How to fill out this catering service invoice template
- Download the invoice template in Word, Excel or as a fillable PDF, or fill it in online below.
- Add your business name and contact details, then the client’s name or company, the event name and date, and the venue address. Give the invoice a unique number.
- Bill food per guest from the final count, such as 80 guests at $55 for a 3-course dinner. Add service staff by the hour or per server shift, and rentals like linens, plates and glassware on their own line.
- Put your service charge on its own line and make clear it isn’t a tip. Subtract the deposit already paid and set the due date for the balance.
- Send it as a PDF, or as a payment link with Onigiri so your client can pay by card.
What’s in this caterer invoice template
- Sample lines for a 3-course dinner per guest, servers for a 6-hour shift, linen and tableware rentals and a 20% service charge
- Bill to, From and Payment sections for you, your client and how to pay you
- Invoice number, issue date and due date
- Notes that a 50% deposit confirms the booking and the final guest count is due 10 days before the event
- Totals that calculate themselves in Excel and the fillable PDF, with a sales tax row in Excel
- Fits weddings, corporate catering, drop-off catering, private parties and private chefs
Online generator
Change the line items, add your logo and download a ready PDF. No sign-up, nothing to install, and your draft stays in your browser.
- Send invoices as a link clients open on any device
- See which invoices are paid, sent or overdue
- Card payments via Stripe with 0% platform fee (PRO)
Invoice checklist
A catering invoice is the bill a caterer sends a client for the food, staff, rentals and service charge for an event. It shows the event and date, the guest count you billed, the deposit already paid and the balance due. Because the total moves with the guest count, a line for each charge saves questions when the final bill arrives.
- Your business. Your business name, address, phone and email, and your EIN if a corporate client needs it for their records.
- Client and event. The client’s name or company, the event name and date, the venue address, and a PO number for corporate events.
- Number and dates. A unique invoice number, the issue date, the due date, and whether this is the deposit invoice or the final one.
- Food and staff. Food per guest or per tray, staff by the hour or per server, and the service charge on its own line, labeled so it isn’t mistaken for a tip.
- Rentals. Linens, plates, glassware, tables and other rentals, at your rate or the rental company’s cost as your contract states.
- Deposit and terms. The deposit already paid, the balance due and its due date, and how to pay you: bank transfer, check or a card payment link.
- Late fee. Your late fee and cancellation policy, such as whether the deposit is refundable, if your contract includes them.
Getting paid
Put the deposit, the guest count deadline and the payment schedule in your contract, then repeat them on every invoice.
- 25–50%
Deposits
A deposit, such as 25–50% of the quote, holds the date; the template’s notes ask for 50%. Send the deposit invoice when the client books, and show it as paid on the final invoice. Say in the contract whether it’s refundable if the event is canceled.
- 10 days out
Final guest count
The template asks for the final count 10 days before the event. Send the final invoice once the count is locked, and bill extra guests or overtime staff hours on a short follow-up invoice after the event.
Payment terms
Private clients often pay the balance before the event or on the day. Corporate clients may need Net 15 or Net 30 and a PO number on the invoice, so ask when they book. Write the exact due date on every invoice.
Late payments
Collecting the balance before the event avoids most chasing. For invoices paid after the event, send a reminder the day after the due date and add a late fee only if your contract includes one; the late fee calculator works out the amount.
Taxes and service charges
Sales tax on catering depends on the state: prepared food is taxable in many states, a mandatory service charge may be taxed too, and a voluntary tip often isn’t. Check your state’s rules, and use the sales tax calculator when tax applies. This is general information, not tax advice.
Formats
Catering invoice template in Word
Best if you want to change the layout or fonts or add your logo. Edit the text, then save it as a PDF before you send it.
Download .docxCatering invoice template in Excel
Amounts and the total update as you type, and there’s a sales tax row. Handy when you bill hours or many line items.
Download .xlsxFillable PDF catering invoice template
Type straight into the fields in Chrome or Adobe Acrobat and the totals add up. The layout stays fixed, so nothing shifts by accident.
Download .pdf
Template or app
A template is fine for the odd invoice. If you bill clients every month, Onigiri keeps your clients, line items and payment status in one place.
| Onigiri | Free invoice template | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starting at $0 | Free |
| Edit it and save a PDF | ||
| Send it as a link your client opens on any device | ||
| See which invoices are paid or overdue | ||
| Saved clients for the next invoice | ||
| Saved line items and services | PRO | |
| Client pays by card, 0% platform fee on Stripe | PRO | |
| Income tracking | ||
| Works in Word, Excel and Google Docs |
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Ready to get paid faster?
Send your invoice as a link with Onigiri and see at a glance whether it’s paid or overdue. Connect Stripe to let clients pay by card.
