Welcome to University Catering and Food Services

Food Service and Catering at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a full service on-premise company here to serve the university community, patrons and guests.  From a formal dinner to meeting break refreshments, we offer creative menus, elegant presentations, and thoughtful service to provide guests with a positive and memorable dining experience. We can accommodate a group of any size in a variety of unique settings.
What makes us special?  We are committed to making your event a success. Our team of catering professionals is available to assist you with planning every aspect of your event. Our food is prepared fresh on-site in the UCCS Lodge kitchen by our culinary team.  We have designed a variety of menus to fit a wide range of tastes and budgets to include fresh regional ingredients, university favorites and specialty items.  As members of the Sodexo Company, we are comprised of professional and student staff dedicated to making every day a better day for our clients and customers.

Planning Your Special Event
The tips below will assist in the planning of a successful event.

1. Decide on the type of event.

The types of questions to consider are: How many meals will you be serving?  Will you be having receptions or breaks?  Will events be formal, casual or something in between? What are your time, space and budget limitations?

2. Reserve a location.

Work with our Conference Services Office to determine your space needs. Choose the appropriate room layout that supports your event objectives. For example if you're serving a meal, the tables may be filled with dishes and glassware in addition to binders, notepads and pens.  Please know that a location needs to be reserved before we may create a catering contract. Additionally, when reserving your room please consider that our catering department will generally need a minimum of two hours for setup and cleanup. This time frame will vary depending upon the number of guests and the complexity of the service.

3. Select a menu that fits the event schedule. (Sodexo’s Catering Guide)

Many times, you time limitations will be the greatest guide to determining the menu for an event. Some suggestions:

• Box lunches are best if you have only 30 minutes or are on the go.
• Plated meals usually require at least 1.5 hours.
• Buffets may be finished in about one hour.
• Cocktail receptions ideally require a minimum of one hour before dinner.
• Working breakfasts or lunches should incorporate menu items that can hold up for longer periods of time than others.

4. Anticipate special needs.

Before any event, it is important to determine if any of the guests have a special dietary need so that the catering manager may address those needs prior to the event. Considerations include: food allergies, religious requirements and health-related dietary restrictions.

5. Allow time for planning.

We would like as much time as possible to help you plan your event. It is recommended that you contact us at 719.255.4485 to plan the event as soon as you reserve your room and other space.  To ensure we will have the necessary logistics in place, please contact us at least two weeks before your event to finalize the details. Most arrangements can be made over the phone, although you are always welcome to visit our office to discuss your event. After details have been arranged, our catering coordinator will send you a written confirmation. Please read the confirmation carefully. If everything is correct, sign and return it to the catering department. If there are any inaccuracies, please contact our office and a revised confirmation will be sent. A signed confirmation will stand as our service contract.

6. Enjoy!

We appreciate your business and will do whatever we can to make your event memorable from start to finish. Our commitment is to provide you and your guests with excellent food served by friendly staff. You can rest assured we will take care of all the details behind the scenes while you enjoy your event.

To plan your next event please contact our Catering Coordinator at 719-255-4485 or email us at catering@uccs.edu.