Policies

The Facts of Catering

The goal of Harding Dining Services' Catering Department is the total satisfaction of you, our valued client. Therefore, we have developed this list of guidelines to ensure we deliver the best possible service. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact our office at 501-279-4342. We look forward to providing all your catering and event planning needs.

Payment

For all University departments, complete billing information and a confirmed contract is required prior to the execution of the event. Each event contact person will be invoiced via email or fax and will have two business days to review and contact us with any discrepancies. If your event will be paid through personal or private funds, a deposit of 50% of the estimated charges must be received when the event is booked, and the remaining balance paid prior to the completion of the event. Checks may be made payable to Harding Dining Services. MasterCard, American Express, and Visa are also accepted.

Reservations

For the Cone Chapel reservations please contact Cindy Hunter in the President’s Office, 501-279-4274


Contact the Catering Department at: (501) 279-4342

Email us at: catering@harding.edu

Office hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm


Timelines for Scheduling Events

All orders should be placed at least five business days prior to the day of the event.

Orders for Served Dinners and Receptions should be placed at least 10 days prior to the day of the event.

Orders for Custom Menus, Theme Meals, and Guest Counts of 250 or more should allow at least 15 business days for proper planning.

*Orders placed outside of these guidelines may be subject to extra charges.

** Advance notice is crucial to the success of the event. Therefore, even if a date is tentative, please notify Chartwells immediately so your date and time can be reserved.

Guarantees

To ensure the success of your event and to help us in assigning staff and production resources, a final guarantee for the number of guests to be served is required at least four business days prior to the day of the event.

*Your guaranteed number of guests represents the minimum billing. If a guarantee is not received within this timeline, the original guest count will be considered the guarantee for preparation and billing purposes.

*You will be billed for the amount guaranteed, if the actual number of guests is at or below the guarantees. Should the number of guests in attendance exceed the number guaranteed, it will be reflected in the final bill.

*Due to production and staffing considerations, we cannot guarantee service to all guests, if the overages are greater than 105% of the final guaranteed number of guests.


Late Bookings, Late Arrivals and Cancellations

Any order booked within four business days of the event will be subject to a $50 late fee. In the case a late order incurs additional cost (express shipping of product, supplies, additional staffing, etc.), these expenses, plus a handling fee, will be added to the final bill. In the event your group will be arriving later than scheduled, please notify the Catering Manager or designee as soon as possible. If an event runs late, additional costs may be incurred. If attendants are needed for additional time the rate will be $25/hour for each attendant. Events cancelled less than 48 hours prior to the event will not be refunded.

Delivery and Pick Up

All orders of $200 or less being delivered on campus outside the Heritage Building will be charged a delivery fee of $15 based upon the pre-tax total of the bill. Outside of the Heritage Building it is the responsibility of the booking contact to ensure facilities and rooms are unlocked for set-up, delivery and/or clean up services. Should a room be unavailable when catering services arrive, a return trip will result in an additional $25 charge reflected in the final bill. When reserving your venue, be sure to specify any special needs and the room requirements (such as table and chair arrangements, AV equipment needs, etc.) that will be needed. Catering orders are available for pick up at any Harding Dining Services location. Pick up hours are Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Arrangements for pick up outside the regular hours are available by request. The primary purpose of the Catering Department is to provide outstanding services for the campus. For deliveries and/or catering services off campus, a quote will be customized depending upon services rendered.

Service Attendants

Many of our served events and theme buffets include service staff based on a two hour event. If attendants are needed for additional time, the rate will be $20/hour for each attendant. Members of our professional culinary team are also available for presentations and on-site cooking for $50/hour per chef.

Specialty Requests and Orders

Arrangements for special order items must be made a minimum of ten business days prior to the event. We will be glad to order specialty items (i.e. floor length linens, etc.) for an additional fee.

Unless specifically ordered and contracted as carry-out items, no food or related products may be removed from the service area, except by authorized representatives of Harding Dining Services. Harding Dining Services cannot provide containers for packaging leftover food.

Tablecloths will be provided for all food and beverage tables utilized by the Catering Department.

Special Diets

Special diets are accommodated upon request, we kindly request that your needs be submitted as soon as possible.

Calorie Counts

2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but calorie needs vary. Additional nutrition information available upon request.

Minimums

Minimum meal order quantity is 12. Please refer to the catering menu for minimum orders. Orders below the minimum guest count will incur additional charges.

Sales Tax

All products and services are subject to applicable sales tax. Clients entitled to tax exempt status must submit a tax exempt certificate or number when placing an order.

Bison Catering by Chartwells
HU 12241 915 East Market Ave.
Searcy, AR 72149
501.279.4342