Catering

Cherry & White Catering Company is Temple University’s campus partner and approved caterer. They must be used for all university-funded food and beverage purchases for on-campus events, meetings, conferences, seminars, etc.   

Catering Policy Exceptions 

Exceptions to this policy, or requests to use food services from a vendor other than Cherry & White Catering, require pre-approval from the Office of Business Services at least 2 weeks prior to an event through the Catering Exception System (CES).  Each exception request submitted in the system must be approved by the initiator’s budget unit head, Cherry & White Catering Company (if applicable), and the Office of Business Services.  A detailed justification explaining why an outside vendor is being requested must be included with each exception request. We often find that Cherry & White Catering is competitive in cost, food variety, and service.  Therefore, exception requests will typically be approved only when Cherry & White Catering cannot provide the requested food items or service.   

In addition, a Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) is required for any on-campus meeting or event when food/beverage is set up and/or served by an outside caterer. The COI must be provided by the outside caterer and submitted with the catering exception request.  The COI must: 1) reflect a minimum of $1 million in liability coverage and 2) list Temple University as an additional insured and certificate holder.  

Certificates of Liability Insurance are not required when: 

• food is picked up from a restaurant and dispersed amongst meeting/event attendees; or 
• food is delivered (but not set up or served) to an on-campus meeting/event by a restaurant, caterer, or food delivery service (DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.). 

Submitting a Catering Exception Request  

All catering exception requests must be submitted to Business Services through the Catering Exception System (CES).   To access the CES, go to TUportal and select “Catering Exception System (CES)” from the TUApplications menu on the left.  To learn more about the CES and how to submit your request, please review the CES tutorial.  

For external vendors and guests without single sign-on access to TUportal, please see our paper-based catering exception form. The completed form along with any required additional documentation can be emailed to [click-for-email] or faxed to  
215-204-7193. 

 When Catering Exception Approvals Are NOT Required 

Catering exception approvals are not required for the following:

• Off-campus events unless the external gathering is held at a location where a third-party catering company is hired to serve food and/or alcohol (e.g., a rental hall) 
•  Pizza purchases Note: the Office of Business Services will work with Accounts Payable to conduct periodic audits of receipts submitted for reimbursements to ensure compliance with the university’s catering policy. 
• Donated food items 
• Faculty, staff, and/or student meals at a restaurant 
• Food and/or beverage purchases of $500 or less– unless a catering company will be on campus to set up and/or serve – in which case a Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) is required (The previous threshold was food/beverage costs totaling less than $250.)  

Reimbursement requests for purchases outlined above can be submitted directly to Accounts Payable through Concur Travel and Expense without a catering exception approval from Business Services. 

Contact Information 

For more information about the catering exception policy, or for assistance with the CES, please contact Kathleen Paul in the Office of Business Services at 215-204-3121, or email catering.exception@temple.edu. 

Office of Business Services
Aramark STAR Complex
1816 N. 15th St., Suite 328
Philadelphia, PA 19121
215-204-3121