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Free catering invoice generator
Create a catering invoice free with the lines an event usually needs already on the page: "Menu per guest (guests)", "Staff (hours)", "Rentals (tables, linens, glassware)" and "Delivery and setup". Amounts are left blank for you to fill in, the notes carry standard catering terms (50% deposit confirms the event, final guest count seven days before, balance on the day, gratuity not included), and the PDF downloads instantly with no signup.
Last updated August 2026 · Maintained by the Invoice My Clients team.
Is this catering invoice generator really free?
Yes. You can build a catering invoice and download a professional PDF without paying or signing up, as many times as you like. The free download carries a small footer mark; a free account removes it and keeps the deposit, the headcount revision and the final balance together under the event.
| Capability | Free, no account | Free account |
|---|---|---|
| Build invoice with live preview | ||
| Unlimited line items & per-item tax | ||
| 12 currencies, locale formatting | ||
| Download PDF | Yes (small footer mark) | Yes (clean, unbranded) |
| Save & revisit documents | ||
| Email the invoice to your client | ||
| Get paid online | ||
| Recurring invoices & retainers |
How to make a catering invoice in under a minute
Fill in the form, watch the live preview, and download or save. Here is the full walkthrough.
- 01Add your business name, address, phone and food business registration or licence number, then the client’s name and the event: date, venue address and start time, in the notes or the first line.
- 02Fill in the pre-listed lines. "Menu per guest (guests)" takes the final guest count as the quantity and your per-head price, one line per menu or service tier; "Staff (hours)" takes staff hours times rate (or one line per role); "Rentals (tables, linens, glassware)" takes what you hired in; "Delivery and setup" is your delivery, setup and breakdown fee.
- 03Add lines for a bar package or corkage, cake cutting, extra courses, dietary or children’s meals at a different price, a service charge if you add one, and any venue fees you paid on the client’s behalf.
- 04Show the deposit already paid as a negative line or a fixed discount so the total reads as the balance due on the day. Check which lines are taxable where you work (food, service charges and rentals are often treated differently; check your local rules).
- 05Read the pre-filled terms in the notes, confirm the final guest count and the balance-due date, say whether gratuity is included or not, add how to pay, then click Download free PDF.
The line items above are listed with no amounts on purpose: type your own quantities and rates so nothing is assumed. The notes start with "A 50% deposit confirms the event; final guest count due 7 days before; balance due the day of the event. Gratuity not included." Edit that if your terms differ. Send the deposit invoice when the client says yes, a revised invoice when the final headcount is locked, and the balance invoice a few days before the event so it is paid before you load the van.
What should a catering invoice include?
A catering invoice tracks a number that keeps changing (the guest count) and money that arrives in stages, so it needs to be explicit about both. Include the following.
- Your business name, address, phone and food business registration or licence number
- The client’s name and the event date, venue and start time
- The menu per guest, with the final confirmed guest count as the quantity and the per-head price
- Dietary, children’s or vendor meals at their own per-head price, if different
- Staff as hours times rate, or one line per role (chef, servers, bartender), with the minimum call noted
- Rentals: tables, chairs, linens, glassware, china, with the quantities
- Delivery, setup and breakdown, and any travel outside your usual area
- Bar package, corkage, cake cutting, service charge or venue fees, each on its own line
- The deposit received, shown as a credit, and the balance due with its date
- Whether gratuity is included, and how to pay
Taxes, VAT, GST, and multiple currencies
You can mark each line item taxable or not and set the rate, so a single invoice can mix taxed and untaxed items. This per-item control is something many simple tools cannot do, where one document is limited to one tax rate.
Documents render in 12 currencies with locale-correct formatting: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, INR, PKR, MXN, NZD, ZAR, and SGD. That covers VAT in the EU and UK, GST in India, Australia and Canada, and US sales tax. Need detailed tax handling across your whole workflow? See the tax feature.
Do more with a free account
Invoice My Clients sends the catering quote as a proposal the client signs online, takes the deposit by card or bank transfer at the moment they accept, revises the invoice when the headcount is final, and reminds the client automatically before the balance-due date.
- Proposals with deposit on acceptance
- Get paid online before the event
- Create a free Invoice My Clients account
Features
Unlimited line items
Add as many items as you need with per-item taxable control.
Your logo, your brand
Upload a logo and it appears on the document and the PDF.
Live totals
Subtotal, discount, and tax recalculate instantly.
12 currencies
Locale-correct formatting for every supported currency.
No signup to download
Build and download a PDF without creating an account.
Catering lines and terms pre-set
"Menu per guest (guests)", "Staff (hours)", "Rentals (tables, linens, glassware)" and "Delivery and setup" are already listed with no amounts, and the notes open with "A 50% deposit confirms the event; final guest count due 7 days before; balance due the day of the event. Gratuity not included."
Frequently asked questions
What should a catering invoice include?
Your business details and food licence number, the client and the event date and venue, then each charge on its own line: the menu per guest with the confirmed headcount as the quantity, staff as hours or per role, rentals with quantities, delivery and setup, and any bar, cake or service charge. Show the deposit as a credit, state the balance-due date and whether gratuity is included. This page pre-lists "Menu per guest (guests)", "Staff (hours)", "Rentals (tables, linens, glassware)" and "Delivery and setup" with no amounts so you only type what applies.
How much deposit should I take, and when is the balance due?
A 50% deposit on booking and the balance on or just before the event day is the most common structure and is what the pre-filled notes say: "A 50% deposit confirms the event; final guest count due 7 days before; balance due the day of the event. Gratuity not included." Some caterers take a smaller booking fee, then 50% at the final headcount, then the rest on the day. Whatever you choose, the deposit invoice is a separate document with one line ("Deposit for catering, (event date)"), and the final invoice shows every line in full with the deposit as a credit. State whether the deposit is refundable and by what date; check your local rules on what you can keep if the client cancels.
What if the guest count changes?
Set a final headcount date in your terms (seven days before is typical) and bill the final invoice on that number. If more guests turn up on the day, add a line for the extra covers at the same per-head price and send a revised invoice the next morning. If fewer turn up, you have already bought and prepped the food, so the confirmed count stands; say that clearly in the terms so it is not a surprise. The common mistake is invoicing the number from the first enquiry and eating the difference.
Should I add a service charge, and is gratuity included?
Decide, then say it on the invoice in plain words. A service charge (often 18% to 22%) is a fee you set and keep or share with staff as you choose; a gratuity is voluntary and belongs to the staff. Some places tax service charges as sales and require you to say whether they go to staff, so check your local rules. The pre-filled notes end with "Gratuity not included." If you add a service charge, put it on its own line, name it, and say what it covers.
Is my client data safe?
Yes. Everything you type stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored on our servers unless you create an account and save the document yourself. See our privacy policy for details.
What currencies are supported?
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, INR, PKR, MXN, NZD, ZAR, and SGD, each formatted correctly for its locale.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Everything runs in your browser. There is nothing to download or install.
What happens when I create an account?
Your invoice is carried straight into your new Invoice My Clients account. Your invoice arrives ready, PDF generated, so you can send it and get paid online. From there you can edit it, send it, track payment, and get paid online.
Does it remember my business details?
Yes. Your own business details, logo, currency, and payment information are saved on your device (in your browser, never on our servers) so you do not re-enter them next time, and your invoice number auto-increments from the last one you used. Client details, line items, and amounts are never saved. You can clear everything any time with the "Clear saved details" link above the form.
Is there a Spanish version?
Yes. The same invoice generator is available in Spanish, with the document, the labels and the PDF in Spanish, at the "Español" link in the header.
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