Catering
Rensselaer Catering Services specializes in creative and unique presentations. As your chosen caterer, we understand your need for consistent, prompt service. We value the continuous support of our "on-campus" friends and our friendly and courteous staff will assure the success of your function and will readily respond to all of your service needs. In an effort to assist you in your booking process we have also included a list of important contact phone numbers.
CATERING POLICIES
Our team of catering and event professionals is available to assist you with planning every aspect of your event. Should you desire a customized menu for your event, we will be happy to meet with you to create a unique menu.
Please contact us to make an appointment to create your perfect event.
Phone Number: 518-276-6109
Email: catering@rpi.edu
Sincerely,
Your Rensselaer 1824 Catering & Events Team
Even if the date or guest count of your event is only tentative, please notify our catering sales office of your event so that we can make preliminary plans to ensure a memorable occasion. Our catering specialists are here to assist you in person with your event details or you may order by phone at 518-276-6109 or through email at catering@rpi.edu.
Our Catering Sales office is in the Commons Dining Hall at 1999 Burdett Ave, Troy, NY, 12180.
The office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM To 5:00 PM. We are closed on some holidays.
Whether the event is to take place on or off campus, you need to have a confirmed reservation for the location before we will be able to make deliveries.
Food and Seating Tables, Guest Chairs will need to be arranged by the customer.
Media Needs, Parking/Shuttles, Visitor's Information Center, and Alcohol Permits will need to be arranged by the customer. The following list will be helpful in making those arrangements.
Booking, Reservation and Delivery Office x 6109
Catering Manager x. 2331
Catering Director x. 3704
RPI Alcohol Review Committee x. 6287
Media Services x. 8282 or mediaops@rpi.edu
Parking Office x. 6616
Facilities Customer Service Center (FIXX) x. 2000 or fixx@rpi.edu
To reserve the Russell Sage Dining Hall Banquet Room for an event, please contact our offices at 518-276-6109. All other locations on campus are building specific and need to be coordinated with those areas.
Contact the catering office at least ten business days (10) before the event at 518-276-6109, by emailing us at catering@rpi.edu, or through our on-line ordering at https://rpicatering.catertrax.com/ or stop by our office located at the Commons Dining Hall. Some arrangements can be made by phone, email or on-line, others may require an appointment with our Sales Coordinator/Event Planner.
This will be the time for a thorough discussion of all specifics and details. We can help you make all the necessary decisions and to determine which of our services best fit your needs. Our on-line catering access adds convenience and control. To get started with the on-line ordering you may give us a call and we can walk you through the process, or you may go to our website address at https://rpicatering.catertrax.com/ and navigate our on-line menus. It is accessible from your desktop and will make ordering easier than ever. Our on-line catering programs allow guests to save and review order history, place recurring orders and favorites without re-keying and provides documentation for every step of the process. At the time of booking please let us know your highest estimated number of guests. You may adjust the number of guests up to three (3) days prior to your event.
Contact the catering office at least three business days (3) before the event at 518-276-6109, by emailing us at catering@rpi.edu.
We understand last minute orders arise periodically. We will do our best to accommodate your needs. However, because all of our items are made fresh to order, some items may not be available. Last minute orders may entail additional cost for Catering Services.
Late orders may be subject to a 20% or $50.00 minimum surcharge as follows:
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Meals or receptions booked within 3 working days of the event.
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Breaks which are booked within 2 working days of the event
All cancellations and final changes must take place at least 5 business days before your function. If you do not contact us with a final count within the 5 business days allowed, we will prepare for the estimated number and charge accordingly. If you cancel or change an event after this deadline, some of the expenses already incurred cannot be absorbed and will have to be billed.
After we have finalized all the details for your special event, you will receive a confirmation of your order. We ask that you review your order and notify us of any changes to be made.
Event guest counts must be finalized at least 5 business days in advance.
This confirmation and guarantee will include the final guest count, exact times, location, menu choices, and room setup.
Menu buffet packages where the minimum of 20 people cannot be met, there will be a surcharge of $50.00 applied.
On-campus materials and delivery charge of $35.00 will be added to each event order for campus locations within 3 miles of central campus.
Off-campus materials and delivery charge of $125.00 will be added for events at Rensselaer Tech Park, or other locations outside of the main central campus.
Due to health regulations, it is the policy of Rensselaer Dining Services that excess food items from events cannot be removed from the event site. Items purchased for pickup should be properly stored prior to the event and removed and disposed of by the host of the event.
As the host of the catered event, you are responsible for the equipment we have provided for the service of your catered event. In the event a setup is in areas/rooms on campus with hot food sterno and chafer equipment, and no Dining Service attendant is on-site during the event, the customer is responsible and acts as "firewatch" for the safety of their guests and the building.
Any missing or damaged catering equipment or supplies will be charged to your account at a replacement cost. For very large events, specialty equipment may need to be rented at an additional charge.
There may be a replacement charge for any catering equipment that is missing from an event site.
An event where "To-Go" Boxes are requested for guests who are on the go, there will be an additional charge of .99 per container applied to the bill.
Our Catering Department provides an eco-friendly service-ware unless otherwise requested or noted.
Upscale Plasticware can be added to your event for an additional $3.00 per person.
We also offer china service for any event at an additional charge.
Full Meal Service and Silverware - $6.00 per guest
Coffee or Beverage China Service - $2.00 per guest
Full Bar Glass Service - $3.00 per guest
Reception China and Silverware - $4.00 per guest
Should your event require the addition of an attendant or supervisor, the charge is $35.00 per hour with a four hour minimum.
Continental breakfasts, breaks and receptions are priced for self-service. Buffet style functions are staffed with two attendant for every 25 guests. The charge for each staff member is:
Attendants - $35.00 per hour (minimum 4 hours)
Station Chefs - $50.00 per hour
To ensure that your event is a success, our catering staff is required for all served meals.
We will provide linens for food and beverage tables at no charge. If you would like linen to be placed on guests tables for receptions, breaks, meeting tables and boxed lunches, there will be a $5.00 fee for each tablecloth.
An additional option is to drape and box fold 8 foot tables at $9.00 per table. The same applies to registration tables, name tags, head tables, and any additional table that will not be directly used for setup. We can also provide napkins to meet your color scheme for $.50 each. Specialty linens are available upon request for an additional charge.
Menu changes or cancellations within 24 hours of their planned execution, some of the expenses already incurred cannot be absorbed and will be required to be billed.
We will be happy to order, receive, and handle floral arrangements for you. For decorative requests, an additional fee will be determined in accordance with your specific needs.
All catered functions must be secured by payment before they occur. Type of payment include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Cash, Check, and Departmental Accounts are all valid payment methods.
Non-University related groups are required to make a deposit of 75% two weeks prior to the event with the balance due on the day of the event. Tax exempt organizations are required to submit a copy of their exemption certificate prior to their date.
Non-University groups are subject to sales tax (8 %) for all food events.
We are able to offer you a variety of beverage services to compliment your event. Should you choose to serve alcoholic beverages, there are several steps you must follow to ensure the proper permits and licenses are secured prior to the event:
You must fill out & submit an RPI Alcohol Request form to the Alcohol Review Committee (ARC) at the Student Health Center 30 business days prior to any event.
The approved permit must be received in the Catering Office at least 20 business days prior to your event in order for Catering Services to obtain a separate NYS Liquor Authority Caterers Permit.
The cost of the permit is $75, which will be added to your event.
Failure to meet any of the above deadlines could result in a permit not being issued whereby alcohol cannot be served at that event. The ARC permit allows alcoholic beverages to be served up to a maximum of four hours. Alcohol can only be served during the time periods noted on the ARC permit. Therefore, if you are scheduling an event and there is the possibility that your group may break early, plan your permit times accordingly, because we are not allowed to change start or finish times once the permit is issued.
All alcoholic beverages purchased from Catering Services and must be served by our trained bartenders. All of these events must have a non-alcoholic beverage, other than water, served and available for the duration of the event. Food must be served and arranged for by Catering Services at any event where alcohol is being served. Guests are not allowed to bring additional alcohol to any event nor are they allowed to bring alcohol into a licensed facility for the purpose of consumption. If alcoholic beverages are being donated for an event, only qualified Catering Services bartenders will be allowed to serve the beverages. A corkage fee may apply. We also require endorsement of a liability waiver prior to this service. All necessary permits must be obtained per our Campus Policy.
Please understand that the safety of you and your guests is our primary concern and we encourage responsible drinking. We do ask our bartenders to monitor for excessive consumption and to take appropriate steps if necessary. We reserve the right to limit clients to a 2 drink maximum. All beverages are to remain within the facility. Beverages not consumed will remain the property of Rensselaer Dining Services, in accordance with the laws of New York State.
It is the policy of Rensselaer that no alcoholic beverages are brought on the premises for consumption without written permission. An alcohol permit is required on campus. To obtain a permit please contact the Student Health Center at 518-276-6147. Rensselaer Dining Services reserve the right to refuse service of alcoholic beverages to any person. All personnel have completed the ServSafe Training Program for Service.