Team Meal Policies & Procedures

Pregame Meals*

• Pregame meals are typically not reimbursed by the Booster Club without prior approval (please see the head parent rep for details).

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Away Contest Meals*

• Away Contest meals are typically provided for athletes to eat prior or immediately after the boarding the bus/van back to the school. Meals should be purchased for attending coaches, trainers, & student managers who travel with the team.

• When planning meals, ensure they are:

  • Modest in cost & only to provide athletes with enough food to comfortably get them back to Lincoln

  • Easy to eat on the bus, with minimal mess. (It is the expectation that all athletes will keep the bus/van as clean as it was when they got on).

  • Within the per-play meal limit as set by the head parent rep at the beginning of the season to prevent overspending.​

  • To collect orders, we highly recommend creating a Google form & have the coach post the link in Google classroom.

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Allergies & Special Accommodations

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The 15% maximum includes both the delivery fee & any gratuity.

Team meals are organized as an optional, team-oriented activity & must be managemeable for the group as a whole. Parent Reps & volunteers are not required

Team meals are organized as an optional, team-oriented activity & must be manageable for the group as a whole. Parent Reps & volunteers are not required to provide individualized meal accommodations for athletes. Athletes with allergies or dietary restrictions must provide their own food, with responsibility resting solely on the athlete and/or their family. Volunteers may, at their discretion, make reasonable accommodations (e.g. separating a food item, providing ingredient lists), but these are voluntary & do not shift liability to the Booster Club. 

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Tipping & Delivery Fee Policy*

​Standard Policy: Takeout & Delivery Orders For Regular Team Meals (e.g. away contests)

• The Booster Club will reimburse tips & delivery fees combined, up to 15% of the pre-tax subtotal actually paid for prepared food service. 

• If third-party delivery services are used (e.g. DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub), any service, technology, or platform fee charged by the delivery company will be considered part of the delivery total & counted toward the combined 15% limit.

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Guidelines

• The 15% maximum includes both the delivery fee & any gratuity. 

• The limit is based on the pre-tax subtotal actually paid (before sales tax).

• Tips are only eligible when food is prepared by a restaurant or caterer & delivered/packaged for the team. no tips or "service charges" will be reimbursed on bulk grocery or retail purchases (e.g., Costco, Sam's Club, Hy-Vee).

• When a reimbursement request combines both restaurant-prepared food & retail items, the tip percentage applies only to the restaurant portion of the subtotal. 

• If a restaurant applies an automatic gratuity, it counts wards the 15% total. 

• Cash tips are not preferred. If used, they must be clearly documented. 

• Any amount spent above the 15% limit will not be reimbursed.

• Suggested to include your tip at the point-of-sale so it appears on the itemized receipt.

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Standard Policy: Catered Events & Dine-In Team Meals

• For catered team banquets or team meals where athletes & staff dine in at a restaurant, the Booster Club will cover: 

  • The full delivery fee (if applicable), and ​

  • A gratuity up to 20% of the pre-tax subtotal.

• Conditions:

  • The event must be considered a catered banquet or organized dine-in meal.​

  • The tip and/or delivery fee must be clearly documented on the invoice or itemized receipt.

  • Cash tips should still be avoided unless absolutely necessary & properly documented.

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Exceptions for Extraordinary Circumstances

• The 15% limit is standard & will be applied consistently across all teams. However, exceptions may be grated with Board approval when extraordinary circumstances arise. To request approval, the Head Parent Rep must contact the Booster Club President or Treasurer with details. 

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