Catering contracts, BEOs and final counts, signed on time
Catering is a numbers business with a deadline. The menu sets the price, the guest count sets the order, and the final count has to be locked days before the event so you can buy and staff for it. SignMaster gets the contract, the banquet event order and the final count signed when you need them, with reminders that chase the client instead of you.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
On this page
What a caterer gets signed
| Document | When | What it settles |
|---|---|---|
| Catering contract | At booking | Date, service style, menu, estimated guests, staffing, rentals, deposit and cancellation |
| Tasting agreement | Before the tasting | The tasting fee and whether it's credited to the event |
| Banquet event order (BEO) | A week or two before | The detailed plan: timeline, menu, counts per entrée, setup and staff |
| Final guest count | By your deadline | The number you'll charge for, even if fewer people come |
| Allergy and dietary notes | With the BEO | Guests' allergies, how you'll handle them, and the limits of a shared kitchen |
| Bar service agreement | At booking | Licensed bartenders, what's poured, hours and ID checks |
The catering contract in the template library is a starting point. Use this template opens it in SignMaster with blanks for your menus and prices.
Menus with a running total
Build your contract as a template with choices the client makes while they sign. A radio group picks the service style, plated, buffet or stations, and dropdowns pick the entrées. A number field holds the estimated guest count, and a calculated field multiplies it by the per-person price and adds the service charge you set. Conditional fields show the bar packages only if they tick bar service. Say clearly in the contract what the service charge is and whether any of it goes to staff as a gratuity; some states treat the two differently.
The BEO and the final count
- 1
Send the BEO
Upload the BEO from your catering software, or fill your BEO template, and send it to the client and their planner with a sign-by date a day before your deadline.
- 2
Lock the number
Put the final guest count in a required number field with an initials field beside it. The client confirms the count you'll charge for, in writing.
- 3
Let reminders chase
Reminders switch to due tomorrow, due today and overdue as the deadline comes. Your sales team stops calling on the day you need to order.
- 4
Share the signed copy
Add the venue's coordinator and your kitchen lead as CCs. When the client signs, everyone works from the same sealed PDF.
Allergies belong in writing
Ask for each guest's allergy and dietary needs in text fields on the BEO, and add a line the client initials about cross-contact in a shared kitchen. A verbal note at the tasting isn't something your line cooks can see.
Corporate and recurring clients
Offices that order lunch every week shouldn't sign a contract every week. Send one recurring catering agreement with the delivery schedule and pricing, with their office manager first in the signing order and the person who approves invoices second. When your prices change, bulk send an updated agreement to every corporate client from one CSV, each with their own rate printed in a labeled text box. Weddings and private events work with planners and venues; see how event venues and wedding planners handle their side.
Pricing
A caterer selling on their own is covered by Solo at $15 a month with unlimited envelopes. A company with event sales managers and a kitchen manager who sends BEOs shares Crew: $49 a month for 5 people, with extra seats at $8 a month and your logo on signing pages. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. Compare plans.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't cost recipes, order food or schedule staff.
- It doesn't take deposits or final payments.
- It doesn't decide how your state taxes service charges. Ask your accountant.
- It emails signing links; you can copy one to text a client.
Questions? Answers.
What is a BEO, and who signs it?
A banquet event order is the detailed plan for one event: timeline, menu, counts and setup. The client signs it, often with their planner, so the kitchen, the floor staff and the venue work from the same plan.
How do I lock in the final guest count?
Send the BEO with a required guest count field, an initials box beside it and a sign-by date before your deadline. Reminders follow up until the client signs.
Can clients list guest allergies on the contract?
Yes. Add text fields for allergies and dietary needs on the BEO. The answers are part of the sealed PDF your kitchen receives.
Can corporate clients sign one agreement for recurring orders?
Yes. Send a recurring catering agreement with the schedule and pricing, and update it for every client at once with bulk send when your prices change.