Pricing guide
The catering quote template that wins jobs
The quote that wins reads like a menu, not an invoice. Clients skim three things: the total, the per-person number, and what is included, then look for a way to say yes. Everything else is supporting detail.
What goes on it
Itemized dishes with quantities, so the client sees food instead of a lump sum. The per-person price beside the total, because that is the number they will compare. A deposit line with an amount and a date, since a date is not held until money holds it. An expiry date, so the quote cannot come back in March at December prices.
What stays off it: your costs, your margins, your supplier names. That math is yours; the client sees the menu and the price.
The accept path is the template
A PDF attachment asks the client to reply, print, or forward, and every step loses jobs. A quote sent as a link they can open and accept on their phone removes the friction between "this looks good" and "booked". Add the deposit link right after acceptance and the date is held the same evening.
Send it the same night
The template matters less than the timing. An inquiry answered the same evening, itemized, priced, acceptable in one tap, beats a prettier quote that arrives on Sunday. Fast reads as professional, and professional wins ties.
See it live, not as a download
The best template is a real one: here's a live sample quote — itemized dishes, deposit line, and the accept button, exactly as a client sees it on their phone. Print it to PDF from the page if you want the paper version.
Get exact costs from YOUR recipes
These are market ranges. CaterKit photographs your menu, costs every recipe from your ingredients, and prices the quote at your margin — free to start.
Price the dishes first. The margin calculator does the math.