necessarily a traditional agency, but its published pricing is unusually low: $99 starting price for a four-page site and it says it's Chicago-based. I'd verify exactly what menu functionality, forms, hosting, and ongoing costs are included before choosing it. vibelaunchdesign.com

One option I'd look at even though it's outside downtown

Bripe Media advertises an $850 one-time catering website that includes menu pages, catering quote/order forms, photo gallery, mobile design, and integration with Square Online or Shopify. That's unusually close to what you're asking for. design.bripemedia.com

There's also SiteMe Chicago, which advertises custom sites starting at $549, including contact/booking forms, with optional $34/month maintenance that covers things like seasonal menu updates. sitemechicago.com

What I'd ask for

Tell each designer you need:

• Home page
• Mobile-friendly catering menu that you can edit yourself
• Catering/order inquiry form
• Event date + guest count + delivery/pickup fields
• Customer contact information
• Photo gallery
• Click-to-call button
• Google Maps/Google Business integration
• Optional Square Online checkout
• You owning the domain and website
• No long-term marketing contract

For your type of business, I'd target roughly $500–$1,200 one-time for the website unless you need sophisticated online ordering. A catering site can be considerably cheaper than a full restaurant/e-commerce build.

If you want, I can also narrow this down to 3 Chicago designers under $1,000 and find their current pricing/contact information.

For a small catering company, I’d avoid paying a traditional agency for a big custom site. You mainly need a polished mobile site, easy-to-update menus, catering/order forms, and ideally online payments.

My shortlist

1. Menus and Photos — probably the best fit if you want someone who understands food businesses. They specifically offer restaurant websites with editable menus, CMS access, and optional online-ordering integration. Their basic website pricing is listed around $200/page, while an advanced package with ordering is listed at $3,000.

2. CMP Development Group / Online Ordering Made Easy — worth getting a quote if online ordering is the priority. They focus on independent restaurants and small food businesses and offer menu maintenance, ordering, and restaurant-focused website services.

3. Chicago Website Design SEO Company — convenient if you want someone right downtown; they're at 10 S Riverside Plaza and have a strong local-review profile. I'd ask specifically for a small catering-site package rather than a broader marketing/SEO package.

4. Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — another downtown option at 30 N Michigan Ave. They handle web design and CMS-based sites, but I'd compare their quote carefully against the smaller specialists above.

Cheapest route I'd consider

If you don't need a highly customized site, Flavor Plate is particularly interesting: it's a restaurant-specific website platform at $49/month, with menu management and optional online ordering; it also says initial design setup is free. www.flavorplate.com

For a more customized but still relatively inexpensive build, Storefront Studio advertises restaurant sites from $600, with menus and contact forms, and a $900 tier adding online ordering/e-commerce. storefront-studio.org

What I'd ask for

Tell designers you need:

• Home page
• Catering menu with categories, prices and photos
• Catering order/inquiry form (date, guest count, menu selections, delivery address, budget, notes)
• Contact form
• Click-to-call button
• Mobile-friendly design
• Easy menu editing yourself
• Online payment/deposit capability
• Google Business/Maps integration
• Your own domain and ownership of the website

My first three calls would be Menus and Photos, CMP Development Group, and a quote from Storefront Studio. That should give you a useful comparison between a local restaurant specialist, an ordering-focused provider, and a low-cost custom build.

For a small downtown Chicago catering company, I’d avoid a big agency and look for a freelancer/small studio that can build a simple mobile-friendly site with:

• Editable catering/menu pages
• Inquiry/contact form
• Catering order form with guest count, date, delivery address, etc.
• Optional online payment/order integration
• Basic Google/local SEO
• You being able to change prices and menu items yourself

Chicago options worth contacting

1. Windy City Web Solutions — 801 S Wells St, Chicago

A small local web shop with a strong rating and a downtown location. I'd put them on the quote list for a straightforward catering site.

2. John Schuster — 1531 N Wells St, Chicago

Independent web designer, which can sometimes mean a lower project cost and more direct communication than an agency.

3. Wojo Design — 318 W Adams St, Chicago

Downtown and relatively small operation; worth asking for a fixed-price package.

4. Web Design Chicago — 800 S Clark St, Chicago

Another small local option that could be worth getting a quote from.

5. Chicago Website Design SEO Company — 10 S Riverside Plaza, Chicago

More SEO-oriented, so potentially useful if getting found for searches like “Chicago corporate catering” is important.

One I'd especially investigate

Flamingo Agency is a Chicago web-design agency with a substantial number of reviews. I'd ask specifically for a small-business/fixed-scope package rather than a custom agency build.

Also, for your particular business, I'd ask every designer to show you 2–3 catering/restaurant sites they've actually built. A beautiful generic business website isn't necessarily good at converting catering inquiries.

For reference, Chicago catering sites commonly combine a menu with online ordering/contact functionality; for example, Tempesta Market has both menu/order functionality, while other local caterers use dedicated inquiry/order forms. tempestamarket.com

Budget I'd target: roughly $1,000–$2,500 one-time for a polished small catering site with 5–8 pages, menu management, and forms. If someone quotes $5k+ for that scope, I'd get another quote unless they're providing substantial custom ordering functionality.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. under $1,000, $1–2k, or $2–3k), I can narrow this to the 3 best choices and find their actual pricing/contact information.

For a small downtown Chicago catering company, I’d focus on small studios/freelancers rather than big agencies. You probably need a polished 4–6 page site, an editable menu, catering inquiry/order form, and maybe online payments—not a $5k+ custom build.

My shortlist

1. Menus and Photos — best catering/food fit
   • Specifically works with restaurants, catering businesses and food brands.
   • Offers editable menus and optional online-ordering integration.
   • Their advanced website package is listed at $3,000 with online ordering, so I'd ask whether they can quote a simpler catering-only site below that. www.prismaticsdigital.com

2. Affordable Web Design Chicago — best budget-oriented local option
   • Chicago-based and specifically targets small businesses.
   • Their site emphasizes affordable WordPress sites, responsive design, and maintenance. www.choosechicago.com
   • I'd ask for a quote for menu + catering inquiry form + click-to-call + basic SEO, without paying for unnecessary extras.

3. Uptech Solution USA LLC — cheapest structured option
   • Lists a $50/month small-site package covering roughly 3–5 pages, hosting, domain and business email.
   • They also support contact forms and common integrations.
   • Worth considering if keeping upfront costs very low matters more than having a highly customized design.

4. SiteMe Chicago — good low-cost custom option
   • Advertises custom websites from $549, including contact/booking forms, with typical delivery in 3–5 business days.
   • Maintenance is listed at $34/month, including seasonal menu/content updates. sitemechicago.com
   • This is probably the first one I'd contact for a simple, professional catering site on a tight budget.

5. SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago — good if Google visibility matters
   • West Loop location and focuses on small-business websites plus local SEO/Google Maps visibility.
   • I'd consider them if you want the website to actively generate catering leads rather than simply serve as an online brochure.

What I'd ask them to build

For your business, I'd keep the scope to:

• Home
• Catering menus — ideally editable, not just a PDF
• Corporate catering / event catering
• About
• Contact / Request a Quote
• Order/inquiry form with date, guest count, delivery address, menu selection, dietary needs and budget
• Click-to-call and Google Maps
• Mobile-first design
• Google Business Profile/local SEO
• Optional online payment/deposit

I'd specifically tell them: “I don't need a complicated restaurant ordering system. I need customers to be able to view menus and submit catering orders/inquiries easily from their phones.” That can save you a lot of money.

My first three calls would be SiteMe, Menus and Photos, and Affordable Web Design Chicago. Get all three to quote the same exact scope so you're comparing apples to apples.

For a small catering company, I’d avoid paying for a big agency. You mainly need a mobile-friendly site, easy-to-update menu, catering/order form, contact form, and ideally online payment/order integration.

Here are the most budget-friendly options I found:

1. Affordable Web Design Chicago — best low-cost Chicago option
   • Based in Chicago.
   • Specifically targets small businesses and advertises budget-friendly WordPress sites. www.choosechicago.com
   • Good choice if you want someone local and want to keep the site simple.
   • Ask for: menu pages, catering inquiry form, contact form, mobile design, and online ordering.

2. Uptech Solution USA LLC — cheapest published pricing I found
   • Chicago-based.
   • Publishes a $50/month website package for a small 3–5 page site, including hosting/domain and common integrations.
   • Their sites support contact forms and maps.
   • I'd ask specifically whether the $50/month plan can handle a menu + catering order form without expensive add-ons.

3. 10com Web Development — good downtown option
   • Located on Michigan Avenue in the Loop.
   • Has budget-oriented website packages and experience with small businesses.
   • Worth getting a quote if you'd like something more polished than a basic template.

4. The Loop Marketing Inc — good for a more established catering brand
   • West Loop location.
   • Focuses on small businesses and WordPress websites.
   • Probably worth considering if you also want help with Google/SEO after the site launches.

5. Still Waters Web Design — interesting restaurant-specific subscription
   • They advertise a free website build + $99/month, including menu updates, new photos, pages, and contact forms. stillwaterswebdesign.com
   • This could be particularly attractive for catering because your menu may change frequently.

One non-Chicago option I'd seriously consider

Bripe Media has a package specifically for catering businesses: $850 one-time. It includes menu pages, custom catering quote/order forms, photo gallery, and online-ordering integration through Square Online or Shopify. design.bripemedia.com

That's actually very close to what I'd recommend for you: a simple $500–$1,000 site with a real catering inquiry/order workflow, rather than spending $2,000–$5,000 on a marketing agency.

My shortlist:
Cheapest: Uptech / Affordable Web Design Chicago
Best fit for catering: Bripe Media
Best local restaurant-oriented option: Still Waters
More polished/local agency: 10com

When you request quotes, tell them you need (1) menu with prices/photos, (2) catering inquiry form with event date/guest count/location, (3) contact form, (4) online ordering or payment, (5) mobile-first design, and (6) the ability for you to change menu items yourself. That will make the quotes much easier to compare.

Since you’re downtown, I’d focus on small-business specialists rather than a big marketing agency. For a catering company, the key is getting a site that is easy to update and has a mobile-friendly menu + catering/order inquiry form, without paying for unnecessary SEO/marketing retainers.

My shortlist

1. Affordable Web Design Chicago — probably the first one I’d call. It’s specifically positioned around budget-friendly websites for small businesses, and it’s Chicago-based. Ask for a simple catering site with menu pages and an order/quote form.

2. Web For Lesss — a small Chicago web-design operation explicitly focused on affordable, straightforward small-business sites. Good candidate if you want something simple rather than highly customized.

3. Uptech Solution USA LLC — worth considering if you prefer a very low monthly cost. They advertise a $50/month small-site package with hosting, domain and business email, and they support contact forms.

4. 10com Web Development — located right in the Loop and has substantial review volume. They specifically market budget-oriented packages and work with small businesses.

5. John Schuster — a smaller Chicago-based web-design provider that may be worth getting a quote from if you want more personalized/freelancer-style service.

One especially relevant option

If you're open to a designer who isn't necessarily downtown, Bripe Media publishes an unusually specific catering package: $850 one-time, with menu pages, catering quote/order forms, online-ordering integration through Square or Shopify, photo gallery, mobile design, and first-year domain/hosting. design.bripemedia.com

For comparison, SiteMe Chicago advertises custom sites from $549, including contact/booking forms, with optional $34/month maintenance that includes seasonal menu updates. sitemechicago.com

What I'd ask for

I'd send each designer the same requirements:

• 4–6 page mobile-friendly website
• Menu with prices/photos that you can edit yourself
• Catering inquiry/order form: date, guest count, location, menu/package, dietary needs, budget, contact info
• “Order Catering” button prominently on every page
• Square/Stripe payment or ordering integration only if you actually need customers to pay online
• Google Maps + business hours
• Basic Google/Local SEO
• You own the domain, website and content
• No long-term marketing contract

Budget target: I'd try to keep the initial build around $500–$1,200 for this scope. You don't need a $3,000–$10,000 agency website unless you're looking for sophisticated ordering, customer accounts, delivery logistics, or custom integrations.

If online ordering is important, I'd lean toward the $850 Bripe option or a designer who can integrate Square. If you mainly need customers to request catering quotes, the cheaper Chicago small-business designers should be sufficient.

Bripe Media catering website package
SiteMe Chicago

Since you’re downtown Chicago, I’d focus on small studios or restaurant-focused providers, rather than a big agency. For a catering company, the important features are a mobile-friendly menu, catering/order inquiry form, contact form, and ideally online payment/order integration.

My shortlist

1. Affordable Web Design Chicago — Best budget-oriented local option

Chicago-based and specifically geared toward small businesses. I’d ask them for a simple 4–5 page catering site with an editable menu and quote/order form. Their public profile emphasizes budget-friendly small-business websites.

2. Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Best if you want someone actually downtown

They're in the Loop at 30 N Michigan Ave and specialize in web design/branding. Good choice if you want a somewhat more polished brand presentation without going to a large agency.

3. Menus and Photos — Especially interesting for a catering business

This Chicago studio works specifically with restaurants and food businesses and combines menu design, food photography, branding and website work. Their web offering includes editable menus and optional online-ordering integration. sitemechicago.com

4. Emericano — Cheapest straightforward option I found

They advertise roughly $300 to build a small-business site, with contact/lead forms, followed by roughly $20–$50/month for support. They serve Illinois, including Chicago. emericano.com
Caveat: they aren't Chicago-based, so this is more of a remote budget option.

5. SiteMe Chicago — Good middle ground

Starts at $549, with contact/booking forms, and lists $34/month maintenance including seasonal menu/content updates. sitemechicago.com

If you want the absolute lowest ongoing cost

Still Waters Web Design advertises a restaurant-focused model where the website is built for free and managed for $99/month, including menu changes, new pages and contact forms. sitemechicago.comstillwaterswebdesign.com

For something even more bare-bones, Get A Presence advertises restaurant sites at $149/year, including menu, photos, hours and contact form, with a 3–5 day turnaround. getapresence.com

What I'd ask for

I'd request a quote for:

• Home page with food/event photos
• Editable catering menu
• Catering quote/order form — date, guest count, event type, menu selections, delivery address, budget
• General contact form
• Click-to-call button
• Google Maps/location information
• Mobile-first design
• Online payment or Square/Stripe integration if you want customers to actually pay online
• Ability for you to change prices and menu items yourself
• Hosting + maintenance price after launch

My first three calls would be Menus and Photos, Affordable Web Design Chicago, and SiteMe. For a catering company, I'd favor someone who understands food-service ordering rather than someone who merely builds attractive small-business sites.