Catering Inquiry Form Template

Stop trading 15 emails to scope a catering job. This form captures everything you need to write a real proposal — event type, date, guest count, service style, dietary requirements, and budget — in a single submission.

Use this template

Last updated 21 August 2026

Fields in this template

Full Namerequired
Email Addressrequired
Phone Numberrequired
Company / Organization
Event Typerequired
Wedding · Corporate event · Birthday / private party · Holiday gathering · Conference · Funeral / memorial · Other
Event Daterequired
Time of Day
Breakfast · Brunch · Lunch · Afternoon · Dinner · Late night
Estimated Guest Countrequired
Event Location / Venuerequired
Service Style
Plated dinner · Buffet · Family-style · Stations · Cocktail / hors d'oeuvres · Boxed meals · Drop-off
Dietary Considerations
Vegetarian options · Vegan options · Gluten-free options · Halal · Kosher · Common allergies (nuts, shellfish)
Budget Range (per person)
Under $25 · $25-$50 · $50-$100 · $100-$150 · $150+ · Not sure yet
Anything else we should know?

Who uses this template

CaterersRestaurants offering cateringFood trucksPersonal chefsEvent venuesBanquet hallsBBQ businessesBakeries

About this template

A catering inquiry is rarely a quick yes-or-no question. Pricing depends on guest count, service style, menu choices, dietary accommodations, venue distance, and a dozen other variables. Without a structured form, every inquiry becomes a back-and-forth email chain that wastes time on both sides and slows down the proposal.

This template captures the variables that actually matter for pricing in a single submission. The event type and date tell you whether you're free and how to scope. Guest count drives the proposal math. Service style determines staffing and equipment needs. Dietary considerations let you build a menu that works for everyone, and the budget dropdown helps you understand if the prospect is in your range before you spend an hour on a proposal. The free-form notes field is where the real creativity often lives — themes, family recipes, special requests.

formformform is free for catering businesses and supports unlimited inquiries, which matters during peak booking season. Embed the form on your catering page, link from your Google Business Profile, or share via Instagram link in bio. Every inquiry lands in your inbox immediately, and you can respond with a real proposal within hours instead of starting from scratch every time.

What's included

Event type, date, and guest count fields

Venue and location capture

Service style checklist (plated, buffet, stations, etc.)

Dietary considerations checklist

Per-person budget dropdown

Free-form notes for menu ideas and theme

Free with unlimited inquiries and instant email alerts

How to create a catering inquiry form

1
Click "Use this template" to add the catering inquiry form to your free formformform account.
2
Customize the event types to match the segments you actually serve (e.g., remove categories you don't cater).
3
Adjust the service style and dietary checkboxes to match what your kitchen offers.
4
Update the budget ranges to reflect your real per-person pricing.
5
Set notifications to your sales inbox so you can respond within hours, not days.
6
Publish and embed — drop it on your catering page, link from Google Business Profile, or share via your Instagram bio.

Best practices for your catering inquiry form

Capture guest count and date first

these two fields determine 80% of whether you can take the job. Make them required.

Always ask about budget

it feels awkward, but a single dropdown saves you from quoting jobs that were never going to close.

List your service styles

letting prospects pre-select buffet vs plated saves a discovery call and helps them think about what they actually want.

Capture dietary needs early

accommodating allergies and preferences is much easier when you know during the proposal phase.

Respond fast

caterers who reply within 24 hours win a disproportionate share of jobs. Speed signals professionalism.

Follow up

about 30% of catering inquiries go cold without a follow-up email. A simple nudge a week later wins jobs that would otherwise slip away.

Frequently asked questions

Is this catering inquiry form free?

Yes. You can collect unlimited catering inquiries for free, with no trial period and no credit card required.

Can I customize the form for my catering business?

Absolutely. Edit the event types, service styles, budget ranges, and dietary options to match exactly what your kitchen offers and serves.

Can I send proposals from this form?

The form captures inquiries — proposals are sent separately. Most caterers use the inquiry data to draft a tailored proposal in their preferred tool (PandaDoc, HoneyBook, Google Docs).

Can I embed this on my restaurant or catering website?

Yes. Use the iframe or embed code to drop the form onto any website. It works on Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, and custom HTML sites.

How do I prevent low-quality inquiries?

Requiring guest count, date, and budget filters out most casual browsers. The people who fill in those fields are typically serious.

Can I capture wedding catering inquiries with the same form?

Yes. Wedding is included in the event type dropdown. If you do a lot of weddings, consider creating a separate dedicated form with extra fields like ceremony/reception locations and timeline.