Catering

Restaurant Associates (R/A) is Harvard Business School’s exclusive caterer on campus.

About

Food for Thought is catering services at HBS, provided by Restaurant Associates (R/A)

Our catering team handles all needs from coffee service to campus deliveries to plated dinners. At HBS, we deliver hospitality excellence with:

A commitment to fresh seasonal and responsible sources.
Honest scratch cooking with wellness at the foundation.
Simple, unfussy styling and presentation.
A diverse and hospitable team of chefs, managers and staff with the talent and expertise to customize an experience unique to your event.

Policies

Custom Menus:

As dedicated hospitality professionals, Restaurant Associates is committed to working with the HBS community to provide excellent events that honor both your needs and departmental budgets. The following outlines a bit more about our process and highlights how you can partner with us to help ensure we deliver the very best service for your events.

To ensure the most efficient planning process, we ask that you provide the following information before we create a customized menu.

Event details: Date, time, and location
Budget: Your departmental budget or a specific amount per person
Guest count: Estimated number of attendees
Event type: A brief description of the event (e.g., formal dinner, working lunch, reception)
Any specific preferences: Dietary restrictions, theme, etc.

Crafting Your Custom Menu:

After receiving your event details, our team will craft two custom menu proposals for your review. To ensure an efficient process, we encourage you to finalize your selections promptly. In the event of significant changes, an administrative fee may be necessary to cover the resources for creating additional menus.

Allergy and Dietary Restrictions:

We work closely with our dedicated campus Wellness Manager to ensure appropriate meals are provided for specific allergies and dietary restrictions. Please note that this service cannot be guaranteed for menus that are finalized less than one month in advance.

Sustainability and Quality Assurance:

Restaurant Associates is committed to helping you plan a successful event that also prioritizes sustainability and guest safety. Our team will provide expert recommendations on food quantities to ensure everyone is served well without unnecessary waste.

Please note the following:

While we do our best to plan accurately, if our recommended quantities are not followed and the food runs low for your event, we cannot guarantee more food can be prepared.
Handling leftovers: Due to strict food safety guidelines, we are unable to allow leftover food to leave the premises after an event

Thank you for partnering with us to host a safe and responsible event.

Timelines and Administrative Fees:

In conjunction with FY’26 Operations Memo below are the updated fees and timelines for 2026.
Catering ordered within five business days of the event is subject to a limited menu in addition to the fee.

Timing	Count Increase	Menu Change	Placing Original Order (per/campus catering menu)	Placing Original Order(special event/custom menu)	External Programs(includes Harvard and programs funded by non-HBS affiliates)*
4 Weeks Out	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Additional 18% fee on total invoice
3 Weeks Out	N/A	N/A	N/A	$100.00	Additional 18% fee on total invoice
2 Weeks Out	N/A	$150.00	N/A	$150.00	Additional 18% fee on total invoice
1 Week Out	N/A	$300.00	N/A	$300.00	Additional 18% fee on total invoice
Less the 1 Week	50 - 100 Guest: $250.00 Over 100 Guest: $500.00	$500.00	$100.00	$500.00	Additional 18% fee on total invoice

* As determined by HBS Operations

Menus

Food For Thought Menus

From casual campus deliveries to full-service events, Food For Thought Catering offers menus and service levels tailored to every occasion.

Campus Deliveries

Restaurant Associates will deliver, set-up, and pick up your order. Campus Deliveries were designed for room temperature breakfasts, bag lunches, and snacks for less than 100 guests, and room temperature buffet meals between 20 to 50 guests. Any event that requires waitstaff or bar services is a Special Event. Charges for stewarding and linen will apply.

View Menu

Special Events

From a coffee service for 2 to a reception for 4000 our team can create an event tailored to your needs. Our dedicated staff who is familiar with our community is here to serve you.

View Menu