Catering

Catering Invoice Template (Per Person)

By ShowTheReceipts · Updated

Short answer

A catering invoice needs the final headcount times the per-person menu price, staffing hours and rentals as separate lines, service charge and delivery broken out, and the deposit credited against the balance — with the guaranteed minimum stated so a shrinking guest count doesn't erase your costs.

What belongs on the invoice

  • Business name and contact info
  • Customer name and billing address
  • Event or service date
  • Line items — per-person menu × headcount, staffing hours, rentals, service charge, delivery
  • Subtotal, any tax, and total due
  • Payment terms — deposit paid, balance due date
  • Payment method(s) accepted

The template

[Your Business Name]
[Address] · [Phone] · [Email]

Invoice #____        Date: __________
Bill To: [Customer Name]
Event / Service Date: __________
Location: [Address]

--------------------------------------------------
Description                              Amount
--------------------------------------------------
Menu — [tier] × [__ guests]              $______
Staffing — [__ servers × __ hrs]         $______
Rentals (linens, china, glassware)       $______
Service charge (__%)                     $______
Delivery / setup                         $______
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                                 $______
Deposit paid                            -$______
Tax (if applicable)                      $______
Balance Due                              $______

Balance due [on receipt / by __________].
Accepted: [cash / card / Venmo / etc.]
Thank you for your business!

Why the deposit line matters

Showing the deposit as a credit — not a smaller total — is what prevents the “I already paid you” conversation. The client sees the full price, what they paid, and what is left.

Skipping the copy-paste

A blank template works until you’re booked out and filling one in between jobs. Invoicing software with your rates saved builds this in one tap, attaches a payment link, and tracks the deposit and balance on the same record.

Frequently asked questions

How do I invoice a headcount that changed?

Bill the confirmed final count against the guaranteed minimum in your agreement. If the count dropped below the minimum, you invoice the minimum — that's what the guarantee is for.

Should the service charge be separate?

Yes, always as its own line with the percentage shown. Folding it into the per-head price makes your food look overpriced against competitors who list it separately.

Do I itemize staffing?

Yes — servers and bartenders at an hourly rate times hours. Buried in a per-head number, staffing looks like padding; on its own line it's an obvious, defensible cost.

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