Catering Invoice Template
A catering company bills more than food: per-head menus, serving staff, equipment rental, delivery and a deposit. This template separates each so event clients see exactly what drives the total, nets the booking deposit, and applies service charge and tax cleanly — the itemization that gets catering invoices signed off.
Last reviewed 2026-07-08
Template preview
- From:
- Fine Fork Catering · events@finefork.co
- Bill to:
- Client Name · Event: Wedding (120 pax)
- Invoice #:
- FC-2026-214
- Event date:
- 2026-08-15
- Due date:
- 2026-08-01 (before event)
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plated dinner menu (per head) | 120 | $45.00 | $5,400.00 |
| Serving staff (per server) | 6 | $180.00 | $1,080.00 |
| Equipment rental (tables, linen) | 1 | $650.00 | $650.00 |
| Delivery & setup | 1 | $300.00 | $300.00 |
| Subtotal | $7,430.00 | ||
| Service charge (18%) | $1,337.40 | ||
| Deposit paid | −$2,000.00 | ||
| Balance due | $6,767.40 | ||
How to fill in each field
Per-head menu
Bill menus by final guest count so the client can verify against headcount.
Common mistake: A lump catering figure with no per-head basis.
Staffing & rentals
List servers, chefs and equipment rental as separate lines.
Common mistake: Hiding staffing/rental in the food price, which clients query.
Service charge
Show service charge/gratuity as its own line with the percentage.
Common mistake: Baking service charge into menu prices.
Deposit & timing
Deduct the booking deposit; caterers often bill the balance before the event.
Common mistake: Forgetting the deposit or billing net-30 after a one-off event.
Related templates & variants
This is the catering-company variant. For a restaurant's own event billing see the restaurant invoice; general services use the freelance version.
Download a professional invoice template in Word, Excel, CSV or Google Docs.
A restaurant invoice template for catering, events and supplier billing — itemized dishes, headcount, service charge and tax.
A free Excel invoice template with auto-calculating totals and tax. Download the .xlsx, or copy the table. Includes formulas and a field-by-field guide.
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Frequently asked questions
What should a catering invoice include?+
Your business and the client, the event and date, per-head menu items by guest count, staffing and equipment rental as separate lines, delivery, service charge, any deposit paid, tax, and the balance due.
When should caterers invoice — before or after the event?+
Commonly a deposit to book, then the balance shortly before the event. A final invoice after can cover any actual-vs-estimated adjustments (e.g. final headcount).
How do I handle the deposit on a catering invoice?+
Show the booking deposit already paid as a negative line before the balance due, so the client sees the remaining amount clearly.
Sources & further reading
- Writing an invoice for catering services (GoCardless)— gocardless.com
- Invoice template for catering businesses (Novo)— novo.co
We review authoritative guidance when building each template. Links are for reference only.