Catering is a food business that moves. The sanitation rules apply the same sanitary permit and health certificate requirements to caterers as to other food establishments, and any vehicle carrying readily perishable food must have refrigeration equipment. FDA licensing does not cover caterers. This sample plan fills in DTI and BIR fees and leaves package prices, headcounts and costs blank.[3,4]
Executive summary
Example: [Business name] Catering will cook in a [home-based or rented] kitchen in [city] and serve [weddings, debuts, corporate lunches, packed meals for offices] within [distance]. Owner: [name], sole proprietor, with [experience]. Packages range from [number] to [number] guests, booked at least [number] days ahead.
Funding needed: ₱____ for kitchen equipment, chafing dishes, tables and linens, a refrigerated vehicle or van with cold boxes, and permits. Owner ₱____; loan ₱____. The plan's goal is [number] events per month by month [number], each priced from a costed package, not from a competitor's rate card.
Kitchen, equipment and transport
Write where food is cooked and how it reaches the venue. The kitchen: [size], range [burners], [chillers and freezers], prep tables, sinks. The water used must be adequate and potable, from a public or private supply.[3]
Transport is the part that sets catering apart. Vehicles carrying readily perishable foods must be provided with refrigeration equipment. Price either a refrigerated van or, for short runs, the refrigerated equipment you will load into your own vehicle, and put the choice in the plan.[3]
List what you own versus rent per event: chafing dishes [number], tables [number], chairs [number], linens, tents. Renting early on can lower start-up cost.
Clients and competitors
Fill in: Our first clients will be [offices for packed lunches, families for parties, event venues that need an accredited caterer]. We have talked to [number] potential clients and [number] venue coordinators on [dates]. Peak months, from our own bookings or venue calendars: [months].
Competitors: [number] caterers accredited at the venues we want, their minimum headcount and per-head price as quoted on [date]. Our angle: [smaller minimum headcount, regional dishes, tasting session included]. See target market for how to describe clients without invented figures.
How an event runs
Each event is a project. A written timeline keeps food safe and on time.
Staff. Cooks and servers need health certificates from the local health office, renewed at least yearly. Part-time servers hired per event are still food handlers, so keep a pool of certified servers instead of hiring at the last minute.[3]
- BookingSigned contract, menu, headcount, deposit of ____%.
- PurchasingBuy ingredients [number] days before; check cold storage space.
- CookingCook in order of shelf life; chill what travels cold.
- TransportLoad refrigerated items last; record departure time.
- Service and pack-upServe, keep hot food hot, bring back and count equipment.
Permits and fees
Caterers get a sanitary permit from the city or municipal health office; the fee is set by ordinance. FDA's food establishment licensing under AO 2014-0029 excludes caterers.[3,4]
Financial plan
Start-up. Kitchen equipment ₱____; chafing dishes and serving ware ₱____; refrigerated vehicle or equipment ₱____; tables, linens and tents ₱____; DTI name ₱500 or ₱1,000 plus ₱30 stamp tax; barangay clearance ₱____; mayor's permit ₱____; sanitary permit ₱____; health certificates ₱____ × [staff]; reserve ₱____.[1]
Per event. Food cost per head ₱____ × guests; servers [number] × ₱____; transport and fuel ₱____; rentals ₱____; LPG ₱____. Price per head = cost per head ÷ (1 − target margin ____%).
Monthly. Kitchen rent ₱____; utilities ₱____; owner's pay ₱____; vehicle loan ₱____. Revenue = events per month [number] × average guests [number] × price per head ₱____.
Risks
Food spoilage on the road. Refrigerated transport and a temperature log. Cancellations. Non-refundable deposit in the contract. Too many bookings on one date. A cap on events per day based on staff and equipment.
Permit and registration costs: catering
| Registration or item | Office | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTI business name (sole proprietor) | DTI | ₱200–₱2,000 by scope, city or regional scope if you cater across cities | DTI BNRS FAQ |
| Documentary stamp tax on DTI fee | DTI | ₱30 | DTI BNRS FAQ |
| Barangay business clearance | Barangay hall | Set by the barangay | Ask the barangay |
| Mayor's permit and city fees | City or municipal hall | Assessed by the city | Ask the BPLO |
| BIR registration (Annual Registration Fee) | BIR | ₱0, not collected since 22 Jan 2024 | BIR RMC 14-2024 |
| Sanitary permit (caterer) | City or municipal health office | Set by city ordinance | PD 856 food IRR Sec. 7 |
| Health certificates, cooks and servers | City or municipal health office | Set by the LGU | PD 856 food IRR Sec. 7 |
| Refrigerated vehicle for perishable food | Your own cost, not a permit | Quote from supplier: ₱____ | PD 856 food IRR |
| FDA License to Operate | FDA | Not required for caterers | FDA AO 2014-0029 |
Questions people ask
- Does a catering business need an FDA license?
- No. FDA AO 2014-0029 excludes caterers; the city or municipality issues the sanitary permit.
- Do I need a refrigerated van for catering?
- Vehicles carrying readily perishable food must have refrigeration equipment under the food establishment rules. That can be a refrigerated van or refrigeration equipment in your vehicle; ask your health office what it accepts.
- How do I price catering packages without copying competitors?
- Cost each dish per head, add staff, transport and rentals, then divide by one minus your target margin. Check the result against quotes you collected.
Sources
Checked 14 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Frequently Asked Questions · DTI Business Name Registration System
- Digest of Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 14-2024 · Bureau of Internal Revenue · 24 January 2024
- Implementing Rules and Regulations of Chapter III, Food Establishments, of P.D. No. 856 · Department of Health (text via Supreme Court E-Library) · 29 December 1995
- Administrative Order No. 2014-0029: Rules and Regulations on the Licensing of Food Establishments and Registration of Processed Food, and Other Food Products · Department of Health / FDA (text via FAO FAOLEX) · 8 September 2014