Free Catering Quote Template
Quote an event before you book it: per-person food, staffing, rentals and delivery, with a guest-count minimum, a deposit to hold the date and a valid-until date. Download it free in Word, Excel or PDF, or fill it in online.
Get Your Free Catering Quote
Create Online (Free)
No sign-up required · Takes ~60 seconds
Download Blank Template
No sign-up · Instant download
Filled-out sample catering quote. The download is the blank version.
Prefer to fill it out yourself? Download a blank template to print or edit.
What to Put on a Catering Quote
A catering quote is a price offer for one event, sent before the client commits. It also sets the terms the final invoice will follow. Include these items:
Catering Quote Checklist:
- Your details: your business name, contact information and quote number
- Client and event: the client, the event date, the venue and the service start and end times
- Estimated guest count: the number the price is based on, and the minimum you will cater
- Final count deadline: the date the client must confirm the number, usually a few days to a week before the event
- Menu and per-person price: each course, station or tray on its own line
- Staffing, rentals, delivery and setup: priced separately from the food
- Service charge and tax: whether each is included or added on top
- Deposit to hold the date: the amount, when it is due and whether it is refundable
- Valid-until date: how long the price and the date are held
Per-Person Pricing and Guest-Count Minimums
Quote food as guests times the rate, for example "Buffet, 85 guests at $42". The price is an estimate until the count is final, so say what number it is based on. Add a guest-count minimum, such as 60 guests, so a much smaller event does not leave you with fixed costs and a low total. State what happens above the estimate too: extra guests are billed at the same rate if you can still serve them.
Set a final-count deadline in the quote. After that date the client pays for the confirmed number even if fewer guests show up. Many caterers also let the count go up but not down after the deadline.
Deposit to Hold the Date
A quote does not hold your calendar until the client accepts and pays. Many caterers ask for 25% to 50% of the estimate to reserve the date. Put the deposit amount and the date it is due on the quote, and say whether it is refundable if the client cancels. When the client accepts, the deposit is credited against the final invoice.
How Long a Catering Quote Stays Valid
Food costs and staff availability change, and so does your calendar. A valid-until date, often 14 to 30 days, keeps you from honoring an old price for a date that is no longer open. Say that the price holds only until that date and that the event date is not reserved until the deposit arrives.
Example Catering Quote
Here is what a catering quote looks like using our template. Amounts are examples only:
Turning the Quote Into an Invoice
When the client accepts, keep the same line items and update the guest count to the final number. You can convert the quote to an invoice and credit the deposit, or start from our catering invoice template.
How to Use
- 01Pick Word, Excel or PDF above, or choose the online builder.
- 02Add your details, the client, the event date, the venue and the estimated guest count.
- 03List food, staffing, rentals and delivery on separate lines.
- 04Add the guest-count minimum, the final-count deadline and the deposit.
- 05Set the valid-until date, then send the quote.
Ready to Create Your Quote?
Choose your preferred format below: online builder or downloadable template.
Create Online (Free)
No sign-up required · Takes ~60 seconds
Download Blank Template
No sign-up · Instant download
Prefer to fill it out yourself? Download a blank template to print or edit.
Common Questions About Catering Quotes
How do I write a catering quote?
Include your details, the client, the event date and venue, the estimated guest count and minimum, food priced per person or per tray, staffing, rentals, delivery, any service charge, the deposit to hold the date and a valid-until date.
What is the difference between a catering quote, quotation and estimate?
People use the words interchangeably. A quote or quotation is usually a firm price for stated terms. An estimate is a close guess that can change, often with the final guest count. Say which one you are giving and what the price depends on.
How do I price catering per person?
Multiply the guest count by your per-person rate for the menu and show both numbers on the line. Price staffing, rentals and delivery separately so the client can see what is food and what is service.
What is a guest-count minimum?
The smallest number of guests you will cater for the quoted price. If the final count falls below it, the client is billed for the minimum.
How much deposit should a caterer ask for?
Many caterers ask for 25% to 50% of the estimate to hold the date. Put the amount, the due date and the refund terms on the quote.
How long is a catering quote valid?
Often 14 to 30 days. Add a valid-until date and note that the event date is held only once the deposit is paid.
Is this catering quote template free?
Yes. The Word, Excel and PDF downloads are free, with no sign-up and no watermark, and the online builder needs no account.
Related Templates
Ready to bill the event, or quoting a different job? Try these: