Free template · Excel · Invoices by trade
Free catering invoice template
A catering invoice for events: menu price per guest, service staff by the hour, rentals, delivery, and the deposit you took at booking.
Catering invoice template
Excel workbook (.xlsx) · 22 KB · 4 sheets
| Item | Description | Qty | Rate | Amount | Tax? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menu | Plated dinner, three courses (guests) | 90 | 68.00 | 6,120.00 | Y |
| Menu | Late-night station (guests) | 90 | 9.00 | 810.00 | Y |
| Staff | Servers, 6 people x 6 hours (hours) | 36 | 32.00 | 1,152.00 | Y |
| Staff | Chef on site (hours) | 7 | 55.00 | 385.00 | Y |
| Rentals | China, glassware and linens (place settings) | 90 | 6.50 | 585.00 | Y |
| Delivery | Delivery and pickup | 1 | 150.00 | 150.00 | Y |
| Service charge | Service charge, 15% of food | 1 | 1,039.50 | 1,039.50 | Y |
| Subtotal | 10,241.50 | ||||
| HST (Ontario) | 1,331.40 | 13% | |||
| TOTAL | 11,572.90 | ||||
| Deposit received | 3,000.00 | ||||
| BALANCE DUE | 8,572.90 |
Why a catering invoice needs its own layout
Catering prices change up to the day of the event. The guest count moves, a dessert gets added, the venue needs more staff. The final invoice should start from the confirmed guest count and show each change, so it matches what the client remembers agreeing.
This template has lines for food per guest, staff hours, rentals, delivery and a service charge, and applies the booking deposit. The example is a 90-guest wedding reception in Ontario.
What to include on a catering invoice, and why
- Final guest count and the date confirmed. Most catering contracts bill the confirmed count even if fewer guests came. The date it was confirmed settles questions.
- Staff hours. People times hours is clear and easy to check against the event timeline.
- What the service charge is. Clients often assume a service charge is a tip. Say what it covers and that it is not a gratuity, if it isn't.
- The deposit and when it was paid. Deposits are paid months ahead. Showing the date avoids confusion.
How to price it
Per guest
Food priced per head by menu. The confirmed count, not the attendance, usually sets the bill.
Staff by the hour
Each server or bartender at an hourly rate, often with a four- or five-hour minimum.
Service charge
A percentage on food or the total. Treat it as income, and check how it's taxed where you are.
Typical payment terms
- Non-refundable deposit at booking to hold the date
- Final count and second payment 7 to 14 days before
- Balance on the day or within 7 days after
- Corporate clients on Net 15 or Net 30
Whatever terms you use, put them on the invoice itself. A due date printed on the page is easier to enforce than one mentioned on the phone. See how to collect overdue invoices for what to do when a customer is late.
Sales tax, GST/HST and PST on catering work
United States
Prepared and catered food is taxable in most states that have sales tax. In many states, a mandatory service charge is treated as part of the taxable price, while a voluntary tip isn't.
Rentals and delivery are taxed differently from food in some states. Check your state's rules for caterers.
Canada
Catering is taxable for GST/HST; it isn't treated like zero-rated basic groceries. A mandatory service charge is part of the price and taxable too; a voluntary tip isn't.
In provinces with PST, check whether catered meals and liquor carry their own rates.
Check a rate with the US sales tax calculator or the GST/HST calculator, then set it beside the tax lines in the template. Both tax lines can be renamed, so one invoice works for sales tax, HST, or GST plus PST or QST.
The example, filled in
The Invoice sheet opens filled in with the example in the preview: an Ontario caterer billing a 90-guest reception, invoice CAT-0918 for an example customer. The lines come to a subtotal of $10,241.50 and a total of $11,572.90, with a deposit already received of $3,000.00 and a balance due of $8,572.90. Payment terms are 7 days. The figures are made up to show the layout; they are not market rates.
In Ontario, catering is taxable at 13% HST, and a mandatory service charge is part of the taxable price. A voluntary tip the client adds is not.
The notes box reads: “Final count of 90 confirmed Oct 10. Deposit of $3,000 received Jun 2 and applied. Balance due within 7 days of the event.”
Lines on the price list sheet
The Price list sheet starts with the lines catering businesses usually charge for. Add your rates once and copy them onto each invoice.
| Line | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Menu | per guest | By package or course. |
| Stations or add-ons | per guest | Late-night food, desserts. |
| Drop-off catering | per tray or per person | No staff. |
| Servers and bartenders | per hour each | Usually with a minimum shift. |
| Chef on site | per hour | For plated or live stations. |
| Rentals | per place setting or item | China, linens, tables. |
| Delivery and set-up | flat | By distance. |
| Service charge | % of food or total | Say what it covers. |
| Cake cutting or corkage | per guest or bottle | If the client supplies them. |
What's in the file
| Sheet | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Invoice | The printable catering invoice, filled in with the example on this page: your details, bill-to, event, 15 lines, two tax lines, deposit received and balance due. Fits one letter page. |
| Price list | The lines catering businesses usually charge for, with the unit for each. Enter your own rates once and copy them onto each invoice. |
| Invoice log | One row per invoice: payments as they arrive, balance, status (Open, Overdue, Paid) and days overdue. |
| Instructions | How to fill it in, plus the notes on this page about what to include. |
Pale yellow cells are for your entries; white cells calculate. Nothing is locked, so you can rename lines or change the layout. The Instructions sheet repeats the steps and the notes on this page.
Download the catering invoice template (.xlsx)
Or send it from AcboBooks
Need one invoice today? The free invoice generator makes a PDF in your browser. Sending them every week? AcboBooks keeps your catering price list, turns estimates into invoices, tracks what each customer owes and adds up the tax you collected. It's Windows desktop software, bought once; try it free for 15 days.
Sources
Checked October 25, 2026. Tax rules change and differ by state and province; confirm with the tax agency or your accountant.
- Canada Revenue Agency: input tax credits (information an invoice needs)
- CRA RC4022, General Information for GST/HST Registrants
- CRA: GST/HST rates by province
- IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records
- Federation of Tax Administrators: links to every state tax agency
Questions
Do I bill the confirmed guest count or the actual attendance?
Whatever your contract says. Most caterers bill the confirmed count, or the actual count if it was higher. Show the count and the date it was confirmed.
Is a service charge the same as a tip?
No. A service charge is part of your price and your income. A tip is voluntary. Say clearly on the invoice which it is.
How do I handle the deposit?
Record it as a deposit when it arrives, then apply it to the final invoice. Show it as a payment received, with its date.
Should rentals be on the catering invoice?
If you supply them, yes, as their own lines. If the client rents directly, leave them off.
Related
- Customer deposits and retainers
- Customer deposit (glossary)
- Accounting software for event planners
- GST/HST filing guide
- Accounting software for caterers
- General invoice template
- All invoice and estimate templates by trade
General information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Check with your accountant or the tax agency before relying on a template for tax.
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