Catering Invoice Generator — Menus, Staff and Rentals, Itemized
Bill per guest, add servers and bartenders by the hour, list rentals and delivery, and show the service charge and deposit on a clean, branded PDF. Works for weddings, corporate lunches, and private dinners.
No signup required. 100% free.
Sample catering invoice
A filled-in example with made-up details. Open it in the editor, click anything on the paper and change it to yours, then download the PDF.
INVOICE
No. SK-2026-118
Terms: Net 7
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plated dinner, 3 coursesFinal confirmed count, 132 guests132 × $74.00 | 132 | $74.00 | $9,768.00 |
| Late-night taco stationCarnitas and roasted squash, 80 servings80 × $9.50 | 80 | $9.50 | $760.00 |
| Servers, 7 staff × 6.5 hrsHours include setup and breakdown45.5 × $36.00 | 45.5 | $36.00 | $1,638.00 |
| Bartenders, 2 staff × 6 hrs12 × $48.00 | 12 | $48.00 | $576.00 |
| Linens, china and glassware rental16 rounds of 8 plus head table1 × $1,185.00 | 1 | $1,185.00 | $1,185.00 |
| Service charge, 20% of foodCovers planning and coordination; not a gratuity1 × $2,105.60 | 1 | $2,105.60 | $2,105.60 |
- Subtotal
- $16,032.60
- Sales tax (7%)
- $1,122.28
- Total
- $17,154.88
Notes
Wedding reception, Saturday 24 October, 5:30–11:30 pm, Willow Barn at Hartwell Farm. Booking deposit of $3,500 received 14 February (INV-061); balance due $13,654.88. The service charge is kept by Saltgrass Kitchen; any gratuity for staff is at your discretion.Terms
Balance due 7 days before the event. Invoiced at the confirmed count or actual attendance, whichever is higher. Deposit non-refundable within 90 days of the event; may move to a new date within 12 months.Catering Billing Problems, Fixed
Guest Counts Change Until the Last Week
The client booked 100, confirmed 124, and 118 showed up. Pricing the menu per guest with the confirmed count as the quantity means the total updates as you type, and the client sees exactly how their headcount drove the bill.
Food Is Only Part of the Bill
Servers, bartenders, a chef on site, linens, china, glassware, chafing dishes, delivery, setup, and breakdown all cost money. Giving each its own line stops the client from thinking the food alone cost that much.
Service Charges Confuse Clients
Clients often think a service charge is a tip. Listing it on its own labelled line, and saying in the notes what it covers, heads off awkward questions from guests and staff and keeps the gratuity separate if the client wants to add one.
Deposits and Balances Need to Line Up
Weddings are booked a year out, with a deposit now and the balance due before the event. A deposit invoice at booking and a final invoice that notes the deposit received keep both of you clear on what's still owed.
How to Create a Catering Invoice
Add Your Business and the Event
Enter your business name, contact details, and logo. Add the client's name, the event date and time, the venue, and the final guest count.
Itemize the Menu and Services
Add the menu per guest, any à la carte items, staff hours, rentals, delivery, and the service charge. Set your tax rate, mark any untaxed lines, and note the deposit received.
Download and Hand It Over
Download the PDF and email it to the client or event planner yourself. Sign up free to save repeat clients and venues, keep your layout as a template, and track which invoices are paid.
Features Caterers Need
Catering Invoicing Tips
Price the menu per guest
'Buffet dinner: 2 proteins, 3 sides, salad, rolls — 124 guests @ $42' is clearer than a lump sum and scales with the headcount. Add premium upgrades as their own per-guest lines, e.g., 'Upgrade to filet mignon — 40 guests @ $12'.
Bill staff by the hour, door to door
List each role with headcount and hours, e.g., 'Servers — 6 × 6 hrs @ $35/hr', 'Bartender — 2 × 5 hrs @ $45/hr'. Say in the terms that hours include setup and breakdown, so the client isn't surprised that staff time is longer than the party.
Put the final count deadline in writing
Add a term like 'Final guest count due 10 days before the event; invoiced at the confirmed count or actual attendance, whichever is higher'. It protects you from buying food for 150 and being paid for 120.
Match the look to the event
The Elegant template's serif type and centred header suit weddings and galas, while Corporate's boxed details suit office lunches billed to accounts payable. Add your logo and accent colour so the invoice matches your menus.
State your cancellation policy
Write in the terms what happens to the deposit if the event is cancelled or postponed, e.g., 'Deposit non-refundable within 90 days of the event; may be applied to a new date within 12 months'. Clear terms prevent the hardest conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
A catering invoice should include your business name and contact details, the client's name, the event date, time, and venue, the final guest count, the menu or package with the price per guest, any à la carte items, staffing (servers, bartenders, chefs) with hours and rates, rentals such as linens, china, and chafing dishes, delivery and setup fees, the service charge, tax where it applies, the deposit already paid, the balance due, and your payment terms and cancellation policy.
Many caterers take 25–50% when the date is booked, with the balance due a set number of days before the event, often 7–14 days, once the final headcount is confirmed. Send a deposit invoice, e.g., 'Booking deposit — Wedding reception, 14 Sept, 120 guests — $3,000', due on receipt. On the final invoice, list the full menu and services and note 'Deposit of $3,000 received 2 March (INV-045)' so the balance is clear.
A service charge is a fee you set and the client agrees to in the contract, often 18–22%, and it is generally your revenue; in many places it is also taxable. A gratuity is a voluntary tip that goes to staff. Label it accurately on the invoice so clients don't assume a service charge goes to servers when it doesn't, and check how your state treats each for tax and payroll.
Price the menu per guest and use the final confirmed headcount as the quantity, e.g., 'Plated dinner, 3 courses — 124 guests @ $68'. Most contracts bill the guaranteed count or the actual count, whichever is higher. Note the final count date in the terms ('Final guest count due 10 days before the event') so late changes don't become a dispute.
In most US states, prepared food and catering are taxable, and many states also tax the service charge, delivery, and rentals when they are part of the catering sale. Invoita applies one tax rate per invoice and lets you mark individual lines as not taxable, so you can match the rules where you work. Tax-exempt clients such as some nonprofits may give you a certificate to keep on file.
Yes, completely free. Create unlimited catering invoices and quotes with your logo, menu breakdown, and staffing, and download clean PDFs with no watermark and no signup. A free account adds saved clients, saved templates, and paid/unpaid tracking.
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Professional Catering Invoices, Free
No signup, no watermarks. Itemize menus, staff, rentals, and service charges, and download a clean PDF in minutes.