Catering Policies

The Catering on the Charles Sales Office can be reached at 617-353-2957 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Questrom Business Catering Sales Office can be reached at 617-353-1510. between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday

Internal Service Requests

Once you have reserved your space at a Boston University venue, we request that your catering arrangements be made. For Boston University departments, Catering on the Charles should receive the ISR and menu at least two weeks prior to the event. Catering on the Charles accepts only ISRs for payment. Other payment arrangements can be made with the sponsorship of a University Department. To avoid late charges, all events must be planned at least three business days prior. Late Charges will be accessed based on your order.

External Service Requests

Once you have reserved your space at a Boston University venue, we request that your catering arrangements be made. Catering should receive 50% of your payment at least two weeks prior to the event and we will send a final bill after your event has been completed. Catering will only accept Mastercard and Visa credit cards for payment and we ask that you fill out the Credit Card Authorization Form. To avoid late charges, all events must be planned at least three business days prior. Late Charges will be accessed based on your order.

Guest Counts and Minimums

If the guest count for your event is less than the minimum number that the menu is intended to serve, you will still be charged the minimum number.

Late Fees

To ensure the best possible service, we request that you contact your catering representative four to six weeks prior to your event to make arrangements. However, we understand that some events may not be confirmed with this much advance notice. In these instances, please contact us as soon as your event is confirmed so that we may begin planning for your event. For orders less than 72 hrs in advance, we will do our best to accommodate you. However, a late fee may be assessed.

Guarantees

A final guarantee is needed four full business days prior to your function. The final bill will be based on that number, or the actual guest count should it exceed your guarantee. In the event of a cancellation, you will be responsible for any costs incurred up to the time of cancellation. 50% of the estimated charges will be assessed if the cancellation occurs less than 72 but more than 24 hours in advance. 100% of the estimated charges will be assessed if the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours prior to the event.

Catering Inclement Weather Policy with Potential of School Closures

When a major storm is anticipated with the potential for school closing, you will receive a phone call the day prior to your event asking whether you would like to cancel at that time for no charge. Should you choose not to cancel, your event will go on as planned.

  • Upon school closure, all events will be canceled at no charge, and may be rescheduled at your convenience.
  • If the University has a delayed opening, events within the delayed period will be canceled at no charge, unless you request otherwise.
  • In the event the University remains open, and you have not previously canceled your event, it will take place as planned. If you are not available at delivery time (i.e. your event has been canceled but Catering has not been notified), or you call the day-of to cancel, you are responsible for 100% of the charges associated with your event.

We please ask that you give Catering an emergency contact name and number when we call regarding cancelation of your event.

Service Periods

The Catering department will arrange all staffing for your event. Staffing is billed at $40.00 per hour, per wait staff/Bartender. Bartenders and wait staff are billed for a minimum of 4 hours. If applicable, additional chef attendant charges will be billed at $150.00 per 2-hour minimum. Events requiring unique staffing will be billed applicable charges at the above rates. Please discuss your specific needs with your Catering Representative.

Please note that overtime charges may be incurred for events scheduled on Holidays.

Our general guidelines for staffing are as follows:

  • Full Open Bar: 1 Bartender per 50 guests
  • Wine & Beer Open Bar: 1 Bartender per 75 guests
  • Served Meals: 1 Wait staff per 25 guests
  • Receptions: 1 Wait staff per 25–35 guests
  • Drop off Catering of 100pp or more will require 1 waitstaff
  • Waitstaff Assist will be assessed by Catering based on your drop-off needs

Additional Information

China service for events not in Questrom Business School or the GSU will require an additional $6.00 per person charge. For non-China events, we provide disposable (compostable and recyclable) packaging, dinnerware, and cutlery at no additional charge. We also provide Melamine Service for $4.00 per person. Specialty dinnerware is also available at an additional charge. Please speak with your Catering Sales manager.

Linen and Skirting

White, red or black house linen is available for your Food, Beverage, Registration & Guest tables, for a rate of $4.00 per cloth. We also supply Conference Cloths in black or white for a rate of $25.00. Specialty linen and other color choices are also available at an additional charge.

Liquor

BU Catering offers an extensive alcoholic beverage menu. A wide selection of wine, beer, and liquor is available to complement your event. All alcohol must be supplied by BU Catering. A one-day liquor license at a cost of $100.00 for beer and wine service and $150.00 for full alcohol service is required for serving alcoholic beverages. A request for a liquor license needs to be made one month in advance. For BU internal purposes BU Catering requires that all events having alcohol fill out the Liquor Form, however, events happening at the GSU will not incur a license cost. Please see our wine list and alcoholic beverage menu.

Please reach out to Questrom Catering for internal Liquor policies.

Delivery and Set-Up for Non-Staffed Events

Food and beverages are delivered at least 30 minutes prior to the start of your event and all items will be unpacked and set up to create a visually appealing display. For Catering on the Charles events under $75.00, a $20.00 delivery fee will be assessed.

Exclusive Boston University Caterer

BU Catering is the exclusive Caterer at Boston University. Our Sales Representatives will be happy to customize a menu that suits your needs. No outside food or beverage is allowed into a university event. Any exemptions will need the written approval of the Director of Catering. Please contact the Catering office for information on catering-free zones, outside exemption policies, and cultural events.