▢ Contracts to prepare for your catering gig
Landing a new catering gig can be exciting and stressful. Going from a Bid Proposal to a Catering Contract is easier when you have the right documents ready for your clients. If you are juggling multiple catering jobs, all of the details can become overwhelming. But as busy as you are, it’s important to secure essential information for every job in a signed, written contract. Doing so helps keep you and your clients on the same page regarding the event details and may help prevent mistakes down the road. You can customize the following documents and get everything electronically signed using RocketSign®. Then, rest easy knowing you can rely on Document Defense® in case an issue comes up with your agreement later on.
Catering Contract
The Catering Contract is a legal document that outlines the details of a catering engagement. These details may include: List of Services, Event Date, Event Location, Begin and End Time of Services, Number of Guests, Fee per Guest, Total Fee, Payment Terms and Timing, Menu, and Cancellations. Use a Catering Contract with your catering client to get the agreement in a signed, written document.
Business Contract
A Business Contract may be used to buy or sell goods and services with another business. This might be especially useful if you are purchasing specialty products from a small scale business to use for catering purposes or for specific engagements. The Business Contract includes important details, such as: Products or Services being sold, Price, Timelines, Payment terms, Date of Delivery, Risk of Loss, and Right of Inspection.
Contract Amendment
You can use a Contract Amendment to document changes to your contract without having to create a whole new contract from scratch. For example, these can be helpful if, before the event, your client requests changes to the number of guests, or the menu. Once signed, the Contract Amendment can be attached to the original contract.
▢ Getting paid after the job is done
Depending on the nature and details of your catering gig, there may be issues to consider before the job itself is complete. Additional details may need to be addressed, such as adjustments to fees based on the number of guests you served, for example. If you are not sure about what the contract requires or how to handle issues that come up after the event is over, a Rocket Lawyer network attorney can answer your questions.
When the job is over and the time is right, you can send an Invoice to your client requesting payment. Invoices can serve as an official document detailing the business transaction, but it can also help you keep track of the services you have provided. Having trouble collecting payment for your services? We’ve got you covered with additional billing and invoicing documents.
▢ Hiring short- or long-term help
Depending on the size of your catering business and the needs of your clients, you may need either occasional help or long-term help, or some combination of both. One of the more important aspects of hiring catering help is how to classify these workers. Even if a worker is temporary and part-time, they may still qualify as an employee under the law (as opposed to an independent contractor).
While it may be tempting to classify all short-term workers as independent contractors and have them sign an Independent Contractor Agreement to avoid onboarding hassles, you could face fines and penalties if the classification doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. When in doubt, reach out to a Rocket Lawyer network attorney for advice specific to your business and situation. If your workers are classified as employees, we’ve got you covered with a helpful hiring employees checklist and the employment and HR documents you’ll need to run a tight ship.
▢ Setting up a successful catering business
Prepare your catering business for success by creating a comprehensive Business Plan. This can either be a new plan or an updated version of an existing one. A Business Plan can help you define your business goals, discover areas of improvement, and identify strategies for growth.
Forming a separate business entity for your catering business is another effective way to set it up for success. By establishing a separate legal entity, such as an LLC, Corporation, or Nonprofit, you can reduce personal liability, improve your reputation as a business, and potentially gain tax benefits. Rocket Lawyer business services experts can guide you through the process of setting up your business entity and provide assistance with DBA, Registered Agent, and Trademark filings.
Finally, Rocket Lawyer offers affordable and convenient tax filing services and can connect you with a tax professional so you don't have to handle your tax filing alone. By signing up for an annual membership plan, you can enjoy discounts on business services and half off tax filing services for a limited time.
There are so many great reasons to choose Rocket Lawyer for your catering business. So do what you love. We’ll handle the legal.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Rocket Lawyer is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.
