How online payments can enhance your Lenten Fish Fry events

Feb 15, 2024 by

Katie Clark

Combining the annual fish fry with your digital tools can welcome even more people to the table for dinner this Lent.

There is something about the annual Lenten fish fry events that fill parish halls of Catholic churches across the globe. The bustling parking lot, take away orders rushing out the door, and welcome tables that greet you upon entry; cafeteria tables stretch from wall to wall as you gather in line, anticipating the portions of warm, flaky fish and chilled cole slaw that will soon fill your tray.

The thing about Lenten fish fry events is that multiple churches have them, so the community is drawn to their favorites based on taste and experience. Here is how your eCatholic website and eCatholic Payments can make your Lenten fish fry events even batter.
 

Set up a dedicated page for all things fish fry 

When it comes to any event focused on community, information is key! A single page on your website where your parishioners can find the answers to frequently asked questions will provide them with confidence as they plan their visit.

Making the effort to keep parishioners informed through your website will help you put extra (and often unnecessary) communications aside and spend more time letting your hospitality shine! Plus, your secretary will thank you for all the time saved from fielding unnecessary phone calls. :)

After creating your dedicated fish fry webpage, here are some key essentials you can add in order to make it a great experience for new and returning parishioners:

1

Include a menu & ticket costs

It’s reasonable for your parishioners to expect a fish dinner during your Lenten fish fry…but what else is there? Do you offer a choice of sides? What about soup or salad? Will there be a dessert table run by your local youth group? Listing your menu, what’s included with a ticket, and prices for any additional purchases will ensure members plan accordingly for their visit and bring enough cash for any enticing on-site purchases! Every fish fry has a different flavor, so a menu helps everyone come prepared to fill their belly.

2

Share operating times and other important details

Since the parish fish fry is seasonal by nature, you’ll likely need to remind your parishioners of the small details to ensure no one misses out on those delicious dinners! Operating hours and when your volunteers will take the final orders for the night allow your members to plan their visit accordingly. Directions to your location–and even around your campus–allow parishioners to confidently park and find your cafeteria (nobody likes getting lost on an empty stomach!). And, don’t forget to add a person to contact if there are any additional questions you weren’t able to answer upfront.

It’s little details like these that allow your hospitality to lead the way to a fruitful gathering where your neighbors can share a meal and get to know one another.
 

Want to see how it all works together? 

We know that taking ideas from concept to completion can sometimes be difficult. So, to help you level up your annual fish fry website page, we created one of our own! We've put into practice many of the details we discussed in this blog so you can see how they look on a real, live webpage. Feel free to browse the page and modify any ideas you see to fit your own parish needs. :)
Visit Example Fish Fry Page

Allow people to purchase ahead online 

Purchasing meal tickets ahead of time has a slew of benefits for your parish: Parishioners can carry less cash, bookkeepers can ditch counting and double counting profits every week, and your volunteers can stock up on ingredients to ensure they won’t run out of fish or other dinner essentials before the night ends!

eCatholic’s Payments + Forms tool can transform your fish fry page into a one-stop shop that allows members to plan, prepare, and, most of all, enjoy their dinner without any hassle. Here’s what the Payments + Forms module can accomplish for you this year during your fish fry.
 

1

Create a form with menu offerings and dining options 

Creating a form is as simple as drag-and-drop! Once the payment form is on your page, you’ll get a blank slate in order to customize the purchase form to your specific needs. It’s easy to list out all of your menu offerings, so parishioners can see exactly what they'll get with a ticket purchase. Also, be sure to take advantage of the multiplier field, which allows you to purchase multiple tickets at once. When purchasing multiple tickets, the multiplier field auto-calculates your total so you can make one easy payment for everyone going to dinner.

You can also include dining options through the simple addition of a radio button field. Whether dine in or take out (or any other options you may offer), your parishioners can still participate and support your church, even if they’re running on a tight schedule.
 

2

Customize your form’s email response

All eCatholic Payment forms come with the option to customize their email response, which can save time and confusion! Special messages that instruct your parishioners to present the email as a form of receipt when arriving to dinner help you confirm that a payment has already been made! Plus, you can include any specific directions or instructions that parishioners can keep at their fingertips, which helps keep that line of hungry folks movin’ and groovin’.
 

A few extra sides (i.e., ideas) to go with your fish basket

You probably have enough ideas to bring your community together already, but just in case you were interested in a few extra side dishes, here’s what we have on our menu.
 

1

Don’t forget about your webpage QR Code!

All eCatholic webpages come with a custom, high-quality QR code. So, advertising for your fish fry doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg (or should we say, a fin and a tail?). Simply download your QR code directly from the webpage, which can be used in flyers, posters, small business cards that you hand out to community members or friends, and, of course, in your trusty bulletin.
 

2

Share about your fish fry on social media

Sharing your webpage on social media allows your event visibility to go beyond your own reach. Social media posts can be shared by community members to help spread the word and bring newcomers into your church. In addition to reminding people to come dine, include some topical fun facts like how much fish is made in a single Lenten season, or how long the fish fry has been part of your parish tradition.

What are you waiting for? Though Lent has begun, it’s never too late to spin up a new fish fry page on your website or start accepting online payments for the dinners. We’re excited to see what you come up with! And don't forget, if you need an example, check out our live Fish Fry demo page, where you can see how it's all roped together. :)

If you’re not using eCatholic for online payments yet, there’s still time to make the switch. Learn more about our online payments tools or schedule a demo with our team to ask us your questions and get a live demo of our tools!

What else does your parish have going on this Lent? We always love to hear from you. Drop a comment below to share what you’ve created with your eCatholic-powered website lately.