Invoicing for Catering & Gastro: Deposits, Events & Deliveries
As a caterer, party service or gastro provider in Switzerland, you don't just issue simple invoices — you juggle deposits, final invoices, mixed VAT rates and procurement costs all at once. Magic Heidi makes it easy.
Who is this page for? For all self-employed professionals and small businesses in gastronomy and food services in Switzerland: caterers and party services, food truck operators, restaurant suppliers (B2B), canteen operators, bakeries and confectioneries, private chefs on demand.
As a gastro freelancer, an invoice is rarely simple: a catering event includes a deposit upfront, a final invoice after the event, mixed line items (food, staff, transport, equipment) — plus two different VAT rates on the same document.
With Magic Heidi you create Swiss-compliant, fast and professional invoices — without needing an accountant.
The typical gastro billing challenges
What caterers and gastro providers in Switzerland deal with every day — and why generic invoicing tools usually fall short.
Deposit & final invoice
How do I offset the deposit correctly on the final invoice? And how do I show it transparently — for my customers and my bookkeeping?Mixed invoice line items
Menu flat rates, staff hours, transport costs, equipment rental — all on one invoice, clearly structured and VAT-compliant.Two VAT rates on one invoice
Food is taxed at 2.6%, drinks and services at 8.1%. Both rates have to be shown separately.B2B payment terms & reminders
Corporate customers rarely pay immediately. Net 30 is standard — but who follows up on open items after a big event?Expenses & procurement tracking
Food purchases, packaging, kitchen rent: receipts pile up, especially after big events. Fast capture saves time.From the deposit to the final invoice — transparent and automatic
Magic Heidi guides you through the entire billing process: from the initial quote through the deposit invoice to the VAT-compliant final invoice with QR payment slip.
- 📥Create a deposit invoice
Set the deposit as a CHF amount or a % of the total — Magic Heidi generates the invoice with QR code instantly.
- 🔁Remaining balance calculated automatically
On the final invoice the deposit is deducted automatically and shown transparently. No manual recalculation.
- 📂Save reusable line items
Store recurring items — menu flat rate CHF 85/person, service hour CHF 55, transport flat rate CHF 120 — and insert them with one click.
- 📄QR invoice for B2B customers
Every invoice includes a Swiss QR code — the standard for B2B payments in Switzerland since 2022.
- Invoice #3
Magic Heidi
CHF 500
Jan 29
- Invoice #2
Webbiger LTD
CHF 2000
Jan 24
- Invoice #1
John Doe
CHF 600
Jan 20
Everything self-employed gastro professionals
in Switzerland need.
From deposits to end-of-day reports — Magic Heidi covers the typical billing situations in gastronomy.
Deposit & final invoice
Create deposit invoices with a fixed CHF amount or a percentage of the total. The final invoice deducts the deposit automatically and shows it separately — traceable for your customer and audit-ready for your bookkeeping.
- Set deposits in CHF or %
- Automatic deduction on the final invoice
- Both invoices linked and retrievable
- QR payment slip on every invoice
Sample line items for catering
Save your standard services as templates and insert them into every new invoice with one click. No typos, no forgotten items — even after a long event day.
- Menu flat rates (per person, fixed or variable)
- Staff hours (chefs, service, setup and tear-down)
- Transport & delivery fees
- Equipment rental (dishware, furniture, tech)
Expenses & procurement
Photograph receipts right after the purchase — Magic Heidi's AI extracts date, amount, vendor and VAT automatically. Assign expenses to an event and keep your margin in view.
- Capture receipts by photo (AI extraction)
- Link procurement to the event
- Track packaging and kitchen rent costs
- End-of-day: income vs. expenses at a glance
Magic Heidi for every gastro provider in Switzerland
Whether you're building a catering business or have worked as a private chef for years — Magic Heidi adapts to your situation.
Catering & party service
Events from 10 to 500 people: quote, deposit, event, final invoice — all in one tool.
Food truck
Capture daily takings, invoice B2B deliveries, settle VAT at quarter-end — without accounting know-how.
Restaurant supplier (B2B)
Recurring delivery invoices to restaurants and hotels with the same items — templates save time every week.
Canteen operator
Monthly billing to companies, menu flat rates, special requests — clear and professional.
Bakery & confectionery
Delivery invoices for B2B customers (restaurants, cafés, offices) with correct VAT on food and services.
Private chef on demand
Hourly or daily invoices for private and corporate customers, VAT optional, QR invoice included.
Swiss-compliant: VAT,
QR invoice & mandatory fields
Catering invoices in Switzerland must include specific mandatory fields and show the correct VAT rates. Magic Heidi handles it automatically.
2.6% on food, 8.1% on drinks, service and rentals — both rates shown separately on the same invoice.
Mandatory standard for payments in Switzerland since October 2022. Magic Heidi generates it automatically on every invoice.
Your UID (CHE number), VAT number, full address — all pre-filled automatically on every invoice.
Many small gastro businesses use the simplified settlement method. Magic Heidi supports both VAT accounting methods.
Sample invoice line items for a catering event
Here's a typical example of a Swiss catering final invoice:
| Line item | Quantity | Unit price | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menu flat rate (3-course) | 40 pers. | CHF 85.00 | 2.6% | CHF 3'400.00 |
| Service staff (8h × 2) | 16 hrs | CHF 55.00 | 8.1% | CHF 880.00 |
| Transport flat rate | 1 | CHF 150.00 | 8.1% | CHF 150.00 |
| Equipment rental (dishware, tables) | 1 | CHF 280.00 | 8.1% | CHF 280.00 |
| Subtotal excl. VAT | CHF 4'416.20 | |||
| VAT 2.6% (food) | CHF 88.40 | |||
| VAT 8.1% (service & equipment) | CHF 105.40 | |||
| ./. Deposit (30%, already paid) | – CHF 1'383.00 | |||
| Balance due | CHF 3'227.00 |
Recommended payment terms for catering:
- Deposit: 30–50% on order confirmation (at the latest 2 weeks before the event)
- Balance: 14 days after invoice issue (after the event)
- Reminder window: 10 days after due date, then first reminder
Frequently asked questions on VAT & mandatory fields
How do I create a deposit invoice for a catering event?
In Magic Heidi you first create a normal invoice for the total amount. Then you issue a deposit invoice and link it to the event. On the final invoice the already-paid deposit is deducted automatically and shown transparently — with a QR payment slip for the remaining balance.
Which VAT rate applies to catering in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, catering falls under two rates: the 2.6% special rate on food (take-away and delivery meals) and the 8.1% standard rate on drinks, service (staff hours), equipment rental and dine-in meals. If you show food and service on the same invoice, you have to list both rates separately.
Do I have to charge VAT as a caterer?
You become VAT-liable starting at an annual turnover of CHF 100'000. Below that you are VAT-exempt but can register voluntarily — worthwhile if you incur a lot of input VAT on purchases (food, equipment). Below the threshold you issue invoices without VAT, which is often preferred by B2B customers without input VAT deduction.
What are the mandatory fields on a Swiss catering invoice?
A Swiss-compliant catering invoice needs: full name and address of issuer and recipient, invoice date and unique invoice number, service description (what was delivered/performed), amount excl. VAT, applied VAT rate(s) and VAT amount, VAT number (CHE number) if you are VAT-liable, and a Swiss QR payment slip. Magic Heidi fills all of that in automatically.
Is the net tax rate method worthwhile for restaurateurs?
The net tax rate method significantly simplifies VAT settlement: instead of calculating effective tax, you apply a pre-defined rate to your turnover. For gastronomy and catering this rate is between 5.1% and 6.1% depending on your activity. It's worthwhile for small businesses with limited input VAT and saves a lot of admin.
How do I do end-of-day accounting as a restaurateur?
With Magic Heidi you capture daily income as invoices or cash receipts, photograph receipts (purchases, supplier invoices) directly in the app and assign expenses to the relevant events or categories. The overview shows you at any time what comes in and what goes out — ideal for quarterly VAT returns too.
How do I bill take-away vs. dine-in VAT correctly?
Take-away food (to go or delivered) is taxed at 2.6%. Food and drinks consumed on the premises (dine-in) fall under the 8.1% standard rate. If your catering service covers both, you have to clearly separate the items on the invoice and show each VAT rate individually.
Simple pricing. No surprises.
All features included — QR invoice, VAT management, expense capture and more.
Try for free
- 3 invoices
- 3 expenses
- All features unlocked
- No credit card required
Yearly
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited expenses
- AI receipt capture
- Swiss QR invoice
- Bank statement import
- VAT management (2.6% & 8.1%)
- Quotes & deposit invoices
- Priority support
Monthly
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited expenses
- AI receipt capture
- Swiss QR invoice
- Bank statement import
- VAT management (2.6% & 8.1%)
- Quotes & deposit invoices
Create your first catering invoice for free
No credit card. No setup time. Just get started — and send your first professional gastro invoice with QR payment slip in 30 seconds.