A catering quote is the priced offer given to the client before the event: menu, services, quantities, prices, terms. Once accepted, it becomes the order, then the invoice. In Québec, people tend to say proposition or soumission; in France, devis. The document is the same, and so are the mistakes: a guest count with no guarantee, forgotten fees, a deposit never requested. Here is what a good quote contains, and how to send it so it gets accepted quickly.
What a catering quote contains
- **Your contact details and the client’s**, with the name of the decision-maker.
- **The event**: type, date, service time, venue, access (loading dock, elevator, parking).
- **The guest count**, and the deadline to confirm the final number.
- **The menu**, dish by dish, with quantities per person and options (vegetarian, gluten-free, declared allergies).
- **The services**: staff (chef, cooks, servers, bartender), scheduled hours, setup and teardown.
- **The equipment**: dishes, linens, furniture, rentals, what the venue provides.
- **Delivery**: fees, time slot, pickup.
- **The prices**: per guest or per item, taxes shown separately, the total.
- **The terms**: deposit, payment schedule, cancellation, changes, validity of the offer.
- **The signature**, or acceptance by email.
The three clauses that prevent disputes
- **The guest count guarantee.** The client confirms a minimum number one week before; that number is billed, even if fewer people show up. Beyond that, each additional guest is billed at the unit price.
- **The deposit.** A percentage at confirmation (often 25% to 50%), non-refundable after a set deadline. Without a deposit, a confirmed event is just an intention.
- **Last-minute changes.** A deadline for changes to the menu and quantities, and a rate for anything requested after that.
Québec and France: what differs
In Québec, the proposal and the invoice must be in French for your Québec clients (Charter of the French Language). GST and QST are shown separately, with your registration numbers on the invoice.
In France, a quote signed with the words « bon pour accord » binds both parties. VAT is shown by rate (often 10% for the service, 20% for alcohol), and prices are shown before and after tax (HT and TTC). For individual clients, the cancellation terms must be readable before signing.
Send, get accepted, collect
A PDF quote sent by email, to be printed, signed and returned, often takes three days to come back. A quote the client accepts in one click from the email, with the deposit payment link right below, comes back the same day. The accepted quote must then become the order without re-entry: the kitchen, delivery and invoicing all read the same file.
How CM does it
In Caterer Manager, the proposal is created in the Events module from templates, approved by email with a payment link for the deposit, then converted into an order and an invoice without re-entry. Web quote requests (online quote requests) are included from the Professionnel plan; e-signature is coming soon.
A template to get started
The BEO template covers the sections of the event (sales, kitchen, service, logistics) on one page: it is a good starting point to structure your quotes.
