In short
- The corporate end-of-year party is almost always held before Christmas or in early January, not on the 31st.
- Mid-December dates go fast: book the caterer and venue two or three months ahead.
- The most common format is an apericena or a buffet dinner, with a moment for speeches and a toast.
- Ask for quotes per person, with VAT shown, and give the caterer the details for electronic invoicing.
The end-of-year party is the most eagerly awaited company event and the one organised with the least time. Between year-end accounts and holidays, the date is often decided in November, when caterers' calendars are already full. This guide helps you make up for lost time with the right choices.
The date: end of year or start of year
New Year's Eve is a private celebration. Companies usually choose:
- a weekday between 10 and 22 December, the most requested window;
- the first or second week of January, as a start-of-year party: more availability and fewer clashes with family commitments;
- a Friday evening for a long party, a midweek afternoon for a toast at the office.
If your company already holds a Christmas dinner, this guide partly overlaps with the one on the corporate Christmas party. The difference is mainly one of tone: the end-of-year party looks at results and the year ahead, often with a speech from senior management and a few awards.
At the office or at a venue
| Choice | Advantages | To check |
|---|---|---|
| At the office | No hire fee, everyone already there | Space, power, lifts, building rules, cleaning |
| Private hire of a restaurant | Kitchen and dining room ready | Limited menu choice, closing times |
| Event venue | Atmosphere, services, room for music | Exclusive caterer, hire cost, transport |
| Terrace or rooftop | A view over Rome | December cold, wind, an indoor plan B |
In Rome many companies have offices in EUR, in the Ostiense area or along Via Tiburtina, where offices have large spaces and parking. In the centre, inside the ZTL (restricted traffic zone), unloading and access need organising beforehand: read the guide to catering in the historic centre.
If you choose a venue, ask straight away whether it has an exclusive caterer, meaning it works only with its own supplier.
Catering formats
| Format | Typical length | When it works |
|---|---|---|
| Toast at the office | 1-2 hours, afternoon | Speeches from management, a tighter budget |
| Aperitivo with finger food | 2 hours | After work, many people standing |
| Apericena | 3 hours | A real party, with music and a light dinner |
| Buffet dinner with stations | 3-4 hours | Large groups, a variety of tastes |
| Served dinner | 3-4 hours | Smaller groups or a gala evening |
The apericena, an aperitivo substantial enough to replace dinner, is the most common format for end-of-year parties: those who want to eat do so, those who want to talk circulate, and the timing stays flexible. With more than 200 people, a buffet dinner with themed stations (pasta, fried food, raw seafood or sushi, cheeses, desserts) avoids queues. For a more formal event there is the guide to the corporate gala dinner.
The end-of-year menu
December offers winter dishes that work as finger food, in different styles:
- Romanesco broccoli and battered salt cod;
- croquettes, mini supplì (fried rice balls), soup in a cup;
- crostini with salmon, tartares, oysters for a seafood menu;
- cheeses with honey and walnuts;
- for dessert pangiallo (a Roman fruit and nut cake), panettone and chocolate.
A small New Year ritual always goes down well: lentils and cotechino (a slow-cooked pork sausage), eaten in Italy for luck at New Year, in mini portions at the time of the toast, even if the party is on 18 December. Remember to provide a pork-free alternative.
Collect dietary needs with the event registration form: vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs, allergies. The caterer must be able to give you the 14-allergen chart required by EU Regulation 1169/2011. For more detail there is the guide to special diets.
Budget and quote
There is no standard price for a company party: it depends on people, format, drinks, staff and venue. For a reasoned reference point, read the guide to corporate catering prices in Rome.
When comparing quotes, check that they all show:
- price per person and minimum number of people;
- VAT shown separately or included;
- drinks included (which ones and for how many hours);
- staff, set-up, table linen and tableware;
- transport and set-up;
- the cost of extra hours.
For electronic invoicing, give the caterer the company name, VAT number, recipient code or PEC. If an internal purchase order is needed, let the supplier know: some caterers ask for a deposit before confirming the date.
The evening's programme
A sample running order for an apericena from 19:00 to 22:00:
| Time | Moment | What to coordinate with the caterer |
|---|---|---|
| 18:30 | Staff arrive and set up | Access, goods lift, sockets |
| 19:00 | Welcome and aperitivo | Drinks ready at the entrance |
| 19:45 | Greetings and speech | Pause in service, no plates going round |
| 20:00 | Buffet and stations | Constant restocking |
| 21:00 | Toast, awards | Glasses ready, mini lentils |
| 21:15 | Desserts and music | Dessert station, coffee |
| 22:00 | Close | Take-down and rubbish |
The speech is a delicate moment: ask the staff to pause the service for ten minutes, so nobody talks over the microphone.
Set-up and add-on services
A company party often carries the company's brand: personalised napkins, totems, lighting in the brand colours, a small stage for speeches. The caterer can look after the tables and table setting; for scenery, lighting and branding a set designer is the better choice. You will find ideas in the guide to corporate event set-up.
Questions to ask the caterer
- Are you available on dates between 10 and 22 December? Do you have a holiday price list?
- Have you worked in our building or at the chosen venue before?
- What is the minimum number of people for this format?
- Is the price inclusive or exclusive of VAT? What exactly does it include?
- How many hours of drinks are included? Is the toast extra?
- Can you prepare vegetarian, gluten-free and pork-free menus? Can you give us the allergen chart?
- How many staff will you bring and until what time?
- By when do we need to give you the final number of participants?
- What details do you need for the electronic invoice? How much is the deposit?
- Who cleans up and takes away the rubbish at the end of the evening?
To finish
The end-of-year party works when the date is chosen early and the quote is clear from the start. Look at the caterers that work with companies on the corporate catering page and at the general guide to corporate catering in Rome. With a date, number of people and venue, request a quote from several caterers.
