Planning Your Event: Services

Skip to: Services Available • Our Staff • Labor Costs • Linens & Flowers • Additional Charges

Services Available

Let us put our expertise to work for you. A catering sales manager will initially assess your event and guide you with your service needs. Catering Management uses its professional discretion to determine the amount of staff needed to create a successful event.

• Set / Clean Events- Smaller events such as a coffee break or a light reception (without hot food and/or alcohol), that does not require staffing during the event.  A member of the Catering Staff will come before the event and set it up and then come back after the event to clean.
• Events with Equipment- Any event that requires equipment, staff is required to return each time equipment is delivered to your location
  No equipment or linens will be delivered without staff.
• Full Service Events- Breakfast, Luncheons, Receptions, Dinners or any large scale event requiring full service
• Staffing is required throughout all events that have hot food, alcoholic beverages or an event that the catering coordinator determines needs staff to make it a successful event.

• Brown Catering does not provide service to events where a Brown First vendor has been approved to service the event. Please contact your event coordinator to discuss options.
• Pot Luck events are strongly discouraged by the Brown University Insurance Office.
• Brown University Catering provides or hires certified bartenders to work your event when alcohol is being served. Brown Catering does not service alcohol only events, cash bars or alcohol purchased by group. (See Alcohol Policy Page)
• If your event requires a cash bar we would be more than happy to assist you in procuring this option through our brown first approved vendor.
• Pick Up- These orders can be anything from supplies to boxed lunches and beyond. All items will be packed in disposable containers and you will be required to dispose of all items.
• Disposable plates, cups, flatware & paper tablecloths are included only upon request and at additional fees.
• No Hot Food or Equipment is available for pick up orders.
• Delivery-Only- Drivers do not set up any event. Brown Catering is not responsible for any deliveries left unattended when delivery only is requested.
• If your room is locked or otherwise occupied, our drivers will leave your ordered items outside the designated room or area.

Our Staff

• Brown University Catering is proud to offer employment to numerous students attending Brown University, Johnson & Wales University and other Providence area Colleges & Universities.
• Occasionally, the business demands exceed our supply of student staffing and we supplement our staff with professional workers from staffing agencies.
• Regardless of the source of staff, we continually strive for excellence in service. Please let us know about your experiences with our catering staff.

Labor Costs

• Catering Staff- $22.50 per hour / per server.  The length of service depends on the type of event and location.  An estimate of labor for your event can be determined for you by your catering events coordinator.
• Certified Bartender Fees- $27.50 per hour with a 3 hour minimum or length of your event.
• Chef Fees- $35.00 per hour with a 4 hour minimum or length of your event.

Linens & Flowers

• Brown University Catering can provide linen to cover your event tables. Our standard linen is white tablecloths with burgundy accents; we have some additional colors that are available in limited numbers at no additional charge. Please contact your catering events coordinator for more information
• Brown Catering does not provide linen table cloths without staff at your event
• Brown Catering covers food tables only unless requested by customer. Rental fees for additional linen may apply and each additional cloth is $3.50.
• Special Order flowers can be arranged through your catering events coordinator and are yours to keep, please make arrangements to take them with you at the end of your event.

Additional Charges

• When working outside the Sharpe Refectory, you will need to make arrangements for your room, table / chair rental, and custodial services.
• There may also be charges related to your audiovisual, security and delivery needs.
• If you are an outside group you will be required to purchase an insurance policy to cover your event. – Please see insurance website through Brown.edu
• Upgrades in linen, floral and equipment rental will result in additional charges.
• If for some reason your event goes over the scheduled time you may incur additional delivery or labor fees.
• Any event requesting our standard china or glassware outside of the Refectory or Andrews will incur a service fee of $2.50 per guest.
• Any event requesting upscale plastic ware will incur a service fee of $1.00 per guest.
• Please contact your catering events coordinator with any additional questions you may have.