Food at Events

Do I really have to use Dining Services to cater my event?

Yes. There is a catering policy on campus that requires all University groups to go through Dining Services for any catering/food at University events. Visit the link above to read more about this specific policy.

Dining Services may specifically grant you permission to use an outside vendor, which could happen in two scenarios: (1) catering is booked the day of your events, (2) they are unable to make the very specific food you request. If they grant you this permission then you do not need to go through Dining Services for your event, but you must used a licensed caterer. If this situation occurs, please work with Dining Services to get a list of caterers in the area.

Dining Services is understanding of student organization budgets, so treat a catering quote as a conversation – they may have some creative ways to reduce costs. 

How do I go about ordering food with Dining Services?

If you are looking to order food at your event, check out the Catering Procedure and Menu Guide located on the Dining Services website. This information will help you in understanding how to order food for your event and provide you with a catering menu so you can plan your budget based on what type of food you want to serve at your event.

I am registering an event where alcohol will be present, what procedures do I need to follow?

You need to understand and read the entire alcohol policy. The event registration page also provides information on how to properly register your event. In addition, per the alcohol policy, you will be required to provide reasonable amounts of solid food and non-alcoholic beverages at the event. To better understand what types of food will be required, please visit the Providing Food at Events with Alcohol page.