Free Catering Checklist Template
A catering checklist covers the steps from booking and headcount planning through service day pack-out, delivery, and post-event closeout.
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Food needs to hit the room on time and at the right temperature, and the numbers can’t be a guess when people are watching. The Catering Checklist runs that work as a project board, moving from the booking and retainer through planning, final numbers, the day itself, and the wrap-up after.
Each column holds the cards for that phase, so the job reads in the same order the kitchen and front of house have to work. The board uses signage green with magenta accents under Raleway headings and Roboto body text, so the handoffs and checkpoints stay easy to spot when the pace picks up.
- Date booked and retainer in Cards cover confirming the booking, issuing the 30% retainer invoice, logging payment, and capturing access notes early.
- Planning Cards capture estimated headcount and dietary needs, then work through menu options, portions, and prep and supplier lists.
- Final details and numbers Cards handle the final-numbers deadline and change policy, the remaining 70% balance invoice, and the pack-out and labelling details.
- The day Cards follow production cooking, packing with allergen and heating notes, load checks, delivery, and adapting service to the headcount on arrival.
- After the day Cards cover clearing down, reconciling numbers, sending a receipt or statement, collecting feedback, and closing out supplier paperwork.
The checklist comes in as a project with 22 cards, leaving you to add your own dates and assign the work as tasks to the people handling prep, packing, delivery, and closeout.
We went from spending hours on every proposal to creating fully customized ones in under 5 minutes. That's not an exaggeration - we timed it.
What is on this board
5 columns carrying 22 cards. Adding it builds the whole thing as a project in your workspace, with every column and card in place.
| Column | What is in it |
|---|---|
Date booked and retainer in | Booking admin lives here, including the contract step, the 30% retainer invoice, and the basic event and access notes you’ll want before planning starts.
|
Planning | Planning cards capture headcount and dietary requirements, then move into menu and portion decisions alongside prep and supplier shopping lists.
|
Final details and numbers | Final-details cards cover the final-numbers deadline and change policy, the remaining 70% balance invoice, and the pack-out list with labelling and heating instructions.
|
The day | Service-day cards track cooking to plan, packing and labelling, load checks, delivery and set-out, and headcount changes on arrival.
|
After the day | Closeout cards handle clearing and returns, reconciling the final headcount, sending a receipt or statement, collecting feedback, and filing supplier invoices.
|
What happens when you install it
- A project is created with its board, 5 columns and 22 cards already there.
- Nothing carries a due date, because a board holds the order the work runs in rather than a calendar. The dates go on once you know when the job starts.
- Every card opens as a task with its own description, assignee, dates, subtasks and files, and columns are renamed, reordered or deleted like any other.
Who it is for
Caterers, corporate catering teams, wedding catering crews, and private chefs who need a board that keeps headcount, delivery, and pack-out from turning into guesswork.
Questions about this project template
What should a catering checklist include?
A catering checklist usually runs from booking and deposit through planning, final numbers, service-day packing and delivery, and post-event closeout. This board covers those phases with cards for headcount, dietary needs, pack-out and labelling, and the wrap-up paperwork.
When should final guest numbers be due for catering?
Final numbers need a clear deadline so shopping, portions, and staffing don’t drift. The board includes a step to set that deadline and communicate the change policy, then request the full dietary breakdown.
What do caterers need from a venue before the day?
Access time, parking and loading details, and any site constraints matter as much as the menu. The board includes steps to record site access needs early, then confirm delivery time, access, and parking again under final details.
How do you handle dietary requirements on a catering job?
Dietary requirements need collecting early and confirming again when final numbers are in, so labels and allergen notes match what actually turns up. The board includes cards for gathering dietary needs, getting a final breakdown, and packing with allergen instructions.
What happens if guest numbers change right before an event?
Late changes usually trigger a pre-agreed change policy, because food ordering and prep are already in motion. The board includes a step to explain that policy and a step to reconcile the final headcount after the day, noting shortfalls or extras.
How do you organise catering pack-out and labels?
Pack-out needs a list, labelled boxes, and clear heating notes so setup doesn’t turn into guesswork on site. The board includes cards to prepare a pack-out list, label boxes, add heating instructions, and perform a load check against the list.
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