Catering estimate template
Food priced per guest, staff by the hour, rentals and delivery on lines of their own, and half on approval to hold the date.
Free, with no account. Change anything, then download the PDF.
| Item | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plated three-course dinner, per guest | 60 | $68.00 | $4,080.00 |
| Passed canapés, four kinds, per guest | 60 | $14.00 | $840.00 |
| Children's plates, per child | 6 | $22.00 | $132.00 |
| Servers, per server hour | 20 | $38.00 | $760.00 |
| Bartender, per hour | 5 | $45.00 | $225.00 |
| Rentals: tables, linens, glassware and china | 1 | $650.00 | $650.00 |
| Delivery, setup and breakdown | 1 | $300.00 | $300.00 |
What goes on a catering estimate
- A price per guestEach course priced per guest and times the headcount, so a change in numbers changes one figure.
- Staff by the hourServers and the bar at an hourly rate, with the hours on the line.
- Rentals and delivery apartTables, linens, glassware, delivery and setup do not grow with every guest, so they get their own lines.
- Dietary needs, countedHow many plates are vegan, gluten-free or for children.
- The final countWhen the final numbers are due, and that the price follows them.
- A deposit to hold the dateThis one asks for half on approval.
When a PDF is not enough
- Approved onlineSend the estimate from the Invoices app and your customer approves it from a link.
- A deposit on approvalAsk for a deposit and your customer pays it by card when they approve, into your own Stripe account.
- Straight to an invoiceAn approved estimate becomes the invoice, with the deposit already taken off.
Templates for other trades
- Landscaping estimateA season of weekly visits, priced per visit, with the one-off work apart.
- Cleaning invoiceA month of weekly cleans, each visit counted, with every extra named.
- Handyman estimateLabor by the hour, parts by name, and a deposit for the materials.
- Auto repair estimateParts and labor apart, labor in hours, and the vehicle written down.
- Car detailing invoiceA package by vehicle size, add-ons, a mobile fee and the deposit taken off.
- Photography invoiceThe session, the images, prints by size, and the retainer taken off.
- Custom cake estimatePriced per serving, the design written out, and a deposit to hold the date.
Questions about catering estimates
Is this catering estimate template free?
Yes. Open it in the estimate generator, change anything, and download the PDF. No account needed.
How do I price catering per guest?
Put each course on a line priced per guest and multiply by the headcount. Staff, rentals and delivery go on their own lines, since they do not grow with every guest.
Can a catering inquiry become an estimate?
Yes, with CustoDesk. The inquiry from your site's form arrives on the guest's profile with the date, the numbers and the dietary needs. Send an estimate from there, and they approve it online and pay a deposit by card.
Can my customer approve it online?
Not from the PDF. Send it from the Invoices app instead and your customer approves it from a link, and pays a deposit if you ask for one.
Is anything I type saved?
No. The PDF is made on the spot from what you typed, and none of it is kept.
Hold the date with a deposit paid online.
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