01 / START WITH THE BOOKING
How to use the catering quote template
Download the blank Word file and replace the bracketed prompts with your business and booking details. Add your menu items, choose a quantity basis and enter each unit price. Multiply quantity by unit price for each line, then check the subtotal, fees, discount and tax before sharing.
For a per-person menu, state what one portion includes. If you charge by the tray or platter, name the unit and enter the number of trays or platters. A guest count alone does not tell the customer what you are providing.
Use the second page for your service terms and separate approval and payment records. Save a dated copy of each version you send. The PDF works as a printable reference or a form to complete by hand.
Before writing the quote, use the free catering inquiry questionnaire to collect the request and identify details still to confirm.
02 / MAKE THE SCOPE CLEAR
What belongs in a catering quote?
- Your business and client
- Your business name, contact details and address; the client’s organization, contact name and preferred contact details.
- Event and service
- Event name, date, service time, venue and delivery address. State whether this covers drop-off, collection or staffed service, and describe what is included.
- Guest count and menu
- The count used to price this revision, each menu item, portion or unit basis, quantity, unit price and line total.
- Fees, discount and tax
- Separate delivery and other fees from menu charges. Label any discount and the tax basis and rate that apply to your business. Show the currency and final total clearly.
- Version and terms
- A quote reference, revision number, prepared date and status. Add your own service scope, change process, payment schedule, cancellation terms and validity period where applicable.
- Approval and payment
- The customer’s response, name, date and the revision they approved. Separately record any requested deposit, payment received and payment reference.
Keep the customer copy focused on what they are buying. Private kitchen notes, recipes, ingredient costs and internal margins belong in your own working records.
This is a document template, not a legally reviewed contract or an automatic signature or payment service. Use your own business terms and applicable tax treatment.
03 / WORKED EXAMPLE
A lunch changes from 40 guests to 60
Fictional demonstration. This is the same Northwood booking shown in our product walkthrough. Juniper Table Demo prepares a quote for Northwood Studio, with Morgan Example as the contact. The lunch is on November 2, 2026 at 12:30, at Northwood Studio, 123 Example Street. Both revisions are prepared on October 19, 2026.
The menu is lemon herb chicken: roasted chicken with lemon, herbs and pan jus. The quantity basis is one portion per guest at CAD18.00. Delivery stays at CAD5.00. There are no other fees or discounts, and the example uses 0% tax. The requested deposit is 25% of the total; it is included in the total, not added to it.
| Quote detail | Revision 1 Approved original | Revision 2 Current approved |
|---|---|---|
| Guest count / portions | 40 | 60 |
| Unit price | 18.00 | 18.00 |
| Menu subtotal | 720.00 | 1,080.00 |
| Delivery | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| Other fees | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Discount | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Tax at 0% | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total | 725.00 | 1,085.00 |
| Requested deposit at 25% | 181.25 | 271.25 |
40 × CAD18 + CAD5 = CAD725.
60 × CAD18 + CAD5 = CAD1,085.
The extra 20 portions add CAD360; the delivery charge stays the same.
Morgan Example approves both revisions in the fictional demonstration. Revision 1 stays unchanged in history after revision 2 is approved. No payment is recorded in this demonstration. A requested deposit and an approval are not evidence that money has been received.
The downloads leave business-specific terms for the caterer to supply. These illustrative CAD catering amounts and the 0% example tax rate are separate from CaterScale’s USD subscription pricing.
04 / KEEP THE AGREED VERSION
When the guest count changes
Save the approved original
Keep revision 1 and the customer’s approval together. Do not overwrite the 40-guest quote with the new numbers.
Prepare a new revision
Copy the document, increase its revision number and update the guest count, quantities and totals. Describe the change so the customer can see what needs their approval.
Ask the customer to approve the replacement
Send the revised quote and record the response against that exact version. Keep the current kitchen handoff tied to the last approved revision while the new quote is waiting.
Hand off the newly approved plan
After revision 2 is approved, tell the kitchen which version now applies and confirm the team has the updated quantities. Keep revision 1 available for reference.
With Word and PDF, you manage these copies and confirmations yourself. CaterScale connects the customer approval to the kitchen’s approved production sheet and retains earlier quote revisions.
FROM TEMPLATE TO WORKFLOW
Keep quotes, approvals and kitchen prep together.
See how the same 40-to-60 guest change works in CaterScale, then try it with your own menu.
For the approved kitchen handoff, use the free prep and packing checklist. Keep the kitchen copy focused on quantities and revision-specific work checks.
Setting up your first catering workflow? Read the guide for new catering businesses for what to prepare before your first quote and kitchen handoff.
Before filling in your quote, work through food, labour and overhead with the free catering pricing calculator. Keep your private costing separate from the customer proposal.
Up to five team members. Unlimited venues.
US$49/month, or US$39.99/month billed annually at US$479.88/year.