Free catering menu templates for UK caterers
Updated 19 October 2026
A catering menu template lays out your dishes, the price per head or per platter, minimum numbers, notice and terms on one page, so clients can say yes without a phone call. Below are six free templates you can copy straight from this page: buffet, corporate lunch, party platters, hot food and events, afternoon tea, and a blank layout. Paste one into Word or Google Docs and add your dishes, or print this page. There's no download and no email needed.
Choose your catering menu template
| Template | Best for | Pricing style |
|---|---|---|
| Buffet menu | Parties, wakes, christenings | Per head, with 2–3 package levels |
| Corporate catering menu | Office breakfasts, working lunches, meetings | Per head or per box |
| Party platter price list | Sandwich, wrap, fruit and dessert platters | Per platter, with "serves 8–10" |
| Hot food / event menu | Weddings, BBQs, hog roasts, street-food style | Per head, minimum guests |
| Afternoon tea menu | Tea parties, baby showers, hotels | Per head |
| Blank catering menu | Any caterer | Your choice |
Each template ends with the same terms block, so copy that too. Prices below are examples: swap in your own. Planning a festive do? Use our Christmas menu templates.
Buffet menu template
Lay it out as packages, each with a list of what's included. Packages make it easy to compare and easy to say yes.
[Your business name] · Buffet menu Classic, £12.50 per head: sandwich selection (V options), sausage rolls, mini quiche (V), crisps, fruit platter (VG, GF). Deluxe, £17.50 per head: everything in Classic, plus wraps, chicken skewers (GF), Greek salad (V, GF) and a dessert platter. Minimum 20 guests · 7 days' notice · Plates and napkins included.
Corporate catering menu template
Office clients want speed and clarity. Give each option a price per head or per box, and mark each item V, VG or GF.
[Your business name] · Office catering Breakfast, £6.50 per head: pastries (V), fruit pots (VG, GF), yoghurt and granola (V). Working lunch box, £9.50 each: sandwich or wrap, salad pot, crisps, fruit, soft drink. Afternoon meeting, £4.50 per head: cakes and biscuits (V), fruit platter (VG, GF). Order by 3pm the day before · Delivered by 11.45am · Free delivery within 5 miles.
Party platter price list
Price per platter, with how many it serves. Group platters by savoury, sweet and fruit, and always offer a vegan and a gluten-free one.
[Your business name] · Party platters Sandwich platter, 24 quarters, serves 8–10: £32 Wrap platter, 20 halves, serves 8–10: £34 Vegan platter (VG), serves 8–10: £34 Gluten-free platter (GF), serves 8–10: £36 Fruit platter (VG, GF), serves 10: £24 Cake and brownie platter (V), 24 pieces: £28 48 hours' notice · Collection or delivery.
Hot food and event menu template
For weddings, BBQs and hog roasts, price per head with a minimum number of guests, and say what staff and equipment are included.
[Your business name] · Event menu BBQ, £18 per head: burgers, sausages, chicken thighs (GF), halloumi skewers (V, GF), three salads, rolls, sauces. Hog roast, £16 per head: roast pork in a roll with stuffing and apple sauce; vegan option (VG) on request. Minimum 50 guests · Includes 2 serving staff for 3 hours, equipment and clear-away · 14 days' notice.
Afternoon tea menu template
[Your business name] · Afternoon tea, £19.50 per head Sandwiches: egg and cress (V), cucumber (VG), ham and mustard, smoked salmon. Scones: plain and fruit (V), with clotted cream and jam. Cakes: Victoria sponge (V), lemon drizzle (V), a gluten-free brownie (GF). Tea and coffee included · Minimum 10 guests.
Blank catering menu template
[Your business name] · [Menu name] [Package or section], £[price] per head / per platter: [item] ([V/VG/GF]), [item], [item]. [Package or section], £[price]: [item], [item], [item]. Minimum [number] guests · [notice] notice · [what's included].
Terms block for every template:
Prices include VAT. Minimum order £[amount]. Free delivery within [x] miles; £[y] beyond. [25]% deposit to confirm; final numbers [5] days before. Full allergen information for every dish is available: please tell us about allergies when you order. V = vegetarian, VG = vegan, GF = no gluten-containing ingredients. Order by [phone / email / WhatsApp / your ordering link].
What every catering menu should include
| Include | Example |
|---|---|
| Price per head or per platter | "£12.50 per head" or "£32 per platter (serves 8–10)" |
| Minimum numbers or order value | "Minimum 15 guests" or "Minimum order £100" |
| Notice period | "48 hours for platters; 7 days for hot buffets" |
| Delivery area and charge | "Free delivery within 5 miles; £10 beyond" |
| What's included | Plates, napkins, serving staff, set-up and clear-away |
| Dietary key | V, VG, GF, with a note on cross-contact |
| Allergen line | "Full allergen information for every dish is available. Please tell us about allergies when you order." |
| Deposit and cancellation | "25% deposit to confirm; final numbers 5 days before" |
| VAT | Say whether prices include VAT (they must for consumers) |
| How to order | Phone, email, WhatsApp or your online ordering link |
How to price a catering menu per head
Worked example: a cold buffet for an office.
| Step | Figure |
|---|---|
| Food cost per head | £4.20 |
| Packaging and napkins per head | £0.40 |
| Total cost per head | £4.60 |
| Target gross profit | 65% |
| Price before VAT (£4.60 ÷ 0.35) | £13.14 |
| VAT at 20% (catering under contract is standard-rated) | £2.63 |
| Price per head | £15.77, rounded to £15.75 |
Labour, fuel and delivery are on top of food cost. Build them in with a delivery charge or a higher GP target. Our GP calculator works this out for every item, and the free catering quote maker turns it into a quote with VAT and a deposit.
UK rules for catering menus
- VAT. Food supplied under a contract to cater for an event or function is catering and standard-rated at 20%, even if it's cold. Cold food simply sold and delivered, with no catering contract, can be zero-rated. Check HMRC VAT Notice 709/1 (sections 2.1–2.2) for your situation, and read our VAT on takeaway food guide.
- Allergens. Clients order before they see the food. So allergen information must be available before they order, and again when the food arrives. Label each platter or tray with its allergens. Our allergen label maker and allergen matrix are free.
- Natasha's Law. Full ingredient labels are needed for food that is prepacked for direct sale (PPDS): packed on the premises where it's sold, before the customer orders it, such as individually wrapped sandwiches on a counter. Food packed at the client's request is not PPDS. Nor are larger packs, such as sandwich platters under clingfilm. Food ordered by phone or online is outside the PPDS rules too, but you must still give allergen information before the order and at delivery.
- Keep it cold. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, cold food must be kept at 8°C or below. On a buffet, it can be out of the fridge for up to four hours, once only, and then must be thrown away. Hot food must be kept at 63°C or above, or served within two hours (again, once only).
- Calories are only needed if your business has 250+ employees in England. Contract caterers to large workplaces should check.
Take catering orders online
A printed or PDF menu can't take an order. Put your catering menu online so clients order and pay without a phone call.
- Upload your finished menu to Menuthere. Sign up free and upload a photo or PDF of it. AI reads your dishes and prices; check them before you save.
- Set portions, options and allergens. Per-head items, platter sizes and add-ons. Tag each dish with any of the 14 UK allergens, its calories and a halal mark, on every plan including Free. Clients see them when they open a dish, before they order, which is what the allergen rules ask of online and phone orders. Keep your allergen matrix too; it can load your dish allergens from Menuthere. Add a minimum order value and a free-delivery threshold at checkout.
- Set minimum notice and delivery slots so clients can only pick dates and times you can cook for. Scheduled orders (pre-orders) are on the Lite plan and above.
- Take payment by card through your own Stripe account (Lite and above, from US$17 a month), with 0% commission. There's no built-in deposit, so for event deposits send a Stripe payment link.
See how it works for caterers on our catering ordering software page.
Free plan: unlimited items, 50 orders a month, 0% commission.
FAQs
What should be on a catering menu?
Your dishes, the price per head or per platter, minimum numbers, notice period, delivery area and charge, what's included (plates, staff), a dietary key, an allergen line, and your deposit and cancellation terms.
How do I price catering per head?
Add up the food and packaging cost per head. Divide by (1 − your target GP), then add VAT. With a £4.60 cost and a 65% GP target, that's about £15.75 a head including VAT.
Do I charge VAT on a cold buffet?
If you're VAT-registered and the buffet is supplied under a contract to cater for an event, yes: it's standard-rated at 20%. Cold food simply sold and delivered with no catering contract can be zero-rated. Check HMRC VAT Notice 709/1.
Do catering platters need allergen labels?
You must give allergen information before the client orders and when the food is delivered. Labelling each platter is the clearest way. Full Natasha's Law labels apply only to food packed on your premises before it's ordered. Platters under clingfilm, and food ordered by phone or online, aren't covered by them.
What is a corporate catering menu?
A menu for business clients: breakfasts, working lunches and meeting snacks, priced per head or per box, with fixed order cut-offs and delivery times.
Can I use these templates for my business?
Yes. Copy them into your own document, edit and print them for your own catering business. You can't resell the templates.
Sources (6)
- HMRC, VAT Notice 709/1: catering and take-away food, sections 2.1–2.2. Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091
- Food Standards Agency, Allergen guidance for food businesses (distance selling). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses
- Food Standards Agency, Prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) allergen labelling changes for event caterers (platters, food packed at the consumer's request, distance selling; updated 17 July 2026). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prepacked-for-direct-sale-ppds-allergen-labelling-changes-for-event-caterers/prepacked-for-direct-sale-ppds-allergen-labelling-changes-for-event-caterers
- GOV.UK, Food hygiene for your business: chilling and freezing (8°C in England, Wales and NI; 4 hours out of the fridge). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/food-hygiene-businesses/chilling-and-freezing
- The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, Schedule 4 (8°C and the 4-hour once-only display defence; 63°C and the 2-hour once-only hot-holding defence). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/2996/schedule/4
- DHSC, Calorie labelling in the out of home sector: implementation guidance (contract catering in scope). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calorie-labelling-in-the-out-of-home-sector/calorie-labelling-in-the-out-of-home-sector-implementation-guidance