How caterers get paid on time: send the right payment notifications

Which payment notifications should a caterer send?

A simple sequence covers most jobs:

1. Invoice sent: the invoice goes out with a pay button, as soon as the quote is accepted.
2. Before the due date: a short, friendly reminder.
3. On the due date: a reminder that it is due today, with the pay link again.
4. After the due date: a polite follow-up that says how long it has been outstanding.
5. Once paid: a thank-you that confirms the payment.

muntry sends payment reminders to your customers and shows on the board which dates are unpaid and for how long, so you are not working from memory.

Why take a deposit to hold the date?

A deposit turns a maybe into a booking and gives the customer a reason to commit. Send a deposit invoice when the quote is accepted and take the balance after the event. In muntry both sit on the same booking, so the board always shows what is still owing.

What should a payment reminder say?

• The invoice number and the amount in AUD.
• The event and its date.
• The due date.
• A pay link, so the customer can pay by card in one tap.
• A polite tone: most late payments are forgotten, not refused.

Example: Hi Priya, a quick reminder that invoice #1042 for $1,925.00 for your 60th birthday catering is due on Friday. You can pay by card here: [pay link]. Thanks again, we are looking forward to it.

What should a catering tax invoice include?

Your ABN, a GST line, an invoice number, the amount in AUD and the payment details. muntry invoices carry all of these, and the money settles into your own bank account. See how muntry invoicing works.