BEO HQ

BEO HQ is a web-based catering document and event-calculation tool aimed at solo caterers and independent planners. It is a strong fit for organizing event paperwork and reusing menu and client records; businesses needing built-in payment processing or staff scheduling should look elsewhere.

Overview

BEO HQ keeps the paperwork for an event tied to shared event data: BEOs, proposals, contracts, invoices, and quotes can be generated from the same record. Its calculations cover service charges, taxes, deposits, and balances, which makes it useful for keeping event totals and documents together rather than handling them in separate workflows.

Saved client, venue, and menu records, plus the ability to duplicate a past event, suit caterers and planners who repeat similar bookings. The menu library handles courses, per-person or per-item pricing, and dietary and allergen flags. The boundary is clear: BEO HQ does not process payments, so customers retain their existing payment setup. The company says users can import and export freely and take documents and financials with them. Questions can be sent to [email protected].

Key features

Event documents: Shared event data feeds BEOs, proposals, contracts, invoices, and quotes. This reduces repeated entry across paperwork, though the product is not a payment system.

Calculations: Service charges, taxes, deposits, and balances are handled in the builder, keeping common event amounts with the event record.

Reusable records: Saved clients, venues, and menus and duplicated past events make repeat work a better fit than one-off event administration.

Menu details: Course organization, alternative pricing bases, and dietary and allergen flags support more structured menu records.

Approvals on Pro: Shareable approval links and e-signatures with an audit trail give clients a way to approve documents within the workflow.

Starter exports: QuickBooks and CSV export help move information into other workflows; payment collection still remains external.

Pricing

BEO HQ has a free plan, two monthly paid plans, and a 14-day trial. The Free plan costs nothing and allows one banquet event order and one catering invoice; its PDFs carry a small BEO HQ footer credit. That is a narrow way to try the workflow, not a practical ongoing plan for a caterer with multiple events.

Starter costs $19 a month, billed monthly. It removes the document cap and adds kitchen sheets, packing lists, reusable clients, venues and menu library, plus QuickBooks and CSV export. It is the sensible entry point for a solo operator who needs ongoing document production and reusable records but not client approvals or team seats.

Pro costs $39 a month, billed monthly. It includes everything in Starter, along with e-signature, client approval links, custom branding, and unlimited team members. The price step is justified for businesses involving clients or staff in approvals; a solo user who does not need those functions can avoid paying for them. The first paid subscription has a 30-day money-back guarantee, once per customer.

Platforms

BEO HQ runs on the web. That suits users managing event documents in a browser, but the product is not presented as a mobile app. Its terms identify Stripe for payments and Supabase, Vercel, and Cloudflare for infrastructure.

Who it's for

BEO HQ is best suited to solo caterers and independent planners who want one place for event documents, calculations, reusable menus, and client or venue records. Starter fits the recurring document workload; Pro is the better match when client sign-off, branding, or unlimited team members matter. It is not the right choice for businesses seeking payment processing or staff scheduling in the same product.

Pros and cons

Pro: Several core event documents draw on shared event data, reducing the need to maintain separate versions of event details.

Pro: Reusable records and event duplication support recurring bookings, while menu pricing and dietary flags add useful operational detail.

Pro: Pro adds approval links and e-signatures, and both paid tiers remove the free plan's document ceiling.

Con: The free plan stops at one BEO and one catering invoice, and its PDFs include a product credit, so it is not a lasting option for active event volume.

Con: Payment processing and staff scheduling are absent, leaving those workflows to other tools.

Con: The platform is web-only, which may not suit teams looking for a dedicated mobile app.

Alternatives

CaterOps is worth considering for operators who want Android or iOS access and a free tier covering up to five events a month with one team member, event pipeline, basic BEOs, and a menu builder.

CaterTrack may suit users who want web and mobile apps alongside orders, bookings, menus, and customer event history; it offers a seven-day free start with no card needed.

Catertoo is an alternative for teams that want a free allowance of up to three events monthly with unlimited users and clients, proposals, e-signatures, and a menu builder.

Smart Cater is another option for readers comparing catering software with Android access.

ChefDesk is an alternative for readers considering software available across web, desktop, and mobile platforms.

Caterease is an alternative for readers comparing a paid product with web, desktop, and mobile platforms.

CaterFlow may suit a business looking for a paid platform that combines event work with inventory and recipe costing.

CaterZen is an alternative for businesses considering a paid catering platform with unlimited users, transactions, menus, items, and orders or events.

Browse Restaurant Catering Software for more options.

Verdict

BEO HQ is a good choice for solo caterers and independent planners whose main need is connected event paperwork, calculations, and reusable records. Starter delivers the core workflow without a document cap, while Pro earns its higher price when approvals, e-signatures, branding, or multiple team members matter. Look elsewhere if payment processing, staff scheduling, or mobile apps are essential to the job.