Catering quotation template
Catering quotes hinge on a number that is not yet known: how many people will actually come. Everything else — food cost, staffing, equipment — flows from it, which is why the guaranteed minimum is the most important clause in the document.
Per-head pricing and the guaranteed minimum
Quote a per-head rate against a stated menu, then set a guaranteed minimum number — the figure the client pays for whether or not those guests attend.
Give a confirmation deadline, typically 3 to 7 days before the event, after which numbers can rise but not fall. Without this you buy food and roster staff for 200 and get paid for 140.
State how additional guests above the confirmed number are charged, and whether you can accommodate them at all.
What the per-head rate includes
Be explicit, because assumptions differ wildly:
- Which courses, and how many choices per course.
- Whether drinks are included, and which.
- Service style — plated, buffet, canapés, family style.
- Crockery, cutlery, glassware and linen.
- Service staff, and for how many hours.
- Setup and clear-down.
Dietary requirements and allergens
State that dietary requirements must be notified by the confirmation deadline, and how they are priced — included up to a number, or charged individually.
Allergen handling deserves its own line. Note what you can and cannot guarantee about cross-contamination in your kitchen. This is a safety matter first and a commercial one second, and vagueness serves nobody.
Staffing, equipment and the venue
- Staff ratio and hours covered, with the rate for overtime if the event overruns.
- Equipment hire — anything not in the per-head rate.
- Venue requirements you are assuming: kitchen access, power, water, refrigeration, parking for loading.
- Travel beyond a stated radius.
Venue assumptions matter more than they appear. A site with no kitchen access or no power changes the operation entirely, and discovering that on the day is expensive.
Deposits and cancellation
Catering commits you to non-recoverable costs well before the event. A workable structure:
- Deposit on acceptance to secure the date.
- Balance due shortly before the event, not after.
- A cancellation scale — a reducing refund as the date approaches, becoming non-refundable inside the confirmation window.
State this plainly. Clients accept a cancellation scale when it is explained up front and dispute it when it appears afterwards.
How to use this template
- Open the free quotation generator.
- Add your business and customer details.
- Enter your items, prices, tax and branding.
- Preview, then download the PDF or share it directly.
Frequently asked questions
What should a catering quotation include?
A per-head rate against a stated menu, the guaranteed minimum number and confirmation deadline, what the rate includes, dietary and allergen terms, staffing and equipment, venue assumptions, and deposit and cancellation terms.
What is a guaranteed minimum number?
The number of guests the client pays for whether or not they attend, confirmed by a deadline typically 3 to 7 days before the event. Without it you buy food for 200 and get paid for 140.
How should dietary requirements be handled in the quote?
Require notification by the confirmation deadline and state how they are priced. Allergen handling deserves its own line, including what you can and cannot guarantee about cross-contamination.
What venue assumptions should I state?
Kitchen access, power, water, refrigeration and loading access. A site without kitchen access or power changes the operation completely, and finding out on the day is expensive.
How should catering cancellations be handled?
With a stated scale — a reducing refund as the date approaches, becoming non-refundable inside the confirmation window. Clients accept this when explained up front.