Catering Policies

Follow these College of Charleston catering policies and procedures as you plan your event.

So, you’re hosting an event and want to feed your guests. Great! We all love a good nibble. But don’t get bitten by breaking state rules! Please review these College of Charleston policies and procedures before planning your catered event. We’re happy to answer any questions along the way.

The full College of Charleston catering policy is outlined on the policy website. Please review it in full. We’ll go over high-level information here.

Partnering with the Charleston Culinary Group

All catered events on campus must be organized through the Charleston Culinary Group. By working with the Charleston Culinary Group, we guarantee a consistent and high standard of service that aligns with College of Charleston values, including sustainability and giving back to our students. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to enjoying many delicious and well-organized events together!

If the food and beverage for your event is less than $350, you are not required to use the Charleston Culinary Group; however, you must still follow all state and College policies and procedures.

Can I use state funds?

The first question to ask yourself: Who will be attending the event? This determines if you can use state funds to pay for catering. Regardless of source (tuition, grants, athletics, etc.), all funds are considered state funds and must follow College and State policy.

If at least 75% of all attendees are students or non-CofC employees, you may use state funds (excluding any alcohol or alcohol services). If your event doesn’t meet these criteria, you must use Foundation funds and their check request process for payment. If you need assistance with this, please ask Catering.

If you are using state funds, a list of all attendees (not just College of Charleston), including their affiliation with the College, must be provided. An event flyer will suffice if the event is open to the entire community.

Next Steps

Your next steps include fun (selecting your menu) and paperwork. We’ll outline the basics here. More detailed information is on the Charleston Culinary Group’s catering page.

  1. Determine your budget and estimated headcount. Getting this information upfront will make selecting a menu easier for you and our catering team.
  2. Select your menu. The Charleston Culinary Group offers a range of menus to suit your needs. Review their menu offerings to get a sense of what you’d like. Then give them a call or email them with your budget and guest count to formalize your menu.
  3. Review your quote. The Charleston Culinary Group will email you a quote. (It will be labeled as an invoice.) Review the quote to ensure it has everything you requested for a successful event. If the quote has everything you need and it is approved by the department, the next step is to create a PO (if using state funds) or to submit a check request to the Foundation if using Foundation funds.
  4. Create a PO if using state funds. Log into eProcure via MyPortal and click on the Aramark Catering Form under Non-Catalog Requests. The rest of the process is outlined in this step-by-step guide. (create page)
  5. Receive PO and attach the completed catered meals questionnaire or event flyer, if appropriate.