How to respond to catering enquiries quickly and stop losing clients
The caterer who wins is usually the one who sends a short reply within an hour with a per-guest ballpark price and one or two follow-up questions. Most enquiries are lost not on price, but because the client didn't hear back in time, or heard back with no numbers and no clear next step.
What should your enquiry form ask?
Your form needs 5–6 fields — just enough to give a ballpark price. Every extra field means fewer enquiries submitted.
Required fields:
- Event date (or "date not fixed yet").
- Town or venue. Distance matters for off-site jobs.
- Number of guests — a number, an estimate is fine.
- Type of event: wedding, corporate, birthday, private party, other.
- Contact: phone or WhatsApp, and email.
Useful optional field: "What matters most to you?" — free text. This is where clients write the things that decide the booking: "we need alcohol-free cocktails", "venue has no running water", "budget up to €3,000".
Don't ask about the menu, timings, number of bartenders or glassware in the form. Those are questions for the conversation, and you ask them, not the form.
How fast should you reply to a catering enquiry?
Reply within an hour during working hours and always on the same day. In many markets, including Latvia, the typical promise is "within a few hours" or "1–2 working days", so a one-hour reply already puts you ahead of the 3–4 caterers the client contacted at the same time.
Practical rules:
- All channels into one place. Website form, phone call, WhatsApp, Instagram: the manager logs every enquiry straight away, not "I'll copy it over later".
- Someone on enquiry duty. Evenings and weekends, one person replies with at least a short "Got it, we'll send a ballpark by 12:00 tomorrow".
- Keep the promised time. If you said "by 12:00", the quote is with the client at 11:50.
How to give a ballpark price straight away
A ballpark price is your standard package's per-guest rate multiplied by the guest count. For that you need ready-made packages with tiers by guest count.
Example for a mobile bar, prices excl. VAT: "Classic" package — €36 per guest up to 29 guests, €33 from 30, €30 from 50. Enquiry for 80 guests: 80 × €30 = €2,400 excl. VAT, or €2,904 with Latvian VAT at 21%. The typical range in the Latvian market for all-inclusive bar service is €29–50 per guest excl. VAT.
How to phrase it: "For 80 guests on the Classic package it's around €2,400 excl. VAT; the final figure depends on the menu and timings." To make that a one-minute job, see catering packages; for the detailed quote, see how to write a catering quote.
First reply templates
Your first reply should fit on one phone screen: greeting, ballpark price, 1–2 questions, next step.
Template 1. You have all the details
Hello Anna, thank you for your enquiry for 14 June. For 90 guests with a mobile bar, prices start at €30 per guest excl. VAT, so around €2,700. That includes bartenders, the bar counter, glassware, ice and a six-cocktail menu. Two quick questions so I can send an exact quote: what time should the bar open and close, and would you like alcohol-free cocktails? I can send the quote today by 18:00 or we can have a 10-minute call — whichever suits you.
Template 2. Details are missing
Hello, thank you for getting in touch. To give you a price I need two things: roughly how many guests, and the town or venue. As a guide, our standard package is €30–36 per guest excl. VAT, depending on numbers. As soon as you reply, I'll send a calculation within the hour.
Template 3. The date is taken
Hello, unfortunately we already have a confirmed event on 14 June. We could offer 13 or 15 June, or I can recommend colleagues I trust. Would another date work for you?
How to follow up when the client goes quiet
Follow up twice: 2 days and 5–7 days after sending the quote. Silence usually means "not decided yet" or "still comparing", not "no".
Follow-up 1 (after 2 days):
Hello Anna, have you had a chance to look at the quote? If anything needs changing — guest numbers, menu, timings — I'll update it the same day.
Follow-up 2 (after 5–7 days):
Hello Anna, we're holding 14 June for you until Friday, then the date goes back on general release. If you're still deciding, I can offer a free tasting this week.
If there's still no reply after the second follow-up, close the enquiry as lost with the reason "no response". For weddings booked 6–12 months ahead, a third follow-up a month later is reasonable.
Why enquiries are lost, and how to record the reasons
The lost reason is the most useful sales data you have, as long as you record it briefly from a fixed list. After 2–3 months you'll see exactly what needs to change.
| Reason | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No response | You replied late or without a price | Reply faster, put a ballpark in the first reply |
| Too expensive | Outside budget, or what's included wasn't clear | Add a simpler package, spell out what's included |
| Chose someone else | A competitor was faster or closer | Ask what won them over, if the client is willing to say |
| Date unavailable | Demand is higher than team capacity | Raise prices on peak dates, grow the team |
| Event cancelled | Outside your influence | Get back in touch in 2–3 months |
If "too expensive" is more than 40% of losses, the problem is your packages or how you explain them. If "no response" is more than 30%, the problem is speed.
How this works in Garnify
In Garnify an enquiry becomes a deal with an event straight away, the quote is built from your per-guest packages, and the client opens it on a branded page and approves it in one click. The whole team can see which enquiries have been answered and what stage each one is at. More at garnify.com/en.
Questions and answers
How quickly should a caterer respond to an enquiry?
Ideally within an hour during working hours, and no later than the end of the same day. Many caterers take several hours or 1–2 working days, so a fast reply with a ballpark price sets you apart immediately.
What should a catering enquiry form ask?
Date, town or venue, number of guests, type of event and a contact. Those five fields are enough for a ballpark price; menu and bar details come later in the conversation.
Should I give a price in my first reply?
Yes, at least a per-guest range. A client comparing 3–4 offers is more likely to keep talking to the caterer who gave a clear number than to one who only sent "let's have a call".
All of this on one event card
Garnify keeps the enquiry, quote, team and inventory in one place. Free for 2 months.