A catering invoice template is a helpful tool that assists in laying out the items in a structured manner before or after an occasion. A catering invoice has the prices and the final bill estimate. New caterers in the business should know the importance of a catering invoice. The existing businesses use this template to serve their customers better.

Table of Contents

1 What is a catering invoice?
2 Reasons for making this invoice:
3 How to write a catering invoice?
4 How to price a catering job?
5 Conclusion:

What is a catering invoice?

A catering invoice is a tool used to bill clients for offering food service for social events. These social events may include business meetings, weddings, parties, and other special events. Moreover, aside from providing food, catering services also include;

Cutlery
servers who tend to the tables
a catering set-up
custom menus
the clean-up after the event

Reasons for making this invoice:

The owner of a catering business would write the catering invoice for several important reasons. These reasons may include providing an itemized list of the costs, terms, and services you will provide. This invoice acts as a summary of all the work done and a payment request. For a catering business, making an invoice is not a luxury but a necessity when you require it even for your taxes.

How to write a catering invoice?

During writing your catering invoice, include the following things;

Mention your business name, address, and contact details. You can also specify that you offer services for special events or specific types of cuisines.
To brand your business, insert your company website address, logo, and fun graphics.
Provide the name of your customer and their contact details.
Include a unique invoice number.
Add the invoice date, the catering date, and the due date of the payment.
All the food you provide, include their itemize list as well as provide descriptions of special orders, and the price for each item.
Add a list of other charges that may be taken after the event such as those for delivery, serving or cleaning up. For each, specify costs and descriptions.
In case, you are providing a discount for corporate clients or regular customers then include a line that highlights the discount.
Calculate the total price and indicate the applicable taxes then write the total down.
State the terms of payment and the methods of payment
At the bottom, add a note to thank your customers for their business.

How to price a catering job?

Here are some tips that you should consider before creating your catering invoice template;

Find out the guest count

The number of guests that will attend the event will affect the price you charge. Not all of the invited guests will show up but also who didn’t RSVP will attend. It is a good idea to include a policy regarding changes and guarantees due to these uncertainties. This way, you protect your business. You should also check Catering Contract Templates.

Consider what services and food you will give

The total cost is greatly based on your client’s choice of service and menu. For example, a hors d’oeuvres buffet typically has a lower price. But, by adding more buffet stations can enhance the price. Discuss with your clients any special requests or additional items. You should go over the potential menus. Then, get their approval on all of the ingredients you plan to use.

Add the food costs

When your clients have approved the menu, you can now create a detailed list of ingredients. Also, mention the corresponding quantities of the ingredients and get the total on how much all these will cost you. On your catering invoice sample, you will also include this information. After that, you have to search for a supplier to assign a price to the special ingredients that your client has requested.

Also, if you will serve each guest with a set meal instead of a buffet then keep in mind that it’s much easier to identify how much food you need. Also, bear in mind that your food costs should be around 30% of the total price of your catering services.

Add the supplies costs

Consider the following items and how much they will cost;

Chafing dishes
Chairs
Equipment
Flatware
Glassware
Linens such as tablecloths, napkins, and more
Utensils

Add the bar costs

It could be quite expensive to add a bar to the occasion. In most cases, for this addition, clients have to pay 2 to 3 times the food costs. If the venue allows, some clients may bring their own alcohol then hire a professional bartender. Furthermore, you should also specify the prices of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, the bar set up, ice, the services of a bartender, and other related costs.

Include a service charge

Service charges usually contain labor costs. You can identify how many assistants and servers you require on the basis of the size of the event. It’s also suitable to include a gratuity. You can also leave it to your clients to tip your staff. The coordination and administration costs are also covered by the service charge. Consider the following to compute this;

The owner and the administrative staff’s salaries
The cost of renting the venue
The cost of marketing
The cost of equipment
The costs of utilities like gas and electricity
The costs of vehicle maintenance and fuel
The cost of internet
The costs of your phone bills
The cost of insurance
The cost of taxes

Compute the total

Finally, to get the total price to charge your client, add all of the costs together.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, a catering invoice template is a useful tool that makes sure your clients and their entourage will have great experiences at all of the events that you cater to. This document is used to bill clients for providing food service for social events.