Free Catering Invoice Template
Bill per-person food, staffing, rentals, delivery and service charge with the event date, venue and final guest count on the invoice. Download it free in Word, Excel or PDF, or fill it in online.
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Filled-out sample catering invoice. 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 Invoice
A catering invoice ties a payment to one event. Include these items:
Catering Invoice Checklist:
- Your details: your business name, contact information and payment methods
- Client: the person or company booking the event, and the contact on the day
- Event details: the event date, the venue name and address, and the service start and end times
- Final guest count: the number you are billing for, and the date the count locked
- Food: the menu, priced per person or per tray
- Staffing: servers, bartenders and chefs, by hours and rate
- Rentals: linens, chafing dishes, glassware, plates and tables
- Delivery, setup and breakdown: what you charge to bring, set up and clear the event
- Deposit and balance: what was paid to hold the date and what is still owed
Per-Person Pricing vs Per-Tray Pricing
Plated meals, buffets and stations are usually priced per person: guests times the rate. Drop-off catering is usually priced per tray or per pan, with each size on its own line. Show the quantity and the rate on every food line, for example "Buffet, 120 guests at $38". Put the final guest count on the invoice. Most caterers lock the count a few days before the event, and the client pays for that number even if fewer guests show up.
Staffing, Rentals, Delivery and Setup
Bill staff by role, hours and rate, such as "4 servers, 6 hrs at $30". Add a bartender, a chef or a captain as their own lines. List rentals separately: linens, chafing dishes, glassware and anything you bring and take back. Add a delivery fee, and a setup and breakdown fee when your team arranges the space and clears it afterward. If the venue charges a cake-cutting fee or a corkage fee, or you do, show it as its own line.
Deposit, Balance and Due Dates
Caterers commonly take a deposit to hold the date, often 25% to 50% of the estimate. The balance is due before the event or on the event day. Keep the line items at the full price and show the deposit paid as a credit beneath the total. Say whether the deposit is refundable, and what the client owes if the guest count drops or the event is cancelled.
Service Charge vs Gratuity and Sales Tax
A service charge is a mandatory fee that you add to the bill, often 18% to 22%. A gratuity is a voluntary tip the client chooses to leave. In many states a mandatory service charge counts as taxable sales and a voluntary tip does not, but the rules differ by state. Check with your state tax agency or your accountant before you set up the line. Label each one clearly on the invoice so the client knows which is which.
Example Catering Invoice
Here is what a catering invoice looks like using our template. Amounts are examples only:
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 final guest count.
- 03List food, staffing, rentals and delivery on separate lines.
- 04Add the service charge, the deposit paid and the balance due.
- 05Add the due date and cancellation terms, then send the invoice before the event.
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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 Invoices
How do I invoice a catering job?
Include your details, the client, the event date, venue and times, the final guest count, food priced per person or per tray, staffing, rentals, delivery and setup, any service charge, the deposit paid and the balance due.
What is the difference between a service charge and a gratuity?
A service charge is a mandatory fee you add to the bill. A gratuity is a voluntary tip. In many states a mandatory service charge is taxable and a voluntary tip is not. Check your state's rules.
When should a caterer send the invoice?
Send a deposit invoice when the client books, and the final invoice once the guest count locks. Many caterers ask for the balance a week before the event.
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 and the refund terms in your agreement and note the payment on the invoice.
What if the guest count changes after it locks?
Your agreement should say so. Most caterers bill the locked count even if fewer guests attend, and charge extra for added guests if they can still serve them.
Is this catering invoice 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.
Other Invoice Templates
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