Hosting a catered corporate event gives you an excellent opportunity to strengthen in-office relationships and boost morale across the board. In addition to rewarding your team members with a great meal, letting a restaurant or catering service take care of the food will also let you devote more time to planning the other elements of the event. If you don’t know where to start, check these essential tips on making the perfect office gathering.

How to Plan a Catered Office Event

1. Make a Rough Guest List

To be sure enough food and drinks are served, prepare an estimated list of attendees. You can send out invitations to team members and ask them to RSVP before the event, thereby giving you an approximate idea of how many people you’ll need to serve. When in doubt, always go a bit over your estimated headcount to cover for any last-minute confirmations.

2. Choose the Right Menu

Depending on your budget, choose foods and drinks that will please each palate. It’s hard to go wrong with classic options like pizza, subs, wings, or salads. Check your favorite local restaurant to see if they would cater to your needs. This way, you might get a discount and promote a local business. Also, be aware of other people's dietary restrictions and preferences. Ask people to inform you of any specific requests in their RSVP emails, but you can also offer some vegan and gluten-free options regardless just to be safe.

3. Pick the Right Style for the Event

The style of the event should always fit the context. For example, if you’re congratulating your employees on the completion of a challenging project, a more elaborate after-work event with pizza and drinks would be more appropriate than a simple half-hour lunch. Are you organizing a Christmas party? A buffet would be an appropriate choice. To host the perfect event, understand the focus of the gathering and plan accordingly.

If you want to plan an event the whole office will love, get in touch with Colombini’s Pizza & Deli in Rochester, NY. This local and family-owned restaurant serves a wide assortment of pizzas, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. Try their freshly made subs, cold cut sandwiches, and chicken wings to spice up your office gathering. To arrange for catering, call (585) 889-2213, or visit their website to look at their full menu.