What’s a catering contract?

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A catering agreement is a contract between a tenant and a catering business that outlines the details of the event, including the food and beverages to be served, time, location, and expenses. It may also include cancellation policies, deposit requirements, and provisions for extra food and drink.

A catering agreement is a signed form between a tenant and a business that performs catering services. It typically includes detailed information about what foods and beverages will be served, as well as the time of the event and how long foods and beverages will be available. There are usually specified monetary agreements as well.
Both parties typically work together to draft the contract. Many contracts are written by one party and signed by another, while a catering contract is largely a joint agreement by the vendor to provide an event or meeting with the requested services. Details of the function such as the type of event, location, date, time and other relevant information are specified in the contract.

The contract will often include detailed information about what is to be served, from appetizers and a main course to soups, salads and desserts. It also specifies whether the meal will be served tableside or buffet style, and whether or not the caterer will provide trays of food that circulate through the crowd.

The catering company may or may not provide alcohol and beverages for the event as well as food. Specific beverage requests are often specified, along with the quantity of bottles, cans or containers. Additionally, other blending or capping fees may apply, and the company may or may not provide a bartender. If the restaurateur does not supply the drinks, this can also be indicated in the catering contract.

In addition to the food, the catering contract will also include the expenses that the event organizer agrees to bear; this is usually per capita. The cost for some fresh produce will fluctuate and many restaurateurs will allow their customers to indicate a maximum price to pay with a consultation request if the price exceeds this limit. In return, the caterer is often given a general, if not exact, count of the number of people that will be served. Depending on the type of caterer, there may be information about the table service that will be provided, as well as cutlery, plates, tablecloths and other physical items to be provided.

A catering contract will generally have the inclusion of some vital standard of information, regardless of what the rest of the contract looks like. Cancellation information is usually included, stating how long before the event the hirer must terminate the contract and what penalties will be incurred, as well as the latest date of change that can be made to any part of the food service. Many caterers require a deposit, with information clearly stating how much is still owed and how long the lessee has to pay the balance. Many catering contracts also have a built-in clause setting out what will happen to the extra food and drink, as well as specifying what will be done if the event runs longer than planned or if more guests attend.




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