How to Invoice a Restaurant or Multi-Location Chain
Chain and franchise work is invoiced per site, referencing their work order number, within any not-to-exceed limit authorized on the call, with arrival and departure times recorded and the equipment identified by serial. Get set up as a vendor first — W-9, certificate of insurance, and often registration with a facilities management company — and expect net 30 to net 60 rather than payment at the door.
Get set up before the first call
You cannot be paid by a chain or an FM company until you exist in their system:
- W-9 on file
- Certificate of insurance, often naming them as additional insured
- Trade licenses for the jurisdictions you’ll serve
- Vendor registration in their portal, if they use one
- Agreed rate sheet — standard, after-hours, and trip charges
A perfect repair invoiced by an unregistered vendor doesn’t get paid slowly — it just doesn’t get paid, period, until that’s fixed.
Respect the NTE
The not-to-exceed amount is the authorization. If the job’s going to exceed it:
- Stop.
- Call, explain what you found, and request a revised NTE.
- Get it in writing — an email or a portal note is enough.
- Then continue.
Work performed above the NTE without approval is work you may just end up eating. It’s probably the single most common way service contractors lose money on chain accounts.
One invoice per site, every time
Chains code costs by location, and often by store number. A combined invoice covering three restaurants is an invoice someone now has to take apart before it can be approved.
Reference their store or site ID, not just the street address.
Record the things they measure
- Work order number — front and center
- Arrival and departure times — response time is often a contract metric
- Equipment serial and location
- Photos — before, after, and of any failed part
- Cause of failure — many FM companies require it for warranty recovery
Price for the terms, not against them
Net 30 to net 60 is normal here. That’s a real cost of capital and it belongs in your chain rate — just don’t let it drag down what you charge an independent restaurant who hands you a card at midnight.
Two customer types, two rate structures, both fair.
Submit complete, get paid on schedule
Almost every late chain payment is really a rejected or incomplete submission, not a dispute. Correct work order, correct site, times, serial, photos, within NTE — submitted the same day — and that’s pretty much the whole secret to getting paid on time by a large organization.
Frequently asked questions
What is an NTE and why does it matter?
A not-to-exceed limit is the dollar amount authorized when the call was dispatched. Exceed it without written approval and the overage can simply be refused — so if the repair is going to cost more, stop and get the NTE raised in writing before continuing.
Why are facilities management companies involved?
Many chains outsource maintenance dispatch to an FM company that assigns work orders and pays vendors. You're invoicing the FM company, on their terms, against their work order — and their portal and paperwork rules govern whether you get paid on time.
Should I take chain work if it pays in 60 days?
Yes, if you can carry it and if the volume is real — the trade-off is slower payment for steady, non-marketed work across many sites. What you shouldn't do is let chain terms set your pricing for independents, who pay immediately and deserve their own rate.
How do I get paid faster on chain work?
Submit complete and correct the first time: work order number, site ID, times, serial, photos, and an invoice within the NTE. Nearly all slow chain payments are rejected or incomplete submissions, not disputes about the work.