Georgia catering for offices and private events: permits and contracts

Catering can turn a quiet Monday into your best day of the week, and offices, schools, churches and wedding planners are all potential customers. But catering is regulated differently from dining in, and in Georgia the rules start with the idea of a base of operation. This guide, checked in October 2026, explains the permit basics, how to price and contract an event and what to ask the city before you serve alcohol. It is general information, not legal advice. Ask your county health department and your city license office before you take a booking.

What does Georgia require for a catering operation?

Under the Department of Public Health's food service rules, a catering operation must work from a base of operation in Georgia, and the permit comes from the local health authority in the county where that base is. Catering is not the same as delivery only: the rule says a catering business cannot be a delivery-only service, such as pizza delivery, and may include mobile catering units. If your restaurant also runs a mobile unit, the restaurant's permit does not double as the base permit, and each unit has its own application. Call your county office before you buy equipment.

Who holds the permit if you cater from your restaurant?

If you cook in your permitted restaurant kitchen and deliver food to an event, ask the county to confirm in writing what your existing permit covers, and what additional approval, if any, is needed for serving, holding or finishing food on site. A separate commissary kitchen or a food truck changes the answer. If you cater across a county line, ask whether the other county needs notice. Keep the answer with your permits.

How do you price an office order?

Start with food cost, labor, packaging, transport, equipment rental and a margin. A per-person price for a set menu is easiest for an office manager to approve, and trays priced by the serving work for casual meetings. Add a delivery fee that covers the driver and vehicle. Set a minimum order, a lead time and a headcount deadline. Show the total, including tax and any service charge, before the customer pays.

Test your numbers on a real order before you publish prices. A lunch for twenty that looks profitable on paper may lose money once you add a second trip, a person to set up and the cost of disposable plates. Track the time each order takes, from prep to pickup, and adjust. Offer two or three package tiers, such as sandwiches, a hot buffet and a premium box lunch, so customers can choose without asking for custom quotes.

What should the contract include?

State the date, time, location, menu, headcount, price, taxes, service charge, deposit, balance due date, cancellation terms, setup and breakdown, staffing, equipment, allergen policy and who is liable for damage. Ask for a deposit when the event is booked. Spell out what happens when the headcount changes or the event is canceled, and who decides if bad weather affects an outdoor party. Have a lawyer review your template once.

What about alcohol at a catered event?

Georgia licenses alcohol at both the state and local level, and the rules for serving at an off-premises event depend on your license and the city or county. Do not assume your restaurant license covers an event at another site. Ask your city or county license office what is needed, who holds the permit when a venue supplies the bar and whether a special event permit applies. If you cannot get a clear answer, do not serve alcohol at the event.

How do you keep food safe on the road?

Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Use insulated carriers, probe thermometers and a written log. Pack hot items last and load the vehicle so that air can flow. Bring sanitizer, gloves, utensils and a hand-washing setup if the venue lacks one. Label allergens on every dish. Send a staff member who can answer questions about ingredients, and have a plan for leftovers that follows your health department's rules.

How do you win and keep office customers?

Reliability matters most. Arrive on time, label everything and set up neatly. Offer a simple weekly standing order, with a lower per-person price for regular work, and a clear menu with dietary labels. Give the office manager one contact number. Ask for feedback after the first few orders. A short thank-you note with the invoice is a small touch that builds loyalty.

What taxes and records apply?

Sales tax applies to prepared food, and the treatment of delivery fees and service charges depends on how they are structured. Ask the Georgia Department of Revenue or your accountant, and show tax on the invoice. Keep records of orders, temperature logs, contracts and payments in case of an audit or a complaint.

Also keep a record of every complaint and what you did about it. If a customer says someone got sick, call your county health department yourself, and keep a sample or record of what was served, with dates and times. Insurance that covers off-site events and liability for foodborne illness is worth a conversation with your broker, and so is coverage for vehicles used in delivery.

More guides for your business:

• Georgia alcohol licenses and Sunday brunch hours for restaurants
• Georgia food truck permits: mobile food units and the base of operation
• How to get more customers to your Georgia restaurant (2026)

More in the US guides for food businesses.