The short answer
Open with the event as the client described it, so they know you listened. Then the menu, the service, the price and the terms. End with one clear way to accept. Keep it to what the client needs to decide.
Proposal or quote?
A quote is the price: items, quantities, totals and how long the offer stands. A proposal adds the why: how you will run the event, what the menu feels like, and why you are the right caterer. A corporate lunch usually needs a quote. A wedding or a gala usually needs a proposal. Our quote template covers the price part in detail.
What to put in a catering proposal
- The event in their words. Date, venue, guest count, the occasion and anything they told you matters. One short paragraph.
- Your menu suggestion. Group it the way the event runs: arrival, main service, late food. Mark special diets clearly.
- Service and staffing. Buffet, plated or drop-off. How many staff, and when you arrive and leave.
- Equipment. What you bring and what the venue or client must provide.
- The price. Per person and in total, with staff, travel and rentals as their own lines. Show tax the way your clients expect it.
- Terms. How long the offer is valid, the deposit, the deadline for the final guest count and the cancellation policy.
- How to accept. One action: sign, click or reply. Not three.
Mistakes that slow a yes
- Several menu options with no recommendation. Suggest one, offer one alternative.
- A single total with nothing itemised. The client cannot see what they are paying for.
- No expiry date. The client comes back months later and expects the old price.
- A long story about your company. Two sentences are enough. Put the event first.
- Sending it days later. Clients often book whoever answers first with a complete offer.
Can you give me an example?
Opening paragraph
“Thank you for asking us to cater your summer party on 14 June at the boathouse. For 80 guests arriving from 6 pm, we suggest a relaxed grill buffet with two vegetarian mains, served by three of our staff until 10 pm. The full menu and price are below. The offer is valid for 14 days.”
It names the event, answers the main questions and tells the client what happens next. The rest of the proposal fills in detail.
Write it once, send it many times
Most of a proposal repeats from event to event. The menu, prices, terms and layout should not be typed again each time. In CaterWay the customer picks the menu and guest count on your website, and the request arrives with the price already worked out. You adjust what you need, attach a PDF if you want one, and the customer can accept online.
