What goes on a catering invoice
Catering is priced per head and then adjusted by everything that is not food. The guest count, and the date it was locked, are the two things worth putting in writing before anything else.
- Guest count, and the date the final number was confirmed
- The menu, per head, with the price per guest
- Staff — servers, bar, kitchen — as hours or a flat fee
- Rentals: tables, linen, crockery, glassware
- Delivery, setup and collection
- Dietary and allergen requirements agreed, and the deposit already taken
Sample line items and example prices
These are the sample lines and example prices this invoice opens with. They are starting points, not a survey of what anybody charges and not a recommendation — adjust every item to match your work, your rates and your customer before you create the PDF.
| Job | Usual quantity | Opens at |
|---|---|---|
| Buffet lunch (per guest) | 60 | $22.00 |
| Service staff | 3 | $120.00 |
| Rentals | 1 | $180.00 |
| Delivery & setup | 1 | $95.00 |
Add, delete or rename any line. The math, the tax and any discount are worked out as you type. Setting the terms? The invoice due date calculator turns Net 15, 30 or 60 into the exact date to put on the invoice.
One catering invoice template: free, editable, printable and yours
Free catering invoice template
Free means the whole thing: no sign-up to start, no watermark on the PDF, no limit on how many catering invoices you make, and no card asked for at any point. An account is optional, and only does one job — keeping your papers in step between a phone and a computer.
Editable catering invoice template
It opens with 4 jobs a catering business usually bills — buffet lunch (per guest), service staff, rentals — already priced, so most of the typing is done. Every line can be renamed, repriced or deleted, new ones added, and the subtotal, tax and any discount recalculate as you type.
Printable catering invoice template
Print it straight from the browser and only the invoice prints — no menus, no buttons — on whatever paper your printer holds. Or save it as a PDF to email, text or keep, and the customer’s copy is the same sheet you saw on screen.
Custom catering invoice template
Your business name, phone and address go at the top, with your logo if you upload one or your initials if you do not. Six looks to choose from, 5 accent colors, and your own payment terms in the footer — a catering invoice that looks like it came from your business, not from a website.
Every catering paper, as it comes out
The same jobs and the same look carry across all six papers, so one catering job can move from estimate to invoice to receipt without retyping.
What you get
A PDF, and a link your customer can open in any browser. Word and Excel versions are not available yet — if a spreadsheet is what you need, this is not yet the tool for it, and saying so is cheaper for both of us than you finding out after typing everything in.
Pick how it looks
Six looks, from a plain classic sheet through a bold top band to a shop ticket, and your initials go on automatically until you upload a logo. See all six.
How to send it
Most customers want the paper on their phone, so the invoice goes out by WhatsApp, text or email, or as a link that needs no app and no account on their side. Or download the PDF to print it or keep it for your own records.
Questions
When should the final guest count be locked?
Most caterers take it seven to ten days out and bill on that number whether or not everyone turns up. Put the number and the date it was confirmed on the invoice — it is the line that settles the question afterwards.
Should service staff be billed separately from the food?
Yes. A per-head food price next to a staffing line is easier to compare and easier to adjust. One combined number makes a client think the food costs more than it does.
What happens if fewer guests turn up than were booked?
You bill the confirmed count, because the food was bought and the staff were rostered on that number. Which is why the count and the date it was locked go on the paper — it turns an argument into a line somebody already agreed to.
What is the difference between a service charge and a gratuity on a catering invoice?
A service charge is a mandatory fee you set, while a gratuity is a voluntary tip the client chooses. Label them plainly, because clients often assume a service charge goes to the staff. The IRS generally treats mandatory service charges paid to staff as wages, not tips, and many states tax service charges as part of the sale. Check with your state department of revenue and the IRS.
Do I charge sales tax on catering food, staff and rentals?
In many states prepared food is taxable, and staff, delivery and rentals billed on the same catering invoice are often taxed with it, but rules differ, and some states treat separately stated charges differently. Itemize food, staff, rentals and delivery so they can be taxed correctly. Collect the exemption certificate from nonprofit or government clients, and check with your state department of revenue.
Should I charge for a menu tasting before a wedding is booked?
Many caterers charge a tasting fee and credit it against the booking if the couple signs. Invoice it as "Menu tasting, 2 guests, credited toward event if booked by June 1", then show the credit as a deducted line on the deposit invoice. It covers food and kitchen time for couples who never book, without penalizing the ones who do.
How do I price children, vendors and staff meals in a per-head catering quote?
Usually as separate counts at separate prices: "Adults x 120", "Children under 10 x 15", "Vendor meals x 6" for the DJ, photographer and planner. Children's plates are often cheaper and vendor meals are often a simpler hot plate. Listing them apart stops a client from counting the band as guests or assuming the photographer eats free.
How does buffet versus plated service change a catering invoice?
Plated service normally needs more servers per guest and more kitchen time, so the staff line rises even when the food per head is similar. A buffet can need more food, since guests serve themselves. Name the service style on the menu line and show staff hours by role, such as servers, captain and kitchen, so the client sees why two menus at the same price differ.
How do I bill bar service: per person, per drink, or on consumption?
All three are common: a per-person package for a set number of hours, a consumption bar billed on what was opened, or a cash bar with only a bartender fee. Bartender hours, glassware and ice go on their own lines. Whether you may sell or serve alcohol at all, and under what license, is set by your state alcohol control board, so check before quoting a bar.