All meals at Caius have to be booked through our online meal booking system.  This helps the kitchen ensure the right numbers are catered for, to plan for any special diets, and to keep wastage lower by only ordering what will be eaten.  In turn, this keeps meal ticket costs down for students.

Within the system you will find each event shown separately, and will need to locate the one you wish to book eg Old Courts Lunch Takeaway – 12.00 – 12.30.  Sometimes special events are held, and shown under different titles.  As you settle into Caius, these will make increasing sense.

Booking deadlines:

• You can book up to 4 days ahead.
• Booking for Cafeteria Hall closes at 10am on the day for dinner; and 5pm the day before for lunch and brunch.
• Booking for Formal Hall closes at 10am the day before.
• The cancellation deadline is 10am on the day for Cafeteria Hall or 10am the day before for Formal Hall. if there are people on the waiting list then you have time to cancel until 5pm on the day to cancel, if not then the use of MDR ticket will stand.   A waiting list is in operation - see details below. 
• For special events these times might differ, so please always read the notes on the meal booking system relating to the event you are booking for.

Dining meals and places cannot be transferred by private arrangement as the wrong student account will be charged, and because the waiting staff will turn you away on arrival if your UIS card photo does not match the booking/your face... 

You can still try and join a Hall event even if the event is fully booked.

Before the booking closes, you will have an option to join a waitlist if the booking is already full.

The only way someone on the waiting list will get to secure a place to eat, is if someone else cancels their booking reservation before 5pm.

By joining the waiting list, you agree and take the risk of being allocated a place up to 5pm on the day.  You must be prepared to check the MBS at 5pm to check whether you have a space, you must come to Hall or your dinner will be wasted!  If you have not been allocated a space please do not turn up to Hall as you will be turned away.

The waiting list will stop allocating places at 5pm on the day. Any names remaining on the waiting list after this time will be discarded.

After 10am on the day, any places gained through the waiting list will inherit the dietary requirements of the places they are replacing. If you sign up to the waiting list as a vegetarian, you MAY be allocated a non-vegetarian ticket. If you sign up to the waiting list as a non-vegetarian, you MAY be allocated a vegetarian ticket. 

If this is a problem, you MUST not use and sign on waiting lists. The kitchen team will not be aware you are coming and won’t have prepared the appropriate food for your specific dietary needs. Students may have their use of the waiting list restricted if it is decided their dietary requirements are highly complex.

Even if you already have a booking, you can use the waiting list to add additional guests. Any places gained through the waiting list will be added to your existing booking and will be notified by an automated email.

You will be able to create an online profile in order to tell us that you require a specific diet and/or if you suffer from any allergy. This information is very important to us in order to make sure we will be able to serve you an appropriate meal.

All students with a history of food or other serious allergies should see the College Nurse within 48 hours of their arrival in College to discuss medication and management of their condition. Usually the College Nurse will - with your agreement - draw up a ‘plan of care’, which will be circulated to key staff as necessary. As well as seeing the College Nurse, students with a serious food allergy will need to meet the Head of Catering, as soon as possible to discuss dietary requirements. Any history relating to allergy or anaphylaxis should also be communicated to your GP when registering.   

Any student with dietary restrictions more complex than straightforward vegetarianism (which Caius define as no meat and no fish products), should specify their requirement on their profile in the “Other dietary or non-dietary requirements” option. 

The College kitchens in normal times serve 400+ meals a day within a 2-hour window and the complexity of doing so means that only dietary requirements arising from medical requirements, religious or similar belief systems will be considered.

Our Head of Dining Services will provide you with a personalised dietary card if necessary depending on your requirement at the beginning of the academic year. If your dietary requirements change during the year, please contact us directly on head.dining.services@cai.cam.ac.uk to request an amended card.

Your personalised diet card (see below) MUST be brought to Hall and shown each time you collect a meal to help the waiting staff ensure you get the right meal.

Students with particular dietary needs should consult the Head of Catering (Mr Ricardo Soares) and the College Nurse (Anne Limoneur) at the earliest possible opportunity in the Michaelmas Term to see whether the kitchen can provide suitable meals.  If this is not possible, the Head of Catering will issue a note for the student’s Tutor, which can be used to apply to a Tutors’ Meeting for remission from the normal dining requirement.  If a reduction is granted, the number of meals allowed to be used for guests will be reduced in proportion.  Others with special dietary needs arising from temporary illness should consult their Tutor without delay.

You will need your university (UiS) card when you come to Hall in order to be checked in.

If you do not have it with you, you will be asked to present an alternative proof of identification. Failure to do so will result in refusal of entry.

When your card is swiped, if no booking is found for the event, you will be asked to leave. Please do so without making the staff’s life difficult as they are only doing their job!  The computer has the last word... Any abusive behaviour reported by staff will have to be reported to the Head of Catering and the Dean for Discipline for action to be taken, as it is not fair to the staff.  Pleasingly, this is vanishingly rare...Caians are a lovely bunch!

Students are permitted to bring up to 2 guests to Hall per evening dining booked event.  There will be no restrictions on bringing guests in to purchase lunch and sit in Hall.

Students and their guests are expected to comply with the Caius common Hall table etiquette ie to seat themselves in a continuous flow from High Table down to the far end of Hall, leaving no seating gaps; and to converse with those around them.  We hope your guests enjoy the experience!

Halal

Chicken at the college is Halal. We may provide extra options during Ramadan. Please discuss with the Head of Catering if you have any questions regarding the offering of Halal food including labelling and certifications.

Kosher

Difficulties may arise with the provision of Kosher food due to the costs involved; please discuss your requirements with us or to book a basic one course meal (must be done up to three days in advance).

To pre-order, you must contact the Head of Catering directly by e-mail ricardo.soares@cai.cam.ac.uk and also copy kitchen.office@cai.cam.ac.uk

A standard Kosher meal is £12, this cost will then be added to your College account and paid at the end the term- it consist of an individual sealed main course only (meat, fish or vegetarian). Please note cutlery, crockery and glassware is not included and not available. (if you would like to make a different arrangement please let us know)

For special events: A full three-course Kosher meal is only available purchased from a certified Kosher company. The costs will depend on choices plus delivery charge (c £120), fully payable by the consumer. Please visit www.hermolis.com for more info & or discuss with the Head of Catering.