The Best Outdoor Office Party Catering Tips For 2021

Last updated on March 2nd, 2021

Spring is around the corner, and that means warmer weather and more quality time outside. Employees always enjoy a festive office party or a catered lunch. But that conference table has probably seen one too many pizza boxes and Chinese takeout cartons than it should.

As the pandemic dissipates and employees return to on-site locations, why not welcome them back with outdoor office party catering from food truck vendors that have experience feeding crowds. Whether you want to introduce new employees to colleagues in-person or enhance employee morale, treating everyone to a great meal is a surefire way to boost team spirit while keeping them safe in a naturally socially-distanced environment.

Read on to learn more about the top tips and tricks to planning a safe and responsible event with outdoor office party catering.

1. LIMIT YOUR GUEST LIST

You’re probably wondering why you should limit your guest list when your office party’s outdoors. Remember, there’s nothing more important than ‘safety first.’ Being outside isn’t a guarantee that everyone will remain COVID-free, but it is a preferable alternative to hosting an event in a cramped boardroom.

While you may want to allow employees to bring a guest or open up your guest list to partners and vendors you do business with, a smaller event just for your employees will create a more intimate and relaxed environment. But if you do want to host a larger event, your office party catering should book multiple food trucks that’ll help keep guests spaced apart in a way that’s not restrictive.

Try different cuisines that’ll pique everyone’s interest. How about tacos from New York’s El Toro Rojo and burgers from Shake Shack? And don’t forget the drinks! Let guests wash down their food with a cold beer or bubbly glass of champagne from Bubbles & Brews.

2. OPT FOR INDIVIDUAL MEALS

When we think of catered events, large aluminum trays of food under heat lamps come to mind. But à la carte menus allows your employees to order and customize what they want in a safe and sanitary way.

You can’t go wrong partnering with food trucks. Preparing, cooking, and serving meals per person is their business. When artisan ice cream company Van Leeuwen Ice Cream launched their first truck in 2008 crowds lined up almost immediately, and they haven’t stopped since. Today, they boast 25 ice cream trucks and physical locations across New York, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.

Outdoor office party catering with individual meals reduces the risk of cross-contamination while cleverly personalizing your guests’ tastes, allergies, and dietary restrictions.

3. GET CREATIVE WITH PARTY LAYOUTS

You know your office party will be outdoors, but how will it be setup? What’s the layout? How do you even get started? In a COVID-world, events look different, and even though yours is outside, similar rules apply. But it’s not a bad thing, as long as you can optimize a flow that’s organic while still safe. Think spaced-out lounge areas or limited seating at tables.

Working with experienced agencies helps. Aside from having their fingers on the pulse of the best food truck vendors to cater your event, they’re also expert party planners and understand logistics.

While you may want to go it alone, you should be mingling with your employees instead. Let the experts handle the details giving you the freedom to mingle with and celebrate your team.

4. HAVE THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK

Planning outdoor office party catering with food trucks revolves around the food and decor. But what’s the point of spending the time and money planning your event if it gets shut down because you don’t have the right permits and licenses?

Rules, restrictions, and requirements vary by city and state, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to where and when you can throw your party. And in many places, approval is also required from local health departments and fire marshalls. Break the rules? Be prepared to pay hefty fines.

Again, you don’t have to do all the legwork. There are professionals who’ll work with the necessary agencies and secure all the paperwork your outdoor office party needs.

5. THINK ABOUT THE WEATHER

Relying on your iPhone weather app to predict whether you’ll see rays of sunshine or cloudy skies on the day of your office party is a risk you should never take. When it comes to the weather, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

That’ll require proper planning. With the right protocols and supplies in place, you can keep the party going without missing a beat. Many outdoor catering supplies aren’t weatherproof, like extension cords and generators, so covering or keeping them in an enclosed space will prevent a disaster. Canopy tents are readily available and can provide shelter from the storm for your guests and equipment.

READY TO CELEBRATE? START PLANNING YOUR OUTDOOR OFFICE PARTY TODAY!

In 2021, throwing a party isn’t just about focusing on the fun. It’s also about safety. But, these two elements can go hand-in-hand. Food trucks pioneered that strategy long before the pandemic and they’re the perfect match for your outdoor office party catering needs.

By streamlining your guest list, serving individual meals that offer variety and customization, keeping an open flow, securing the right permits, and considering how to prepare for inclement weather, you can organize a fantastic event for your employees that’ll have them primed and ready to get back to work!