How do caterers invoice for an event?
Catering is usually billed per head, with staffing and equipment hire as separate lines. Show the guest count and the per-person rate so the client can check the maths themselves, then add service staff hours and any rentals. This tool pre-fills all three lines with the guest count as the quantity.
When should a caterer take a deposit?
Take a deposit when the booking is confirmed, commonly 50%, because you are turning away other work for that date and committing to food orders. Ask for the balance shortly before the event rather than after, since chasing money once the food has been eaten is considerably harder.
How do I handle changing guest numbers?
Set a cut-off date for final numbers, usually 72 hours before the event, and state it on the invoice and the contract. You order stock against that figure, so bill the confirmed number even if fewer people turn up. Clients accept this readily when it is written down in advance.
How far in advance should I take a catering deposit?
At the point of booking, because that is when you commit the date and start turning away other work. For weddings and large events booked a year out, a smaller deposit at booking followed by a larger payment closer to the event is common and easier for clients to manage. State clearly what is refundable and by when, since cancellation terms are the single most disputed part of catering contracts. A tiered structure, where more of the fee becomes non-refundable as the date approaches, reflects your actual exposure and is easy for clients to understand.
How do I price per head versus a flat fee?
Per head is standard for food because your costs scale directly with guest numbers, and clients expect to see it. Staffing, equipment hire, travel, and setup are better billed as flat or hourly lines, since they do not scale neatly with headcount. Showing the guest count and the per-person rate lets clients check the arithmetic themselves, which builds trust and heads off queries. Mixing everything into a single per-head figure hides the structure and makes it very hard to explain why a smaller event is not proportionally cheaper.
What should I do about dietary requirements?
Collect them alongside final numbers and price them into the quote rather than absorbing them silently. A handful of alternative meals is usually part of the service, but substantial numbers of specialist dishes represent genuinely more work and more cost. State the deadline for dietary information on the invoice and the contract, because late changes disrupt ordering and preparation in ways clients rarely appreciate. Recording what was confirmed and when also protects you if a guest requirement was communicated after the cut-off and could not be accommodated on the day.
How do I handle staffing costs?
Bill service staff separately from food, with the number of staff and the hours shown. Clients frequently underestimate how much of an event cost is labor, and an itemised line makes it visible rather than mysterious. Include setup and breakdown time, not just the hours guests are present, since that is real paid time for your team. If overtime is a possibility for events that overrun, state the hourly rate in advance so a late finish results in an expected charge rather than an argument at midnight with a client who has had a long day.