Catering invoice template: what to include, with an example

In brief, a catering invoice bills a client for food, drink, staff and equipment for one event, usually as a per-guest price plus separate lines for extras. It also settles any deposit already paid. This guide gives a catering invoice template, a filled-in example with real numbers, and the service charge and VAT rules that catch caterers out.

What is a catering invoice?

A catering invoice is a document a caterer sends a client after an event, listing the food and drink supplied, the staff and equipment charged, and the balance still owed. It differs from a restaurant bill because it covers an agreed event, often with a deposit paid in advance. For the fields every invoice needs, see what to put on an invoice, and for sending it, the invoice email template. See also the contractor invoice template covers a related case.

A catering bill format therefore needs more than a menu and a total. The client usually wants to see the headcount, the per-guest price and what the deposit covered.

What to include on a catering invoice

GOV.UK's invoice guidance says an invoice must carry a unique number, your name and address, the client's name and address, a clear description of what you charge for, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts and the total owed. A catering invoice adds event-specific fields on top.

Catering invoice example

The example below is a wedding reception for 80 guests. Names, prices and dates are illustrative.

The deposit is deducted after VAT, so the client sees the full amount of the event and how much has already been paid. The dinner line is 80 guests at £42.00, which is £3,360.00.

Is a catering invoice subject to VAT?

In the UK, catering is standard-rated for VAT. GOV.UK's guidance on VAT rates says catering is always standard-rated, and the standard VAT rate is 20%, according to the GOV.UK VAT rates page. Catering that you supply at the client's home, for example a dinner party, counts as catering too, according to HMRC's definition of catering.

HMRC's catering and takeaway food notice 709/1 says catering under a contract is standard-rated across all your supplies. It also says packed meals sold separately for consumption off your premises can be zero-rated. Check the notice before you zero-rate anything. If your taxable turnover is below the registration threshold, you do not charge VAT and the invoice should not show a VAT line.

In the United States there is no federal sales tax. Whether catering, delivery and service charges are taxed is set state by state, so check your state tax agency before you copy the VAT line above.

Pricing styles and how they change the invoice

Caterers price events in several ways, and the invoice layout should follow the way you quoted. Mixing styles confuses clients, so pick one per event and keep it on the invoice.

Per-guest pricing is the easiest to check, because the client can multiply headcount by price in their head. Itemized pricing suits drop-off trays and office lunches, where the client orders specific dishes rather than a full service.

A second example: a corporate lunch in US dollars

Not every event has a deposit and a full wait staff. This example shows a delivered office lunch for 40 people, with a mandatory service charge.

Sales tax is left out because whether it applies to catering, delivery and service charges varies by state. Add it as a separate line only after checking with your state tax agency. The service charge is labeled mandatory, which keeps it distinct from an optional gratuity the client may add on top.

The invoice should also state the delivery date, the contact who received the food and the payment terms. A line such as "Payment due within 14 days of the invoice date" removes any doubt about when the money is expected.

Service charge vs gratuity on a catering invoice

A service charge is a mandatory fee a caterer adds to the bill, while a gratuity or tip is a voluntary amount the client chooses to give. The distinction matters for VAT. HMRC's service charges and tips rules say a service charge is standard-rated, and that when a customer freely gives a tip above your total charge, no VAT is due on the tip.

So label the line precisely:

1. "Service charge" if the client must pay it. Add VAT to it.
2. "Gratuity (optional)" if the client decides. Leave VAT off and keep it separate from the total.

Do not call a mandatory charge a tip. It misleads the client and, in the UK, misstates the VAT.

Deposits, cancellations and final numbers

Put the deposit and the final headcount date in your quote, then repeat them on the invoice. A deposit is a payment on account taken before the event, and it should appear as a deduction line with its date. The invoice should state the headcount the price is based on, so a client who confirms 80 guests and brings 76 knows what was billed.

Two terms save most disputes:

1. A final-numbers date, such as 14 days before the event.
2. A minimum charge, such as the price for 70 guests.

Whether a deposit is refundable depends on your contract and local law, and this guide does not give legal advice on that.

Add-ons and changes after the quote

Events change between the quote and the day, and the invoice has to show what changed. Bill additions as separate lines with a short reason, such as "Extra 6 evening guests" or "Late-added dessert table". Show reductions the same way. A client reading the invoice can then compare it with the quote line by line.

Agree in advance how late changes are handled. A final-numbers date works well, and anything after that date is billed at the guaranteed number or the actual number, whichever is higher. Put that rule on the quote and repeat it on the invoice, so a charge for 80 guests when 76 attended is a known term and not a surprise.

Drinks need their own lines. Alcohol licensing rules differ by country and region, so check what applies where you trade before you list alcohol on an invoice or buy it for a client.

Make a catering invoice

You can copy the tables above into a spreadsheet. If you would rather type the event details once and get a numbered PDF with the VAT and deposit lines calculated, Invoqk's invoice generator does that. Corrections to any rule above are welcome through the Invoqk contact page. Similar guides cover the contractor invoice template and the quote template, which you can send before the event.