Pricing Inquiry Scripts
Pricing Inquiry Response Scripts for Caterers
In the catering world, being the first to answer the phone often means the difference between booking a $10,000 wedding or losing it to the kitchen down the street. These scripts help you provide professional, transparent pricing even when you are elbow-deep in prep work or managing a busy event floor.
The Standard 'How Much?' Inquiry
Use this when a caller asks for a general price without providing guest counts or menu preferences.
I would love to help you with your event! Our pricing generally depends on the style of service and the menu. For a standard catered party with 20 guests, most clients invest between $500 and $1,500 depending on the ingredients. To give you an accurate number, I just need to know your guest count and if you are looking for a simple drop-off or a full-service experience with servers. Does one of those styles sound like what you had in mind?
Tips for this scenario
- -Always give a range rather than a single number to protect your margins.
- -Ask about the 'style of service' immediately to determine labor costs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
!Answering the phone while a loud commercial mixer or dishwasher is running in the background.
!Giving a hard price before asking about dietary restrictions or equipment needs.
!Forgetting to ask for the event date first and spending 20 minutes on a quote for a day you are already booked.
!Not mentioning service fees or gratuity until the very end of the conversation.
!Letting calls go to a generic voicemail that doesn't mention your catering business name.
