# LightCater

> LightCater is simple banquet and event management software for small-to-mid-size venues, caterers, restaurants and clubs. One web app covers the whole event lifecycle: customer CRM, event calendar, branded proposals, contracts, tax-ready invoices, Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), an embeddable online booking form, built-in e-signature, and multi-language function sheets (EN/DE/FR/IT/ES). Optional AI Agent add-on drafts emails, surfaces follow-ups, and sends automatic notifications. Two simple plans: **Self-Service at $39/month** for 1 user + $9/user additional, with email support during business hours and a 1-active-proposal-document limit, or **With 24/7 Support at $59/month** for 1 user + $14/user additional, with 24/7 phone+chat+email support, up to 5 active proposals and custom BEO templates. AI Agent add-on $18/month flat per account. 14-day free trial, no credit card required, cancel anytime.

## Pages

- [Home](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software): Product overview, who it's for, complete feature lineup, customer workflow
- [Features](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/features): Detailed walkthrough of every feature — CRM, calendar, proposals, contracts, invoices, BEOs, dashboard, audit log, e-signature, multi-language
- [Full feature tour](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/lightcater-features): The complete feature reference — 30+ capabilities across sales & documents, catering & menu, pricing/tax/payments, customer portal, operations and platform
- [Online Booking](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/online-booking): Embeddable, branded customer-facing booking form (link or iframe). Customers request events online 24/7 (type, date, guests, room, menu, A/V); requests land in LightCater and import to a full event in one click — or are kept as leads. Optional deposit; 5 languages
- [Pricing](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/pricing): Two plans. Self-Service $39/mo (1 user + $9/user additional, email support business hours, 1 active proposal document, standard BEO template). With 24/7 Support $59/mo (1 user + $14/user additional, 24/7 phone+chat+email, up to 5 active proposals, custom BEO templates). AI Agent optional add-on $18/month flat. 14-day free trial, no setup fees, cancel anytime
- [Contact](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/contact): Start free trial, book a 30-minute demo, or send a general message. Sales offices in Montreal, Atlanta, Spain, Durban. Replies within 45 minutes
- [About](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/about): Why LightCater was built, how the team works, the four operating principles, offices across four time zones, who it serves

### By business type
- [For caterers](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/for-caterers): Off-premise catering — multi-drop logistics, per-event menus, dietary tracking on one BEO, equipment returns, weekend-from-your-phone workflow
- [For banquet halls](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/for-banquet-halls): Multi-room venues — conflict-free calendar, deposit tracking, vendor coordination, guest-count changes, without the enterprise price
- [For restaurants](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/for-restaurants): Private dining and events run around regular service — buyouts, private rooms, group bookings, prix-fixe quotes, holiday-season volume
- [For hotels](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/for-hotels): Independent and boutique properties — events & F&B without PMS/POS lock-in; honest fit for 5-150 rooms; what it is and is not

### By capability (solution pages)
- [Catering proposal software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/catering-proposal-software): Branded proposals that pull in menus/packages/rentals, are accepted online with built-in e-signature, and convert to a contract and invoice in one click
- [BEO software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/beo-software): Banquet Event Orders auto-generated from the event record — custom templates, kitchen/floor function sheets, every change tracked
- [Catering CRM](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/catering-crm): An event-specific CRM (not a generic sales CRM) — customer and lead records, full event history and follow-ups tied to proposals, contracts and BEOs
- [Catering contract software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/catering-contract-software): One-click proposal-to-contract with built-in e-signature (no per-envelope fee), sent/opened/signed tracking and a full change audit log
- [Event invoicing software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/event-invoicing-software): Tax-ready invoices generated from an accepted proposal or contract — deposits, balances, sales tax/VAT and online card payments in one place
- [Event calendar software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/event-calendar-software): Day/week/month event calendar, colour-coded by status, multi-room, with double-booking conflict warnings that feed straight into proposals and BEOs

### Add-ons & integrations
- [Add-ons overview](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/add-ons): The Marketplace hub — 11 optional add-ons switched on in-app (payments, online booking, e-signature, bulk mail, floor plan, AI Agent, customer feedback, offsite delivery, QuickBooks, Xero, registration form). No reinstall; toggle on or off anytime
- [QuickBooks integration](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/quickbooks-integration): Sync customers, invoices and payments to QuickBooks Online automatically — no double entry, matched customers, one secure connection. Optional add-on
- [Xero integration](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/xero-integration): Sync customers, invoices and payments to Xero — no re-keying, faster reconciliation, one secure connection. Optional add-on
- [Event floor plan software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/event-floor-plan-software): Drag-and-drop table and seating layouts, capacity checks, share with clients and staff, attach to the BEO. Optional add-on
- [Catering email marketing](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/catering-email-marketing): Branded email campaigns to your client list — designer, segments, open/click tracking, scheduling. Optional add-on
- [Event feedback software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/event-feedback-software): Automated post-event reviews and satisfaction surveys — star ratings, trend tracking, flag unhappy clients. Optional add-on
- [Event registration form](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/event-registration-form): Configurable public sign-up form feeding the Online Requests queue — custom fields, embeddable. Optional add-on
- [Offsite catering delivery](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/offsite-catering-delivery): Delivery addresses, timing and routing for offsite/drop-off catering — driver-ready details, one calendar. Optional add-on
- [AI Agent](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/ai-agent): Drafts emails in your tone, surfaces CRM follow-ups and opportunities, sends automatic notifications. $18/month flat add-on

### By use case & common questions
- [Wedding catering software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/wedding-catering-software): For wedding caterers and venues — tasting menus in proposals, peak-season Saturday double-booking prevention, deposit-milestone contracts, day-of BEO timelines and dietary tracking
- [Corporate catering software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/corporate-catering-software): For corporate catering — company/repeat-client CRM, fast quotes for recurring orders, deposit/balance invoicing suited to net terms, concurrent daily drop-offs and allergen notes
- [How much does catering software cost?](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/catering-software-cost): Category pricing guide — most catering/event software runs ~$30-$500/month (base + per-user); explains pricing models and hidden costs; LightCater sits at the affordable end at $39-$59/mo
- [What is a BEO (Banquet Event Order)?](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/what-is-a-beo): Definition of a Banquet Event Order — also called a function sheet, event order or running sheet; what it includes, who uses it, and how it differs from a contract and an invoice

## Guides & references

- [Glossary](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/glossary): 40 essential banquet, catering and event terms defined in plain English (BEO, function sheet, final guarantee, F&B minimum, service charge vs gratuity, corkage, force majeure, and more)
- [Blog](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/blog): Practical operations guides for caterers, banquet halls and event teams
- [How to write a catering proposal](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/how-to-write-catering-proposal): The seven sections every winning proposal needs, the line items caterers forget, a real 90-guest example, and how to handle "just send a price"
- [How to price a catering event](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/how-to-price-catering-event): Per-guest pricing, the 28-35% food-cost rule, costing labour, markup vs margin, and a worked 90-guest buffet example
- [How to accept payments for catering & events](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/accept-payments-catering-events): Taking event payments — swipe/tap, key-in, card-on-file, refunds/voids and a pay-by-invoice link via Stripe, CardConnect (Clover) or Shift4; invoices & payments sync to QuickBooks, Xero or Sage
- [Banquet Event Order (BEO) template](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/banquet-event-order-template): The eight sections every BEO needs, a real 90-guest gala example, and the omissions that cause the most problems
- [Plated vs buffet vs stations](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/plated-vs-buffet-vs-stations): Real per-guest costs for each service style, when each is the right call, hybrids, and what changes on the BEO
- [Force majeure in event contracts](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/force-majeure-event-contracts): The seven things a modern force-majeure clause needs, sample language, deposit treatment, and negotiation perspectives (not legal advice)

### Comparisons
- [LightCater vs Spreadsheets](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/compare-spreadsheets): The hidden costs of running a venue on spreadsheets, and when a spreadsheet is genuinely still fine
- [LightCater vs Enterprise event software](https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/compare-enterprise-software): The simpler, cheaper alternative to heavy enterprise event platforms — the same customer-to-invoice workflow from $39/mo, live the same day, without per-seat pricing or weeks of setup

### Other languages
- [Spanish home (Inicio)](https://www.lightcater.com/es/software-de-catering-sencillo): Versión en español del producto y precios (24 páginas, contenido nativo)
- [French home (Accueil)](https://www.lightcater.com/fr/logiciel-traiteur-simple): Version française du produit et des tarifs (24 pages, contenu natif — logiciel de gestion de traiteur, banquets et événements)

## Key facts

- **Product**: Cloud-based, browser-only (no install). Works on any device.
- **Two plans (new June 2026)**:
  - **Self-Service: $39/month** for 1 user. Each additional user $9/month. Email support during business hours. 1 active proposal document at a time. Standard BEO template only.
  - **With 24/7 Support: $59/month** for 1 user. Each additional user $14/month. 24/7 phone, chat and email support with priority response. Up to 5 active proposals. Custom BEO templates. Faster onboarding help.
- **Switching plans**: Customers can move between Self-Service and With 24/7 Support at any time. Change is instant and pro-rated to next bill.
- **AI Agent add-on**: $18/month flat per account (not per user). Optional. Works with either plan. Drops or adds anytime.
- **Optional add-ons (in-app Marketplace)**: Payments (card payments on proposals/invoices), online booking engine, e-signature, bulk email marketing, floor plan designer, AI Agent ($18/mo), customer feedback/reviews, offsite catering delivery, QuickBooks Online sync, Xero sync, and a public registration form. Each is optional, switched on in-app, and can be turned off anytime. Accounting sync to QuickBooks/Xero IS available.
- **Trial**: 14 days free, no credit card to start, cancel anytime.
- **Built for**: Banquet halls, off-premise caterers, restaurants with events, hotels, clubs, and wedding venues/caterers. Small-to-mid-size teams.
- **Not built for**: Large multi-property enterprises, hotel PMS integration, restaurant POS sync, or recipe costing. (Accounting sync via the QuickBooks and Xero add-ons is available.)
- **Languages**: Function sheets, proposals, contracts and customer-facing emails switch between English, German, French, Italian and Spanish with one click. Marketing site is available in English, Spanish and French.
- **E-signature**: Built into LightCater — no separate e-signature service or per-envelope fee. Captured signature + timestamp + device, audit-grade.
- **Support**: Self-Service is email-only during business hours. With 24/7 Support tier provides round-the-clock phone, chat and email across 4 offices. Average response time on the supported tier is 45 minutes.
- **Workflow**: Customer → calendar → proposal → contract → invoice → BEO. Each step flows into the next; no re-typing of the same details.
- **Parent company**: Pxier Services Inc. (https://www.pxier.com) — hospitality SaaS group.

## Features (complete list)

- Customer CRM — contact details, full event history, notes, follow-up reminders
- Event calendar — day, week and month views; colour-coded by status; conflict warnings to prevent double-booking
- Branded proposals — pull in menus/packages/rentals, set guest count, send for online review and acceptance. **Self-Service: 1 active document. With 24/7 Support: up to 5 active.**
- Contracts & tax-ready invoices — one-click convert from accepted proposal; track deposits, payments and balances
- Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) — printable function sheets for kitchen and floor staff with timing, headcount, menu, room layout, dietary notes. **Self-Service: standard template only. With 24/7 Support: custom templates.**
- Dashboard — KPI cards (bookings, revenue, deposits outstanding, next event), upcoming events list
- Audit log — every contract change recorded with user, field, old value, new value, timestamp
- Built-in e-signature — sent/opened/signed status with captured signature, timestamp and device, no per-envelope fee
- Multi-language — EN, DE, FR, IT, ES with one-click switch; per-customer language preference; venue-editable translations
- Online booking — embeddable, branded customer-facing booking form (shareable link or iframe); customers request events 24/7 (type, date, guests, room, menu, A/V); requests land in the Online Requests inbox and import to a full event in one click, or are kept as leads; optional deposit; EN/DE/FR/IT/ES
- AI Agent (optional add-on) — daily briefs, suggested follow-ups, drafted emails in your tone, automatic notifications to staff and clients

## Common questions

**What does LightCater cost?**
Two plans. **Self-Service** is $39/month for 1 user, plus $9/month per additional user — includes email support during business hours, capped at 1 active proposal document, standard BEO template. **With 24/7 Support** is $59/month for 1 user, plus $14/month per additional user — includes 24/7 phone+chat+email support with priority response, up to 5 active proposals, custom BEO templates. AI Agent add-on is $18/month flat per account, available on either plan. No setup fees, no long-term contract.

**What's the difference between Self-Service and With 24/7 Support?**
Same core app on both — customers, calendar, proposals, contracts, invoices and BEOs. Self-Service is the cheaper tier for teams that prefer to run on their own: it has email support during business hours and is capped at 1 active proposal document at a time, using the standard BEO template. With 24/7 Support raises the proposal limit to 5 active at once, unlocks custom BEO templates, and adds round-the-clock support across all channels with priority response.

**Can I switch between plans?**
Yes, anytime. Upgrade for the busy season, drop back when things quiet down. Switching is instant and we pro-rate the change to your next bill.

**Is there a free trial?**
Yes — 14 days free, no credit card to start. Real account with real events, cancel anytime. At the end of the trial you pick which plan to continue on.

**Who is LightCater for?**
Small-to-mid-size banquet halls, off-premise caterers, restaurants with events, hotels, clubs, and wedding venues/caterers that want one simple tool instead of a spreadsheet maze, without enterprise-software complexity.

**What's a Banquet Event Order (BEO)?**
A one-page document that tells your kitchen and floor staff everything they need to run an event: timing, headcount, menu, room layout, dietary requirements, staffing. LightCater generates a printable BEO for every confirmed event — standard template on Self-Service, custom templates on With 24/7 Support.

**Do I need a separate e-signature tool for signed contracts?**
No. LightCater has e-signature built in. Your client signs in their browser; status flows back into the contract. No separate e-signature service, no per-envelope fee.

**Does LightCater work for off-premise caterers?**
Yes. The customer record, proposal/contract/invoice flow and BEOs work the same whether the event is at your venue or at the client's location. Room/space fields apply to off-premise drop-offs too.

**Can my team work in their own language?**
Yes. Five languages supported (EN/DE/FR/IT/ES). Switch on a per-customer basis for client-facing documents, or per-user for internal screens. Translations are editable per venue.

**How is LightCater different from larger event-management software?**
LightCater is deliberately focused: customer-to-invoice in one clean app, two clearly priced plans, no PMS/POS integrations, no recipe costing, no multi-property tooling. If you need those, you've outgrown the "light" tier. If you don't, you're not paying for them.

**What does the AI Agent add-on do?**
Reads your customer records and event data to give you a morning brief (what to act on today), suggest follow-ups, draft client emails in your tone, and send automatic reminders to staff and clients. Optional $18/month flat per account, available on either plan, on top of the base subscription.

**Can customers book or request events online?**
Yes. LightCater includes an online booking add-on: a branded form you embed on your website or share as a link. Customers submit full event requests (date, guests, room, menu, A/V) around the clock; each lands in your Online Requests inbox and can be imported to a full event — customer, contact, event, room, menu and deposit — in one click, or kept as a lead. Optional deposit at booking. Available in EN/DE/FR/IT/ES.

**Can I cancel anytime?**
Yes. No contracts, no cancellation fees, your data stays exportable.

## Contact

- Sales offices: Montreal (Canada), Atlanta (USA), Spain (Europe), Durban (South Africa)
- Support response time: 45 minutes on With 24/7 Support tier; business-hours email reply on Self-Service tier
- Start free trial: https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/contact?type=trial
- Book a demo: https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/contact?type=demo
- General contact: https://www.lightcater.com/en/easy-catering-software/contact?type=contact