Policies

Click here for a printable version of our Catering Guide

Room Reservations:

The first step in planning your event is to book a location. Many rooms on campus are booked months in advance so we recommend that you book your location as soon as possible. Please request that the facility be open and available to our staff three hours prior to your event.

Tables and Chairs:

College of Charleston Physical Plant will set up tables and chairs in campus venues. Please contact them at 953.5550 if you will need this service. The Catering Department will be happy to help you develop a floor plan for your event that you can provide to Physical Plant for your room set-up. When the Catering Department must set up or move tables and chairs, there will may be an additional charge for that labor on your final bill.

Food and Beverage:

All events must be planned and confirmed at least five business days prior to the event. Table service and plated events for 40 guest or more and events over 100 guests or those requiring special menus should be planned and confirmed two weeks prior. Please make sure to provide all of the details of your event including location, date, time, estimated guest count and any special needs.

Rentals, Enhancements & Decorations:

Special colors and sizes of linens are available. Please notify us when booking your event of any special colors or sizes.

Floral enhancements should be ordered 5 business days prior to the event. Cancellation of floral enhancements must be received five business days prior to the event to avoid charges. Please discuss size and color preferences. Flower vases must be returned to the caterer after the event. Prices vary with the specification and market value of products.

China and Glass Rental is available at an extra cost.

Guest Requirements & Menu Selections:

Plated service is available for any number of guests. In the event that more than one entrée is chosen, we will need to be able to identify which guests receive the appropriate entree.

Guarantee:

Any changes in guaranteed guest counts, location or menus should be received by noon three full business days prior to your event. In the event that a final confirmation is not received, we will assume that your original count is the final count and prepare accordingly. Unanticipated circumstances may find you in need of altering your count after the 3 business day deadline. These changes will be subject to our approval.

Service Time:

The standard service time allowed for each event is 2 hours. If you expect your event to exceed this service time, please discuss that with us during the event-planning meeting. Events exceeding 2 hours of service will incur additional charges. Events beginning before 7:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. may also incur additional charges. For your convenience all events are set up thirty minutes prior to start time of the event. For events that do not involve service staff the food is setup and left unattended. Please make sure the location is secured.

Payment:

Departments paying with Foundation Accounts must have a contract signed by the Foundation sent to the Catering Department 5 business days prior to your event.

If paying with State Funds, please choose IDT as Payment and write TBA in the # Column. The Catering Dept. will update the # when they receive a hard copy of your IDT via email or campus mail.

Reminder 1:
All IDT’s submitted for services related to Aramark require the Catered Meals Questionnaire Form (http://controller.cofc.edu/accounting-forms/index.php), event flyer, or student roster. Please remember to attach this required support in at the time you place your order.

Reminder 2:
In accordance with college policy for Payments to Vendors for Catered Meals at Statewide, Regional, or District Meetings, or Student Event/Activities (http://controller.cofc.edu/policies-and-procedures/index.php), any money administered by the College and held by the State Treasurer’s Office is considered State/College Funds. The payment of alcoholic beverages and related bar services (setup, bartending, corkage fees, liquor license, etc.) with State Funds or from any College account is strictly prohibited. Invoices reflecting charges for alcoholic beverages and bar services cannot be processed by the Controller’s Office.

Credit card (Master Card or Visa), check or cash are also accepted as payment. Payment for half of the total bill is due 15 business days prior to the event. The remainder of the payment is required three business days after your event.

Service Charge:

An additional Service Charge will be added for non College of Charleston events.

Cancellation:

Cancellations will be accepted without charge three business days prior to the event. Less than three days notice may require charges based on costs already incurred by the Catering Department.

Legal Holidays: Events scheduled on legal holidays may incur additional charges. Charges will be determined and communicated per event. Legal holidays include:

Food Safety:

For the safety of you and your guests, no food is to be removed from catering events.

Pickup and Delivery Events:

These alternatives are a great way to help meet budget restrictions that your group or organization may have. Linens, prepared meals, food trays and boxed meals are available for Pickup or Delivery. These events are supplied with and on disposable wares. Customer is responsible for transporation of Pickup orders. When pickups require the use of non disposable equipment, it is the responsibility of the sponsor to return the items the next business day by 12:00 pm. Failure to return the items in a timely manner will result in rental charges accruing, per day on each piece of equipment until the items are returned. In the event the equipment is lost, damaged or not returned, the cost for replacing the items will be assessed to the group or organization.

Delivery and Pick-Up Charges:

Events delivered to main campus locations will incur a $5 delivery charge. The Delivery Charge for events held at the C of C North Campus and Patriot’s Point will be $20. Please ask about the Delivery Charge for the Dixie Plantation and Grice Marine Lab Delivery.
Set and Leave events that require Equipment Pick up anywhere other than the College’s Downtown Charleston Main Campus including Patriots Point and North Campus will incur a $25.00 delivery fee and $25.00 Equipment Pickup.

Alcohol Policy:

Catering Services can arrange for bar services on or off campus.

We reserve the right to check identification to verify age of all guests. The bartender has the right to refuse alcohol to any guests that he/she feels has consumed too much or is behaving in a disorderly manner.