Free catering agreement templates (Australia)
How to protect yourself and your business with a catering contract.
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If you're offering catering services as a business or even a bigger company, you may be considering catering agreements. These help establish expectations between you and your clients and also protect you from any issues that might arise.
In this guide we'll take you through what these contracts are, how to write one and where to find online templates.
What is a catering agreement?
A catering contract is an agreement between a person or business that provides catering services to clients. Catering agreements are simple compared to other service level agreements and can be put in place between enterprises as well as person to person.
These agreements are useful as they can protect both the client purchasing catering as well as the catering company. Anyone can quickly set up a catering agreement and there are many free templates available online.
When should I use a catering agreement?
Businesses and individuals who provide catering can use these agreements. You'll need to set it up before you offer your services to avoid confusion and potential conflicts. This document can be used for one event or multiple events.
If you are an individual or business who is looking to hire a catering team then you can also instigate a catering agreement. By having an agreement in place you can have peace of mind as it will set out the terms and conditions of the catering services that are to be provided. If there was something missing or incorrect with the catering services provided then you can use the catering agreement to resolve those issues.
Fixed rate catering agreement vs per day catering agreement
Some catering services provide an agreement which has a fixed rate, charging an overall fee for the total catering services provided. However, some catering services agreements might specify a daily rate instead. It is important to check over the agreement carefully to make sure that you are happy with the rates specified in the agreement.
What does a catering contract include and not include?
A catering agreement will include terms and conditions, payment methods, details of the event, a time and schedule, the menu to be offered and details about cancellations.
Included
A catering contract covers the following:
- Event details
- Payment conditions
- Client requirements
- Description of catering services
- Price
- Consequence of cancellations
- You may also include the duration of the agreement and information related to the termination of the contract.
Not included
You don't need to include the following:
- Personally identifiable information of attendees for any of the events within the catering agreement
- Information that wouldn't be relevant to the catering team within the agreement.
The best way to ensure that you are using the correct information is to look at existing templates to get an idea of what to include and what types of information to exclude.
How effective is a catering agreement?
A catering contract is effective because it provides all the information about the services a catering company will provide. It is also important in making clear all the terms apply so both a caterer and client can avoid disputes and misunderstandings. A catering contract sets out the timescale for each event which gives the client assurance and peace of mind, allowing them to concentrate on other aspects of organising events.
Do I need a lawyer for a catering agreement?
Usually, a catering contract is simple, especially compared to other legal agreements. A person can easily access templates from legal websites created by experienced lawyers, so hiring a lawyer is not necessary. However, it is up to you if you want to use a lawyer.
Get access to customisable catering agreement templates online
How do I write a catering agreement?
- Download a template from an online website in PDF or word format, which is free of charge.
- Complete the information in the template such as the name, contact details and event details.
- Once the agreement is completed, it should be printed and signed by both the caterer and the client.
Where to get free legal documents and templates like a catering agreement
There are a number of freely available catering contract templates that can be accessed online, including:
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