The TCU Dining Services catering department is getting ready for the holiday season and preparing for more orders.Kathryn Carter, catering director, said the number of orders can pick up during the holiday season, especially when specials are offered.

“During Thanksgiving this year, we had around 40 pick-up orders for all of the fixings in a Thanksgiving meal,” Carter said. “Lots of people ordered just a turkey or gravy.”

Along with the Thanksgiving staples, desserts were ordered as well, Carter said.

“This year, we offered all of the traditional desserts, along with some different ones like chocolate derby pie, pumpkin chiffon pie and pumpkin praline pie,” Carter said.

The orders mainly came from faculty and staff for Thanksgiving, but the catering department expects to have more orders from students around Christmas, Carter said.

Last year, some students with remaining money on their dining plans, ordered large cases of meat, Carter said.

“Students were ordering bulk amounts of nonprepared food items, like steaks and chicken breasts, which was a great way to get the money off their cards,” Carter said.

Robert Horton, a sophomore finance major, said he ordered a large amount of uncooked meat last year.

“I bought ribeyes, filets, tenderloin strips, pretty much everything,” Horton said.

Horton said he took some of the meat home to Midland and the rest stayed in Fort Worth in his house off campus.

“Students traditionally order things like cookie or brownie trays or fruit and vegetable trays,” Carter said. “Catering is more for students who are picking up food to take home for the holidays, and catering orders from The Main are great for picking up snacks for a study group.”

The smallest order catering can place costs around $50 to $60, Carter said. The average order costs around $100.

“For smaller orders, there are better options for students when ordering from The Main or FrogBytes,” Carter said.

Legia Abato, marketing manager for Dining Services, said catering packages ordered through The Main and FrogBytes traditionally pick up toward the end of the semester.

“All orders are placed through e-mail and the students will get menus of various packages offered in their student mailboxes,” Abato said. “We ask for the orders to be placed 48 hours in advance.”

Students usually purchase these packages for events such as small parties, study groups or graduation parties for students graduating in December, Abato said.

“One thing we have to pay close attention to when planning the catering packages is the weather,” Abato said. “For instance, if the roads freeze over, we have students stuck on campus we need to feed, and a large group of students eventually turns into a party, and they need lots of food.”

Christmas and graduation in May are the times when the highest number of orders are placed, Abato said.

“The catering department gets especially busy with pick-up orders during Christmas time,” Abato said.

When some of the other dining facilities shut down, Carter said, those employees help out with the large number of catering orders.

The catering department fills orders until Christmas Eve and starts work again around Jan. 5 or 6, Carter said.

“The orders slow down a little, but we are still here for the athletic department,” Carter said. “We take care of the teams that return early because The Main and other dining facilities aren’t open.