University Catering
University Catering is the full-service catering department of The Ohio State University's Office of Student Life, providing on- and off-premise catering to students, university departments, and corporate clients across 40+ campus and Central Ohio locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersColumbus, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What University Catering does
University Catering is the full-service catering department within The Ohio State University's Office of Student Life, founded in 2008 and headquartered at the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio. The department provides on- and off-premise catering to three customer groups: Ohio State students and registered student organizations, internal university departments, and external corporate clients hosting events on campus. Its service portfolio spans menu planning with custom and dietary-accommodation options (gluten-free, vegan, lactose-free, allergen-free), full-service catered events for 15 to 1,500+ guests, drop-off casual catering, and licensed beverage and bar service at approved campus venues.
Operationally, the department executes catering across more than 40 campus and Central Ohio locations, drawing on a professional staff of 41 and a multi-tier student employment program (Catering Assistants at $13/hour, Cooks at $13.50/hour, Bartenders and Stewards at $15/hour, with Leads at $14.50/hour and Managers up to $16-$18/hour). The culinary team reports more than 175 years of combined catering and events experience, with credentials from the Culinary Institute of America, Pennsylvania Culinary, and Hyatt Hotels, plus ServSafe-certified instructors on staff. Service execution is anchored in exclusive on-campus venue rights (Ohio Union, RPAC) and pre-approved alcohol permits at multiple licensed venues.
The revenue model is professional services-based: per-event pricing with a 22% service charge, labor and delivery fees, a $160-per-bar setup fee, and a final guarantee due 21 days prior to each event. Distribution is run through an enterprise field-sales motion — event planners, sales managers, and a dedicated sponsorship/activations team engage clients by phone (614-688-3562), email ([email protected]), and a Space Request Tool integrated with Ohio State's event management system. The department sits within the broader Student Life Events and Conferences portfolio, which also operates summer conference housing, intern housing, and the University Hospitality District, enabling bundled accommodation-and-catering offerings.
University Catering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University Catering
- Legal name
- University Catering (Department of The Ohio State University)
- Website
- https://universitycatering.osu.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- University Catering is the full-service catering department of The Ohio State University's Office of Student Life, providing on- and off-premise catering to students, university departments, and corporate clients across 40+ campus and Central Ohio locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University Catering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Catering Services
- NAICS
- Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Catering & Events Food Service (EDALADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD), Catering for School Events & Functions (On-Campus Catering) (EDAEAEAH), Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB), Institutional Catering (Schools, Hospitals, Government) (THAFAIAE)
Keywords
Where University Catering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
University Catering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Full-service catering: Provides both drop-off casual catering and full-service catered events for 15 to 1500+ guests, including menu planning, staffing, bar service, and event management
- Beverage and bar service: Alcohol bar service and management with Credit/Debit and Host Bar options, including beer, wine, and spirits at licensed campus venues
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student Catering Assistant positions |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student Cook positions |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student Bartender positions |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student Steward positions |
| Other | Per event | Bar service setup fee |
| Other | Per event | Full-service catering events |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
University Catering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
University Catering is the full-service catering department of The Ohio State University's Office of Student Life, providing menu planning, full-service catered events, drop-off casual catering, and licensed beverage and bar service to students, university departments, and corporate clients across the Ohio State campus and Central Ohio. The culinary team accommodates events ranging from 15 to 1,500+ guests and holds exclusive catering rights at the Ohio Union and RPAC venues.
Product overview
University Catering is a full-service catering department for The Ohio State University, providing culinary services to students, university departments, and corporate clients across campus and beyond. The organization operates as a single integrated service offering centered around its core catering capabilities: Menu Planning for custom cuisine, Full Service Catered Events for both casual drop-off and comprehensive plated/buffet service, and Beverage and Bar Service at licensed campus venues. The culinary team brings over 175 years of combined experience and accommodates events ranging from 15 to over 1,000 guests. The service also includes a Student Employment Program that provides on-campus job opportunities for students, offering positions as Catering Assistants, Cooks, Bartenders, and Stewards with flexible scheduling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Menu Planning Custom menu design service by in-house chefs for Columbus gatherings and occasions, including special dietary accommodations such as gluten-free, vegan, lactose-free, and allergen-free options. Designed for university departments, student organizations, and corporate clients hosting events on the Ohio State campus.
- Beverage and Bar Service Full hosted bar and debit/credit bar service at licensed venues across the Ohio State campus, including beer, wine, and spirits service with professionally trained staff. Includes a $160/bar setup fee covering setup, tear down, and disposable service supplies. Designed for university events and corporate clients hosting gatherings on campus.
- Full Service Catered Events Complete catering solution for events of 15 to 1,500+ guests, including delivered casual catering, full-service plated functions, buffets, receptions, tailgates, graduations, event planning, staffing, table settings, decor, and concessions equipment. Includes a 22% service charge and additional labor or delivery fees as applicable. Designed for university departments, student organizations, and corporate clients.
- Drop-off Casual Catering Delivered casual catering service for events requiring simple setup without full-service staffing. Designed for university departments, student organizations, and corporate clients needing convenient food delivery for meetings and smaller gatherings on campus.
Quantifiable outcome
- 175+ years of combined culinary and events industry experience
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use University Catering
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
University Catering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
University Catering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
University Catering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Parkhurst Dining: Parkhurst operates university and corporate dining and catering programs with a culinary-focused model. Comparable in its chef-driven menus and event catering capabilities, but a smaller, more focused player than the national food service incumbents.
Broad incumbents
- Levy Restaurants: Levy operates premium event, venue, and sports/arena catering (including campus stadium and event venues). Comparable in event catering, bar service, and large-venue execution capabilities relevant to University Catering's tailgates, graduations, and large receptions.
- Sodexo Higher Education: Sodexo's higher education segment provides campus dining, catering, and event services to universities globally. It overlaps directly with University Catering's offering (full-service event catering, menu customization, on-campus logistics) but competes through a broad multi-service outsourcing model.
- Guckenheimer: Corporate and university dining and catering provider offering menu planning, event catering, and on-site food services. Comparable service mix (full-service catering, bar service, custom menus) but primarily a third-party corporate/university caterer rather than an internal university department.
- Chartwells Higher Education (Compass Group): Chartwells is Compass Group's higher education catering and dining brand, providing full-service event catering, concessions, and residential dining to universities. Comparable in service scope (event catering, custom menus, venue operations) but much larger and embedded as a multi-institution contractor.
- Aramark Higher Education: Aramark's higher education division runs campus dining and catering at hundreds of universities. It is comparable because it delivers the same suite of on-campus catering services (menu planning, full-service events, bar service) but at much greater scale and as part of a multi-segment food services portfolio.
Direct peers
- University of Michigan Catering: In-house catering operation for the University of Michigan — same model (university department, exclusive venue rights, full-service and drop-off catering across campus) and similar Big Ten student/corporate customer base, making it the closest functional peer to OSU University Catering.
- Penn State Catering: Penn State Catering is the in-house full-service catering operation for Penn State University. Same structural model as University Catering (university department, exclusive venue rights, full-service and drop-off events for students and departments) in a peer Big Ten institution.
- Cameron Mitchell Premier Events: Premier off-premise catering and event production company based in Columbus, Ohio. Directly comparable as a premium full-service caterer competing for the same corporate and private event business in Central Ohio, including events held on and off the OSU campus.
- Bon Appétit Management Company: Bon Appétit runs university catering and dining programs with a strong emphasis on chef-driven menus, custom events, and campus venues — directly comparable to University Catering's chef-led, full-service model, but operating as a third-party contractor at client campuses.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
University Catering social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity Catering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University Catering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
University Catering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University Catering M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University Catering
What does University Catering do?
University Catering is the full-service catering department of The Ohio State University's Office of Student Life, providing menu planning, full-service catered events, drop-off casual catering, and licensed beverage and bar service to students, university departments, and corporate clients across the Ohio State campus and Central Ohio. The culinary team accommodates events ranging from 15 to 1,500+ guests and holds exclusive catering rights at the Ohio Union and RPAC venues.
Is University Catering a public or private company?
University Catering is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University Catering founded?
University Catering was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is University Catering based?
University Catering is headquartered in Columbus, United States, in the North America region.
How does University Catering make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Full-service catering is the primary driver. The others are beverage and bar service.
Who are University Catering's main competitors?
Parkhurst Dining is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Levy Restaurants, Sodexo Higher Education, Guckenheimer, Chartwells Higher Education (Compass Group) and Aramark Higher Education. Direct peers are University of Michigan Catering, Penn State Catering, Cameron Mitchell Premier Events and Bon Appétit Management Company.
Does University Catering have an API?
No public API is recorded for University Catering.
What industry is University Catering in?
University Catering's product category is Catering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALADAC, Catering & Events Food Service, with a secondary code of EDAEAEAD, Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets). Its NAICS code is 722320 and its SIC code is 5810.