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Catering and Tip Policies and Procedures

Rutgers University Caterers (For All Student Organizations)

All student organizations can order from the following caterers:

Catering must be ordered in advance, and the final invoice must be submitted for payment via SABO.

Specialty Catering 

Before you proceed, please note the following:

  • Only student organizations whose mission requires cultural or religious catering that Rutgers University cannot provide through the approved on-campus caterers are permitted to use Approved Specialty Caterers.
  • Before you proceed, make sure the above caterers cannot honor your catering request. 
  • Only student organizations registered through the Student Involvement and Leadership Office can submit requests to add caterers to this list and update expired/missing documents.

Student Centers and Activities approves and maintains a Specialty Catering list. When selecting a caterer from the Specialty Catering List, student organizations must follow the requirements below:

  1. The caterer is on the Approved tab on the Specialty Catering List, and the event occurs on or after the “approved as of date”. Additionally, documents cannot expire on or before the date of your event. The “approved as of date” reflects the 3-week timeline for coordinating catering.

  2. If one required document is expired, student organizations must complete the following and receive approval at least 2 weeks prior to the event date:

    1. Contact the caterer and obtain an updated document.

    2. Complete the Specialty Catering Form and upload the new document. (May need to click new submission)

  3. If more than one document is expired, student organizations must complete the following and receive approval at least 3 weeks prior to the event date:
    1. Contact the caterer and obtain an updated document.
    2. Complete the Specialty Catering Form and upload the new documents. (May need to click new submission)
       
  4. If adding a new caterer to the list, student organizations must complete and receive approval of the following at least 3 weeks prior to the event date:
    1. Contact the caterer and obtain all required documents listed below.
    2. Provide the caterer with the spec sheets for fewer than 50 people or 50 or more people
    3. Complete the Specialty Catering Form (May need to click new submission)
    4. Required Documents and Information for Specialty Catering Form:
      • Business License (actual license, not the application submission)
      • Sanitation Certificate (valid for 2 years from the issue date)
      • Certificate of Insurance as stated below and using the following address: 613 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
        • Certificate of insurance showing evidence of Commercial General Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 aggregate (including product liability). Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey shall be named an additional insured, and such insurance shall be primary and non-contributory.
        • If using a company vehicle, insurance must also include the following: Commercial automobile liability for a company vehicle with minimum limits of $1,000,000.00 combined single limit. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey shall be named an additional insured, and such insurance shall be primary and non-contributor.
      • Link to the Caterer's menu
      • Completed and Signed W-9
      • Completed and Signed Caterer Information Form
      • Completed and Signed Annual Contract

Additional information:

  • Review and approval/denial of the Specialty Catering Form will occur within 3 business days. If the caterer is approved, the student organization will be notified of approval, and the caterer will be added to the list. If the caterer is denied, the student organization will be notified of denial along with reasons.
  • Student organizations finalizing an order with a caterer not on the approved list and up-to-date documents will not be permitted to submit payment or reimbursement via SABO.

Tip Policy for Student Organizations 

  • Tips are not allowed for any orders from on-campus or off-campus caterers for events or meetings. If any tips are given, the student who approved the tip will be responsible for payment, or it will be taken out of the organization's generated revenue line if funds are available.
  • Up to a 20% tip can be applied to a restaurant order when a student/group of students attends a trip/conference/competition with a student organization. Any tips exceeding the 20% will be the responsibility of the student that approved it or it will be taken out of the organization's generated revenue line if funds are available.

Note: Treasurers need to share this information with their members and decide in advance of finalizing any orders whether they want any tips to come out of GR when submitting food orders or PERR check requests. If taking out of GR, they must transfer funds to the line of the check request and make note of what this transfer is for.   

Friendly reminder that all caterers must deliver.