Catering for a company party: what's different from a private party?

At a company party you're not negotiating with the couple themselves, but often with an HR or office manager who's been given a set budget per head. The numbers behave differently too: where almost everyone turns up at a private party, at a company party a share of the sign-ups stay home, and that costs you money if you don't plan for it. In this article you'll read how to handle no-shows, how to translate a fixed budget per guest into a quote, and which agreements to set out that don't come up at a private party.

Why a company party calls for a different approach

At a wedding or a birthday you talk to the people actually at the party. At a company party you talk to an HR or office manager organising it on behalf of a hundred colleagues, with a budget that's often already fixed before you even draw up the quote. On top of that, the party is almost always built around a programme: speeches, an award ceremony, a presentation. That programme decides when you serve, not the other way round.

No-shows: don't plan around the RSVP list

At a company party, a bigger share cancel or simply don't show up than at a private party: diaries clash, people fall ill, or a deadline keeps someone at the office. So don't plan around the number of sign-ups, but around 85 to 90 per cent of them, unless the company guarantees a firm number.

Be more conservative here with purchases you can't undo, such as meat and fish, and more generous with things that keep or dry goods. That way you avoid throwing away what you bought for a company that didn't keep its own RSVP list up to date.

Translating a fixed budget per head into a quote

Where a couple asks "what does this cost", a company usually hands you an amount per head, say 45 euros including drinks, and you have to work within that. Break that budget down in your quote into food, drinks, staff and equipment, with your margin as its own line, instead of pricing something that comes out above budget and then having to cut it back afterwards.

If you work for companies often, put together two or three packages that fit commonly requested budgets. Then the client can choose without you recalculating every request from scratch.

Agreements that don't come up at a private party

A company usually wants the invoice in the organisation's name, often with a PO number or cost centre for their own books. Ask for this at the intake, not only when you send the invoice. Also set out who's responsible for the alcohol policy: companies increasingly want to agree contractually how you handle guests who drink too much. And because companies adjust guest numbers last-minute more often than private customers, agree a clear deadline after which changes are no longer free.

Don't want to work these agreements out from scratch every time? Try Catermonkey for free and set up your business quote template with these items once.

Frequently asked questions

How many no-shows do you plan for at a company party?

Plan for 85 to 90 per cent of the RSVP list, unless the company guarantees a firm number.

How do you handle a fixed budget per head from a company?

Break the budget down into food, drinks, staff and equipment, with your margin as its own line. If you do this often, put together fixed packages within commonly requested budgets.

What should go on the invoice for a company party?

The name of the organisation, and often a PO number or cost centre. Ask for this at the intake, not only when you send the invoice.

Who's liable for alcohol consumption at a company party?

Set this out contractually with the client beforehand. More and more companies want this agreed explicitly.

Until when can a company still change the guest count?

Agree a firm deadline after which changes are no longer free. Companies adjust numbers last-minute more often than private customers.

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