Questions to ask before booking a venue in Atlanta
A planning timeline for company holiday party catering in Atlanta. Covers when to book, festive menu ideas, and service styles that work.
Your company holiday party is one of the few events each year where the whole team shows up without a meeting agenda. The food sets the tone for whether people actually enjoy themselves or spend the night checking their phones. Getting the catering right means planning ahead, choosing a menu that feels festive without being overcomplicated, and working with a team that knows how to keep the energy up in the room.
The holiday party season in Atlanta runs roughly from late November through mid-December, with a few stragglers into January. That's a narrow window, and every caterer, venue, and rental company in the metro area knows it.
If your party is in December, start the planning process by September. Here's a practical timeline:
September
October
November
Week of the event
Starting early matters because Buckhead and Midtown venues fill up fast during the holidays. The caterers who do corporate holiday parties well have limited December availability, and waiting until November puts you in a scramble.
Holiday party menus should feel generous. This is not the event for portion control or minimalist plating. People want to feel like the company went all out.
A few approaches that work:
The elevated buffet
A carving station with herb-crusted prime rib or roasted turkey. Two to three composed sides (think roasted root vegetables with a maple glaze, creamy polenta, or a winter grain salad). A bread station. A separate dessert display with individual portions: mini cheesecakes, chocolate truffles, seasonal pies.
Food stations
Multiple stations around the room keep guests moving and create natural conversation spots. Consider a pasta station where dishes are finished to order, a seafood station with chilled shrimp and crab claws, a slider station with two or three options, and a dessert bar. Stations work especially well for parties over 75 guests.
Passed appetizers plus a main course
Start the evening with passed hors d'oeuvres during the cocktail hour (bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp skewers), then transition to a seated or buffet main course. This gives the event a sense of progression and keeps people from crowding the food table all at once.
Whatever format you choose, plan for dietary accommodations. At least one hearty vegetarian option and a clearly labeled gluten-free choice should be standard. Your caterer should handle allergen labeling as a routine part of the setup.
For broader guidance on building menus for large corporate groups, the corporate catering planning guide covers menu strategy in detail.
The service format affects how people interact at a holiday party.
A plated sit-down dinner creates a structured, formal atmosphere. People sit at assigned tables, courses arrive in sequence, and the evening has a built-in pace. This works for smaller companies (under 50 people) or organizations that want a more intimate, upscale feel.
Buffet and station-based service lets people move freely. They cluster around food stations, grab a drink, find a different group to talk to. For larger groups and companies that want a relaxed atmosphere, this format gives the party its energy.
One option that works for Decatur and East Atlanta venues with open floor plans: a cocktail-style party with heavy passed appetizers and a few anchor stations. No seating chart, no plated courses. Just good food circulating the room with a few spots where guests can graze on their own schedule. This format works surprisingly well for companies with 100 or more employees who want the party to feel social, not scheduled.
If you're comparing service styles across different types of corporate events, the approach for a holiday party is very different from what works for board meetings and executive lunches or a product launch. Holiday parties reward warmth and abundance. Working events reward precision and restraint.
And if the goal is less about celebration and more about strengthening team connections, the ideas in team building through food might shape how you think about the format.
How much should we budget per person for a company holiday party?
For a buffet or station-based holiday party with bar service, expect to budget $60 to $100 per person in the Atlanta area. Plated dinners with premium menu items can run higher. Your caterer can provide an itemized estimate once you define the format and headcount.
Should we do a cocktail-style party or a sit-down dinner?
It depends on your group size and goals. Sit-down dinners work well for groups under 50 where you want a refined, intimate atmosphere. Cocktail-style with food stations works better for larger groups where mingling and energy are the priority.
How do we handle dietary restrictions for 100 or more guests?
Include a dietary restriction question on the RSVP form and share the results with your caterer at least two weeks before the event. A professional catering team will build accommodations into the menu design rather than treating them as last-minute add-ons.
Your holiday party is worth getting right. It's the one event each year that's purely about the people, not the work. A solid caterer makes that possible without making it stressful.
Get in touch to start a conversation about your company's holiday event.
Chef Eric is the absolute best! His mastery over so many different types of food is unmatched and every time I have the privilege of working with them, I'm excited to taste everything. They're able to meet any and every dietary requirement. Sandra goes above and beyond to make sure your event has exactly what you need, and their staff is always so professional. We always recommend Exquisite Delites to our clients!
I recently had the pleasure of working with Exquisite Delites while helping my company plan a large event, and they exceeded every expectation. My company has used their catering many times, and they always deliver high-quality, delicious food that my coworkers rave about. This time, we had some complex requests and ideas, and Sandra + Eric were incredibly hands-on and professional, taking the time to go over every detail with us in planning calls. They were prepared for every possibility and even made very last-minute adjustments to our menu accommodate dietary restrictions/allergies seamlessly. Their dedication to excellence and thoughtful service made our event a huge success. Highly recommended them to anyone looking for a top-notch team with an eye for detail and unmatched customer service!
We had an excellent experience using Exquisite Delites catering service! They catered a graduation party, and everything was just like the name - EXQUISITE! The food was delicious and attention to detail was pristine! They were able to easily accommodate various dietary needs (gluten free, vegan, etc). Everyone was very professional from setup to breakdown. We could not have been more pleased and would 100% use them again! Thank you for the fantastic experience!!!!
