How to Start a Catering Business: What Clients Ask First

To start a catering business, check the food rules that apply where you'll cook and serve, then get ready to answer the questions a first client asks before they book, in the order they ask them. The first move is finding out what your state or local authority requires, because the FDA publishes the Food Code as a model and adoption is up to state, local, tribal and territorial authorities.

Moving from cooking for friends to paid events is mostly about answering questions well. Here are seven that come up before almost every first booking, each with what to say and what to have ready.

Have you done this before?

A client hiring a caterer for the first time wants proof before anything else. They'll look you up, so make sure there's something to find.

Google says adding or claiming a Business Profile lets customers find your business on Search and Maps, at no charge, with a verification option you choose. Its local ranking tips are to verify, keep information complete and accurate, reply to reviews and add photos. Set your service area to where you'll cater and add photos of your own food. Stock images tell a client nothing about your cooking.

Reviews are the other half of the answer. Google says you can ask customers for a review through a Google link or QR code, and that you should reply to reviews. Ask after every event, even small ones for people you know. What you can't do is offer money off for them: Google prohibits offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews, and the FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials covers fake or false reviews in the US.

Are you free on our date?

The date is usually the first thing a client tells you, and the speed of your answer is the first thing they judge. Keep one calendar for every booking and enquiry so you can reply the same day.

On your website, a simple enquiry form that asks for the date, the location and a rough guest count gets you most of what you need in one message. My roundup of event planning apps shows the tools many organisers use, which helps you speak their language.

Can you feed this many people?

This is where new caterers make their most common mistake: quoting before they know the headcount and the service style. Headcount changes the food, the kit, the staff and the time on site, so every quote should start from it.

Ask for a number, then ask how firm it is and when the final figure will be confirmed. Put that date in writing.

Can you handle our dietary needs?

Ask about dietary needs in the first conversation, not the week before. Write down exactly what the client tells you, build it into the menu you send, and ask them to confirm the menu in writing.

Your sample menus help here. Describe them in words on your website so clients can see the range you cook, and say clearly that you'll talk through dietary needs before you quote. If you need a starting point for layout, these free menu templates make your sample menus easy to read.

Buffet, plated or drop-off?

Service style shapes the whole event. Food dropped off for a client to serve is a very different job from a plated meal with staff serving every table. Ask early, because it changes your quote as much as the headcount does.

On your website, describe each style you offer and what's included, so clients can choose before they call. That's how you explain price without quoting a number: say what changes a quote (headcount, menu, service style, location and hours on site) and how you'll send it.

Are you set up to cater legally?

Some clients ask this outright; others just assume it. Either way, you need a clear answer before your first paid event. These are official pointers, not advice:

• Food rules: the FDA says the Food Code is a model that helps food control jurisdictions regulate retail and food service. Treating it as your local rule is a mistake; your state or local authority sets what applies.
• Licences and permits: sba.gov says requirements and fees vary by business activity, location and government rules.
• Tax ID: sba.gov explains that an Employer Identification Number is a business's federal tax ID, used to pay federal taxes, hire employees and open a business bank account.
• Structure: sba.gov says your structure affects taxes, raising money, paperwork and personal liability.
• Taxes: sba.gov says structure and location decide which taxes apply, and irs.gov's self-employed tax centre is the official US starting point.

How do we book, and how does the deposit work?

The last question is the one that turns an enquiry into a booking. Have a written quote ready that lists the menu, headcount, service style, date and what's included. Then explain how you take a deposit, when the balance is due and what happens if numbers change. My payment terms and deposit cheat sheet helps you put that in plain words.

Before you publish your quote page, run it through the self-assessment questions in Google's guidance on helpful, people-first content. Would a client know exactly how to book you?

Catering software for quotes and events

Event software keeps menus, headcounts and deposits in one place. Listed alphabetically:

• Caterease: catering and event management software that its maker says streamlines operations with customisable tools.
• Square Appointments: booking and scheduling software that, per Square, manages appointments, staff availability and services in one place and offers an online booking site.
• Square for Restaurants: restaurant point-of-sale software that Square describes as all-in-one software to run a food business.
• Total Party Planner: catering software its maker describes as all-in-one and built by caterers, covering event planning and orders.

For a wider comparison, see my guide to catering software, and for help writing menus and proposals, try these prompts for caterers.

Catering start-up questions

What's the first step to start a catering business?

Find out what your state or local authority requires. The FDA publishes the Food Code as a model, but adoption and requirements are set locally.

Is the FDA Food Code the rule I have to follow?

Not by itself. It's a model code, and the FDA says adoption is up to state, local, tribal and territorial authorities.

How do I get my first catering clients?

A verified Google Business Profile with photos of your own food, sample menus described on your website, and a review ask after every event.

When should I give a catering quote?

Once you know the date, headcount, dietary needs and service style. Quoting before you know headcount and service style is a common mistake.

Should I put catering prices on my website?

You don't need to. Explain what changes a quote, such as headcount, menu, service style and location, and say how fast you'll reply.

Can I offer a discount for a review?

No. Google prohibits offering free or discounted services in exchange for reviews.

Write your answers down before the phone rings

Every one of these seven questions is predictable, which means you can prepare for all of them. Write your answers down once, put the important ones on your website, and use the rest when you reply. A caterer who answers clearly and quickly looks experienced, even on the first booking.