Ask ECRI: Risks Associated with Catering Services in Aging Services Communities

​​A member recently asked about risk management concerns regarding catering services offered in an aging services community. Such services might include, for instance, catering for resident events held on campus and/or catering of nonresident events off campus. Concerns included the pros and cons of asking an outside food service or catering company to sign a liability waiver, and whether employees of the catering service should accept gratuities from guests at nonresident events.

An aging services community may employ their own dietary staff that offers catering services, or the community may contract with an outside food vendor or catering company. If the community uses an outside service, it may be useful to ask them to sign a waiver of liability indicating that the outside service assumes all risks associated with the preparation of food products supplied under the agreement. The waiver may indicate that the outside service will not sue the...