Because of this they are looking in the yellow pages for alternatives to their present caterer. If you primarily do social catering the need for a display add is less. Social catering is more of a word of mouth growth experience. An owner working an event should place themselves on the staff list of most events. They should be billed at the same rate the staff gets for the work.
Many owners bill the client at a premium for their on-site leadership.
It all depends on where you sell catering and who you are selling it to. It depends on what's at stake. If a contract means a down payment then all caterers are using a contract. But, if a contract is a legal looking document with signatures required, then most caterers are not doing this. In addition, they send their buyers written explanations of all they have promised to do and all that the client has promised to do.