Free invoice template
Free catering invoice template
A catering invoice has to match the event: the headcount, the menu, the staff and every extra the client added along the way. Because the guest list changes, the final bill is often different from the quote. The template below bills a 60-guest event with a per-person menu, staffing, rentals and a service charge.
Replace the example with your own event, then save the PDF from this page. No account, nothing uploaded. If you also plan the event, see the event planning invoice template.
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The lines are examples for caterers. Change anything, add your details and download the PDF. Nothing you type leaves this browser.
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What goes on it
What to put on an invoice for caterers
- The event name, date, venue and the confirmed guest count
- The menu or package, priced per person, with courses or stations named
- Dietary meals if they are priced differently from the main menu
- Staff: servers, bartenders, chefs, hours and rate
- Equipment and rentals: linens, tableware, glassware, tents, chafing dishes
- Delivery, setup and breakdown, and a service charge or gratuity if you add one
- Deposit received, balance due, and the cancellation and final headcount terms
How you bill
How caterers bill
Catering is mostly priced per person, with a menu that sets the cost of food, plus separate lines for staff, rentals, delivery and setup. A service charge, often 15 to 20 percent of the food and beverage total, is added to cover overhead and is separate from a tip. Bars are billed per person, per drink or on consumption.
The deposit is the heart of the booking: 25 to 50 percent when the date is secured, with the balance due before or soon after the event. The final headcount is usually locked a few days ahead, and the invoice uses it. A signed estimate ties the menu and the numbers down, and the final invoice shows the same lines with updated quantities.
Get paid faster
Tips to get paid faster
- Lock the final headcount in writing a few days before and put that number on the invoice.
- Show the service charge as a visible line, calculated on the food total, and state clearly whether tips are included.
- Rentals that are returned late or damaged should be listed as their own lines with the agreed price.
- Invoice the balance the day after the event, while the party is fresh in the client's mind.
- Take the deposit by card or transfer and give the client a link for the balance. See online payments.
Watch out
Common invoice mistakes
- Quoting a per-person price without saying what the headcount is based on
- Folding rentals and staff into the menu price, then losing money when they run over
- Not stating the cancellation terms, so a late reduction in guests hits your margin
Save, send and get paid
Save, send and get paid with Jiffy.
This generator makes one PDF. The Jiffy app keeps every invoice, sends it for you and helps you get paid. Start on Free: 3 invoices a month, no end date.
A payment link on every invoice
Your client opens the invoice and pays by card or Apple Pay on Pro and Ultra, straight to your own Stripe account. On Free they pay by bank transfer with your details. Online payments
Reminders that chase for you
Send a reminder with one tap on every plan. Pro and Ultra add an automatic schedule that stops the moment the invoice is paid. Payment reminders
Estimates your client signs
Send an estimate, let your client sign it on their phone, then turn it into an invoice with one tap. Included in Free. Estimates
Invoice by voice on Ultra
Say the client, the work and the price. Jiffy writes the invoice and sends it when you tap. Voice invoicing
Other trades
Templates for other trades
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FAQ
Questions
What should a catering invoice include?
Your details, the client, the event date and venue, the guest count, the menu per person, staff, rentals, delivery, any service charge, the deposit paid, the balance and payment terms.
How is catering usually priced?
Per person for food, with staff, rentals, delivery and a service charge added as separate lines. Bar service is priced per person or by consumption.
Should I charge a service charge?
Many caterers do, commonly around 15 to 20 percent of food and drink. Show it on the invoice and say whether it replaces a tip.
Is this catering invoice template free?
Yes. Fill it in and download the PDF. No account is needed.
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Whatever you do, get paid for it.
Start free with 3 invoices a month, quotes and e-signatures. Free has no end date.