Theme Dinners
Fall 2025 Theme Dinners
Cafe Laura's theme dinners offer a unique opportunity for the public to sample original and innovative cuisine prepared by Penn State Hospitality Management students. Our goal is to create an environment where students can gain real-world management experience that prepares them for careers in the hospitality industry. Patrons can choose from several menu options including appetizers, entrees, desserts, and beverages unique to each night's theme.
Cafe Laura will offer a $3 voucher towards parking at the Nittany Parking Deck for use during your dinner experience in the theme dinner course. Please note that this voucher is funded through student fees and other School of Hospitality Management resources, supporting our students' hands-on learning experiences. Thank you for your continued support.
Theme dinners will return this Fall.
Booking a Reservation
There is a six-person party maximum and no split checks on parties over four persons. Cafe Laura is a cashless dining facility.
Cafe Laura is BYOB. Alcohol is not sold in Cafe Laura. Patrons may bring two 12oz beers per person or one 750m bottle of wine per two people. Age verification is required for all group members bringing alcoholic beverages into the facility.
Service Charge Policy
A key component of the education process at the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State is learning how to deliver outstanding service. Students in the School of Hospitality Management are not permitted to accept tips in accordance with IRS regulations. Only paid employees are allowed to accept tips. We thank you for honoring the service charge policy and for giving our students the opportunity to serve you.
In light of this policy, and to keep the student experience focused on education, we have included an 18% service charge on each check. All monies from the service charge are returned to our students to defray their expenses of uniforms, decorations, and other costs involved in their taking this class.
Menu Pricing
Appetizers..............$6.00-10.00
Entrees...................$18.00-32.00
Desserts.................$6.00-9.00
Beverages...............$1.50-3.75
Pricing is subject to change.
Private Dining Options
During theme dinners, Cafe Laura offers private dining in our Statler Executive Dining Room. This state-of-the-art dining room can accommodate up to 14 people and features a large TV with internet connectivity and USB capabilities. To reserve the Statler Executive Dining Room, call (814) 865-1853.
The Statler Executive Dining Room is named in honor of a Legacy Grant provided by The Statler Foundation to the School of Hospitality Management. The Statler Foundation was established in 1928 by the will of legendary hotelier Ellsworth M. Statler to further industry education. No outside food is permitted.
Join our listserv and be among the first to know when our theme dinners and menus are announced.