Can I bring my own caterer to the venue?

Depends on venue. Many venues have approved-caterer lists or require their in-house catering. Some venues allow outside catering with a fee or insurance certificate requirement. Confirm with venue before signing the catering contract; outside-catering bans are venue-policy-driven.

How is the head-count handled?

Industry standard: final head-count confirmation 14 days before event. Increases up to 5%: usually no surcharge. Decreases below 5% generally do not refund (food already purchased; staff already scheduled). Increases above 5% require caterer availability and may carry surcharge. Be conservative with initial estimate; easier to reduce than to add.

What if a guest has a severe allergy?

Client provides allergen list 14 days before event. Caterer staff trained on cross-contamination prevention; allergen-tagged meals delivered with server confirmation. For severe (anaphylactic) allergies, consider: (1) advance phone consultation between client and caterer chef; (2) restaurant-style allergen disclosure for buffets; (3) dedicated kitchen prep for allergen-free plates. Liability for guest non-disclosure (allergen not communicated by guest to client) rests with client.

How much should I tip the catering staff?

Industry standard: 15-20% of catering fee, distributed by caterer to staff. Some caterers include service charge in their pricing - check contract; double-tipping is unnecessary. For exceptional service, additional cash tip directly to event captain ($100-200) is appreciated. Tipping happens at end of event in cash or via Venmo to caterer for distribution.

What if guests get sick?

Foodborne-illness liability: caterer carries product-liability insurance ($1M+). State public-health department investigates suspected foodborne illness; if traced to caterer's food, caterer's insurance pays. Document: timeline of consumption, symptom onset, affected guests, lab work if available. Most foodborne-illness incidents are NOT traced to specific caterer (could be home, restaurant, etc.); state investigation is the standard.

Catering Services Contract

Catering services agreement for events — menu, head-count, service style, allergens, deposit, cancellation.

Customise

Client(s) — names

Client address

Client phone

Client email

Caterer — business name

Caterer address

Caterer phone

Caterer license / insurance

Event date

Event venue / address

Service style

Guest count

Menu (one item per line)

Allergen and dietary handling

Staffing and service

Total fee

Payment schedule

Cancellation and rescheduling

Venue and kitchen requirements

Food safety and liability

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CATERING SERVICES CONTRACT

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CLIENT

Name(s): Alex Johnson and Taylor Reed
Address: 482 Elm Street, Apt 3B, Portland, OR 97214
Phone: +1 503 555 0118
Email: alex.taylor@example.com

CATERER

Business: Hearth & Harvest Catering LLC
Address: 3050 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR 97214
Phone: +1 503 555 0455
License / insurance: Oregon LLC; Multnomah County food-service license #FS-22041; ServSafe Manager certified; $2M general liability + $1M product-liability via Society Insurance

EVENT DETAILS

► Date: September 12, 2026
► Venue: The Dawes House, 1825 SE Pine Street, Portland, OR 97214
► Service style: Plated, three-course
► Guest count: 120 (final count due 14 days before event)

COCKTAIL HOUR (5:30-6:30 PM, passed):
- Beet & goat-cheese tartlets.
- Smoked-trout crostini with creme fraiche and dill.
- Roasted-mushroom arancini.
- Vegetable spring rolls with peanut sauce.

DINNER (7:00 PM, plated three-course):
Salad: Local-greens salad, candied walnuts, pear, blue cheese, sherry vinaigrette.
Entrée (choice of three):
- Pan-seared salmon, citrus beurre blanc, roasted vegetables, wild rice (45 portions).
- Braised short rib, red-wine demi, root-vegetable mash (50 portions).
- Wild-mushroom risotto, parmesan, fresh herbs (vegetarian, 25 portions).
Dessert: Wedding cake (provided by client baker; caterer cuts and serves).

BEVERAGE (separate bar setup):
- Coffee and tea station (regular and decaf).
- Sparkling-water and soda station.
- Bar service handled separately by venue.

ALLERGEN AND DIETARY HANDLING

Allergens proactively documented at planning meeting:
- 4 guests: gluten-free meals (full menu adapted).
- 2 guests: nut allergy (kitchen segregates nut prep).
- 1 guest: vegan (dedicated meal: roasted-vegetable risotto, no parmesan).
- 3 guests: dairy-free (substitutions per item).
Kitchen protocol: dedicated cutting boards and utensils for allergen-segregated meals; staff trained on cross-contamination prevention; allergen-tagged plates delivered directly to relevant guests with server confirmation.
Client responsible for collecting guest allergen disclosures and providing to caterer 14 days before event.

STAFFING AND SERVICE

1 event captain + 8 servers + 2 line cooks (1 server per 15 guests; industry standard for plated service).
Staff arrival: 4:00 PM (3 hours before guest arrival).
Setup: linens, place settings, beverage station, buffet stations.
Service: cocktail hour (passed), dinner (plated and served), dessert / cake plating.
Cleanup: full breakdown, glassware return, kitchen cleanup, removal of all caterer-provided items.
Staff service hours: 4:00 PM-11:30 PM (7.5 hours active service).

FEES AND PAYMENT

► Total fee: $10,800.00 ($90 per guest x 120 guests; includes food, staff, equipment rental of catering-specific items)

$3,000 non-refundable retainer at signing (reserves event date and equipment).
$3,900 due 60 days before event (2026-07-14).
$3,900 final balance due 14 days before event (2026-08-29). Final balance adjusted for actual confirmed guest count.
Final head-count confirmation: 14 days before event. Increases up to 5%: no surcharge. Decreases below 5%: no refund. Increases above 5% subject to caterer availability and 25% per-guest surcharge.
Payment methods: ACH, check, credit card (3% surcharge).

CANCELLATION AND RESCHEDULING

Client cancellation:
- 90+ days before event: full refund less retainer.
- 60-89 days: 50% of paid amounts refunded; retainer forfeit.
- 30-59 days: 25% refund; retainer forfeit.
- Under 30 days: no refund (food costs already committed; staff already scheduled).
Caterer cancellation: full refund + caterer provides referral to comparable replacement.
Reschedule: 60+ days out, free; 30-59 days, $500 admin fee; under 30 days, at caterer discretion.
Force majeure: caterer and client work to reschedule within 18 months at no additional charge.

VENUE AND KITCHEN REQUIREMENTS

Caterer requires:
- Kitchen access for warm-up and final plating (commercial kitchen preferred; portable kitchen acceptable for stations).
- Refrigeration for chilled-food storage (caterer can provide if venue lacks).
- Service area for plating and beverage station.
- Clear loadout path for catering equipment.
- Trash disposal cooperation (caterer breaks down and bags; venue disposes).
Client confirms venue: kitchen capabilities, electrical, water access, parking for catering vehicle.
Caterer provides certificate of insurance to venue on request.

FOOD SAFETY AND LIABILITY

Caterer holds current health department permits and ServSafe Manager certification.
Food safety: HACCP plan in place; temperature control monitored throughout service (cold below 40°F, hot above 140°F).
Foodborne illness liability: caterer maintains $1M product-liability insurance. Caterer is liable for documented foodborne illness traced to caterer's food (state public-health investigation finding required).
Client is responsible for: communicating allergens; ensuring guests follow allergen-tagged meal directives; venue food-safety regulations (some venues require permits for outside catering).
Dispute resolution: mediation first, then small-claims or county civil court. Public-health complaints addressed to state health department.

EXECUTION

Both parties acknowledge they have read this Agreement, had the opportunity to ask questions, and agree to be bound by its terms.

_______________________________ Date: ____________________
Alex Johnson and Taylor Reed (Client)

_______________________________________ Date: ____________________
Hearth & Harvest Catering LLC (Caterer)

About this template

Catering contracts have specialized provisions beyond standard event-vendor agreements due to food safety, allergen handling, and guest-count dependencies. Critical points: (1) Licensing - caterer must hold current state/local food-service license (Multnomah County, NYC Health Department, etc.) and at least one ServSafe-Manager-certified person on staff. ServSafe is the industry-standard food-safety certification (8-hour training + exam, valid 5 years). Verify before booking. (2) Insurance - caterers should carry $1M+ general liability + $1M+ product liability (covers foodborne-illness claims). General-liability-only policies leave gaps. (3) Guest-count economics - catering pricing is per-guest; final-count confirmation 14 days before event is industry standard. Increases above 5% require caterer approval (food and staff already committed). Decreases below 5% generally do not refund (food already purchased). (4) Allergen handling - food allergies are increasingly common (1 in 13 children; ~3% of adults have shellfish/peanut/tree-nut allergies). Contract should specify: (a) client provides allergen list 14 days out; (b) caterer trains staff on cross-contamination; (c) allergen-tagged meals delivered with server confirmation; (d) liability for guest allergen non-disclosure rests with client. (5) Service-style economics - plated dinners require 1 server per 12-15 guests; buffets need 1 per 25; passed hors d'oeuvres need 1 per 30. Understaffing creates service problems and possibly liability. (6) Food-safety regulations - state and local health departments regulate temperature control, hand-washing, and cross-contamination. Foodborne-illness traces require state-investigation finding before liability triggers. State considerations: California (Title 17), New York (Article 81), Texas (Title 25), and Florida (Title 64E) have specific catering rules. Most catering disputes resolve in small-claims; foodborne illness goes to state health department first.

When to use it

Engaging a caterer for wedding, reception, or event.
Confirming menu, head-count, and service style before booking.
For events with complex dietary or allergen needs.
Documenting an oral catering agreement.
For high-guest-count or multi-day events.

What to include

Full party identification with caterer license and insurance.
Event date, venue, service style, and guest count.
Detailed menu with item-level specificity.
Allergen handling and dietary substitutions.
Staffing levels (server-to-guest ratio).
Total fee with retainer + payment schedule.
Final head-count confirmation timing and tolerance.
Cancellation and rescheduling tiers.
Food safety and liability terms.

Frequently asked

ServSafe Manager is the industry-standard food-safety certification - 8-hour training + exam, valid 5 years. It covers HACCP principles, temperature control, allergen management, and sanitation. State and local health departments often require at least one ServSafe-certified manager on-site during food service. Asking the caterer for ServSafe verification is reasonable.

⚠ Legal disclaimer. Catering contracts intersect food-safety law (state/local health department regulations), allergen-disclosure norms (FALCPA federal law for packaged; state law for food service), and general event-vendor law. ServSafe Manager certification is industry standard. Insurance requirements: $1M+ general liability + $1M+ product liability. State variations: California Title 17, New York Article 81, Texas Title 25, Florida Title 64E. For commercial event series or recurring contracts, consult a contract attorney. Foodborne-illness disputes go through state health department investigation first.