Free Catering Proposal Template
A catering proposal covers the menu and service, what’s included for dietary needs, pricing, and the terms for timing, access, and payment.
A meeting starts at the time it starts, and lunch can’t be the part that derails it. This proposal goes to the person booking corporate catering and pins down what arrives, when it arrives, and what “ready” means before anyone walks in and starts asking for ice and extra forks.
The document leads with What this covers, then About us and Who you will work with, so the client knows how the day gets run before they see the number. Selected work gives a few corporate setups, How we work spells out the planning checkpoints, and Minimums and Access and parking answer the questions that usually turn into last-minute texts. The pages sit under Space Grotesk headings with Inter body copy, with olive running through the layout and a restrained wine-plum for emphasis.
- What this covers Names the service window, what gets delivered and set out, and what gets handled at the end so the room resets clean.
- Buffet lunch menu Describes the buffet setup, the on-time delivery window tied to the hard drop time, and how service stays moving.
- Dietary meals and labels Explains how vegetarian and gluten-free meals stay separate, what gets labeled, and what’s included like plates, cutlery, ice, and trash out.
- What it costs Holds the per-person pricing for Buffet Setup and the notes that affect the final total before signing.
- Getting started Closes with the signature and fee summary, plus the handoff details the client needs to send: headcount, drop time, and access notes.
What it costs carries one priced item, Buffet Setup, which means you swap in your per-person pricing and send it over. When the client accepts, Getting started collects the signature and shows the fee summary, so the agreement lands in writing with the same timing, headcount, and access notes the client asked about.
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 this proposal contains
1) What this covers
Frames the timing, setup, labeling, and breakdown so the client can see what “meeting-ready” includes.
2) About us
Explains the reliability and logistics focus, including dietary separation, confirmed access, and cleanup.
3) Who you will work with
Sets expectations for the on-site crew and who handles what during the service window.
4) Selected work
Shows example corporate setups so the client can match the approach to their own meeting.
5) Quarterly all-hands lunch
Describes a timed buffet setup and dietary handling for a meeting with a hard start time.
6) On-site training week
Covers a multi-day lunch rotation with consistent drop times and repeatable labeling.
7) Client visit lunch
Walks through access constraints, staging, and leaving the room meeting-ready, with one short client quote.
8) How we work
Lays out the planning sequence, from site details to menu and headcount lock, so timing and logistics get decided early.
9) Buffet lunch menu
Details the buffet format, delivery window, and on-site setup and service expectations.
10) Dietary meals and labels
Spells out separate packaging, allergen labels, included serving basics, and breakdown and trash out.
11) What it costs
Carries the priced items and notes that affect the final total after menu and headcount confirmation.
12) Getting started
Collects the signature and fee summary, and lists what the client sends next to lock timing and labels.
13) Minimums
States the minimum headcount, deposit and balance timing, lock deadlines, and how hard drop times get confirmed.
14) Access and parking
Covers building access responsibilities, dietary label inputs, change handling, and cancellation terms.
Who it is for
Office managers, executive assistants, and people ops leads booking corporate lunch catering for meetings with a hard start time and fixed headcount.
Questions about this proposal
What should a catering proposal include?
A catering proposal usually covers the menu and service window, what’s included for dietary needs and serving basics, pricing, and the terms for deposits, minimums, access, and cancellations. This one also spells out drop times, labeling, and breakdown so the room is left meeting-ready.
Can a caterer commit to a hard drop time like 11:45?
A hard drop time can be written into the proposal as long as the timing gets confirmed during planning. This template includes an arrival window and notes about calling or texting the on-site contact during a timed setup.
How do you handle allergens and gluten-free meals in catering?
Allergen handling usually means separate packaging for gluten-free meals and clear labels so items don’t get mixed into the main line. This proposal includes a dedicated section for dietary meals and labels and calls for names and dietary notes at headcount lock.
Does catering include plates, cutlery, ice, and trash removal?
Some caterers include those basics and some don’t, so the proposal needs to say it in writing. This one lists plates, cutlery, napkins, ice, and breakdown and trash out as included parts of service.
What are typical catering payment terms for corporate lunch?
Corporate catering often uses a deposit to hold the date, with the remaining balance due shortly before service once the menu and headcount are locked. This template states a 50% deposit and a balance due 2 business days before service.
What information does a caterer need for building access and parking?
Access planning usually covers loading spots, parking validation, elevators, check-in rules, and the exact room, because those details change load-in time. This proposal includes an access and parking section and says the client provides building access and any validation needed.
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