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CATERING STARTUP KIT

Everything you need to launch your catering business, in one kit.

42 ready-to-use tools: business plan, startup budget, permits, per-head pricing, proposals, contracts, marketing and a launch plan. Fill them in, check them off and book your first events with confidence.
Get the Kit, $297
Compare the 3 options
One payment. Instant download. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Want to test the numbers first? Try the free catering startup cost calculator, the catering quote calculator, or grab the free catering starter kit.
SOUND FAMILIAR?

People already ask you to cook for their events.

Friends, coworkers, the neighbor's party. You know the food lands. Now you want to get paid for it properly.

The part that slows most people down is everything around the food: licensing and a commercial kitchen, per-head pricing, proposals, contracts, deposits, staffing and finding steady clients. It's a lot of projects at once.

This kit puts all of it in order. Real templates, real numbers, real checklists, and a clear next step at every stage.

That's what this is.

WHAT'S INSIDE

Every tool you need to open a catering business.

42 tools, 52 files: PDF guides, editable Word templates and working Excel spreadsheets.

📋

Business Plan Template

Fill-in-the-blank plan built for caterers, ready for a lender or investor.
🧮

Per-Head Cost Calculator

Cost every menu per guest and price each event for profit.
✅

Permits Roadmap + Tracker

Licensing, commissary and cottage food rules, in order, with a tracker.
📝

Proposal + Contract Template

A polished proposal and event agreement with deposit and payment terms.
💬

Inquiry Response Scripts

Fast, friendly replies for weddings, corporate lunches and private parties.
🎁

Three-Tier Packages

Good, better, best packages with the per-person math done for you.
🗺️

Venue + Partner Mapping

Get on venue and planner referral lists and build steady bookings.
🕒

Event Run-of-Show

Prep lists, pack lists, temp logs and a timeline for every event.
📱

Social Media Kit

Bios, 60 caption templates and a 90-day posting calendar.
THE FULL TOOL LIST

Every tool in the kit, by name.

MODULE 1

Business Foundation

0.0 Start Here + Kit Index

1.0 Catering Business Plan Template

1.1 Business Launch Checklist

1.2 Business Structure Guide

1.3 Permits & Licensing Roadmap

1.3 Permit Tracker

1.4 Insurance Cheat Sheet

1.5 Startup Budget Calculator

1.6 Supplier Directory

MODULE 2

Menu & Pricing

2.1 Service Styles & Menu Guide

2.2 Per-Head Cost Calculator

2.3 Pricing Strategy Guide

2.4 Package Menu Design Templates

MODULE 3

Branding & Design

3.1 Brand Identity Workbook

3.2 Event Setup & Presentation Guide

3.3 Event Display Design Brief Template

MODULE 4

Online Presence

4.1 Website Setup Guide

4.2 Google Business Profile Setup Kit

4.3 Social Media Starter Pack

4.3 Bio + Caption Templates

4.3 Social Media Posting Calendar

4.4 Online Directory Setup Checklist

MODULE 5

Finding Customers

5.1 Venue & Partner Mapping Guide

5.2 Inquiry Response Scripts

5.3 Catering Proposal & Contract Template

5.4 Outreach Email Scripts

5.5 First 30 Clients Playbook

5.6 Three-Tier Package Template

MODULE 6

Operations & Money

6.1 Event Run-of-Show Checklist

6.1 Event Sales Log

6.2 Inventory & Equipment Template

6.3 Profit & Loss Tracker

6.4 Bookkeeping Setup Guide

6.5 Hiring & Event Staff Guide

MODULE 7

Opening Day Game Plan

7.1 Pre-Launch Countdown

7.2 Launch Marketing Kit

7.3 Client Referral Program Guide

7.4 Event Debrief & Feedback System

BONUS

Growth Accelerator

B.1 Social Media Ads Guide

B.2 Corporate Contracts & Venue Lists Guide

B.3 Investor Pitch Deck Template

Tools marked 1.0 to 2.2 are also sold on their own as the $29 Launch Plan.

Is this for you?

A great fit if:

✓ You're ready to turn cooking for events into a real business

✓ You want pricing, proposals and contracts that look professional

✓ You're a chef, home cook or food truck owner adding catering

✓ You like doing it yourself with the right tools in the right order

✓ You want steady corporate and venue referrals, not just one-off gigs

Good to know:

✓ Works for drop-off, buffet, family style and full-service events

✓ Licensing rules vary by state, so the roadmap shows you what to ask and where

✓ Everything is editable: Word, Excel, Google Sheets and PDF

✓ Want a second set of eyes? The Founder Call tier adds a 1:1 call

✓ One payment. No subscription.

Dustin Lack, founder of Opening Day Kit

Built by Dustin Lack

Former CMO, Dickey's Barbecue Pit
I’ve spent my career in hospitality marketing and helped open a lot of locations. The owners who do best aren’t the ones with the most money. They’re the ones with a plan and the right tools. I built this kit so you can start with both.
PRICING

Pick the level of help you want.

Launch Plan

$29
Plan it. Your plan, permits and numbers.

✓ Start Here guide + 2-week plan

✓ Business Plan Template (Word + PDF)

✓ Startup Budget Calculator

✓ Per-Head Cost Calculator

✓ Business Launch Checklist

✓ Permits Roadmap + Permit Tracker

✓ Insurance Cheat Sheet

✓ Business Structure Guide

Get the Launch Plan

Startup Kit

$297
Build it. All 42 tools.

✓ Everything in the Launch Plan

✓ Supplier directory

✓ Menu, pricing + design guides

✓ Branding workbook + design brief

✓ Website, Google + social templates

✓ Customer playbooks + outreach scripts

✓ Ops, inventory + P&L trackers

✓ Hiring guide + opening day plan

Get the Startup Kit
MOST SUPPORT

Kit + Founder Call

$497
Launch it with help.

✓ Everything in the Startup Kit

✓ 60-minute 1:1 Founder Call

✓ We review your plan and numbers together

✓ 30 days of email support

✓ Book your call right after checkout

Get the Kit + Founder Call
Already have the $29 Launch Plan? Use code UPGRADE29 for $29 off either kit.

Compare the options

 

Launch Plan

Startup Kit

Kit + Founder Call

Business plan, budget, cost calculator, permits, insurance + structure

✓

✓

✓

Menu, branding, marketing, customers, operations, hiring + opening day

–

✓

✓

Tools included

9

42

42

60-minute 1:1 Founder Call

–

–

✓

30 days of email support

–

–

✓

Best for

Getting your numbers right first

Building the whole business yourself

A second set of eyes on your plan

Price

$29

$297

$497

🛡️

30 days. No questions. Full refund.

Buy the kit. Open every file. Use whatever you want. If it’s not worth what you paid, email us within 30 days and you get every dollar back. No forms. No “tell us why.” No trying to talk you out of it.
QUESTIONS

Got questions? Here are the answers.

Most people work through the core tools in 2 to 4 weeks of nights and weekends, then keep using the proposals and trackers on every event.
The Permits Roadmap explains commissary kitchens, shared kitchens and cottage food rules, so you can choose the right setup for your state.
Yes. Both come as editable Word files. Have a local attorney review your final contract before you use it.
PDF guides, editable Word templates and Excel spreadsheets that also work in Google Sheets and Numbers. 42 tools, 52 files.
The $497 tier adds a 60-minute 1:1 call to walk through your plan and numbers, plus 30 days of email support. You book it right after checkout.
Yes. Use code UPGRADE29 at checkout for $29 off the Startup Kit or the Kit + Founder Call.
Yes. Packages, proposals, scripts and outreach cover weddings, corporate lunches and private parties.
Right after checkout. Your download is on the thank-you page and in your email.

Open your catering business with a plan.

Every tool you need, in the order you need it. Start building today and know exactly what to work on next.
Get the Startup Kit, $297
Get the Kit + Founder Call, $497
Instant download. 30-day guarantee. One payment, yours forever.
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