Planning the office do is one of those jobs that lands on someone's desk in November and suddenly feels enormous. Different dietary needs, a budget to stretch, colleagues who never agree on anything, and the small matter of making it actually fun. We have hosted plenty of work teams over the years, so here are some genuinely useful ideas to help you pull off a night everyone talks about in January.
Start with the format, not the food
The biggest mistake we see is jumping straight to menus. Decide the shape of the night first and everything else falls into place.
The relaxed sit-down feast
Good for teams who want to actually talk to each other. Everyone sits together, the charcoal grill does the heavy lifting, and platters of piri piri chicken, ribs and wings come to the table to share. It is sociable without being chaotic, and nobody is stuck at the far end shouting.
The standing buffet mingle
Better for bigger groups or when you want people moving around instead of locked into one seat. A spread of sharing dishes lets colleagues from different departments actually mix. It suits teams where half the room barely knows the other half.
The two-part night
Food first, then loosen the ties. Dinner followed by cocktails and a later, livelier stretch is perfect for a team that likes to celebrate properly. Our bar keeps the second half going long after the plates are cleared.
Match the night to your team
Not every workplace wants the same thing, and pretending otherwise is how you end up with half the office leaving at nine.
Small teams and departments
A table of eight to fifteen works beautifully for a close-knit group. You get the warmth of everyone in earshot and the food arriving to share keeps the mood generous. This is the sweet spot for a team that already gets on.
Large companies and multiple teams
When you are feeding thirty, forty or more, you want space, a clear plan and food that arrives without a long wait. Our function room handles bigger bookings, and a buffet or set sharing menu keeps things flowing so nobody is left staring at an empty plate.
The mixed-ability drinkers
Every office has the ones who go all in and the ones who leave at half nine. A menu with proper cocktails and a great soft and alcohol-free range means everyone feels looked after, not just the party crowd.
Key takeaway: Decide the format and the vibe of your team first, then build the food and drink around it. That single decision makes the whole night easier to plan.
Food that actually pleases everyone
The office Christmas do is notorious for the impossible menu. Someone is vegetarian, someone hates turkey, someone wants a proper meal after a long year. Portuguese charcoal grill food quietly solves most of this.
Sharing is the great equaliser
When platters of flame-grilled chicken, sticky ribs and wings land in the middle of the table, the awkward menu negotiation disappears. People take what they fancy, portions sort themselves out, and the sharing itself gets everyone talking. It is a far cry from staring down a plated set menu you did not choose.
Our marinated piri piri chicken
The centrepiece is chicken marinated for 24 hours and cooked over charcoal, with heat levels from gentle to properly fiery so the whole team can find their comfort zone. If you have never fed a group this way, take a look at our rotisserie chicken to see why it travels so well across a big table.
Covering every appetite
Alongside the chicken there are ribs, handmade burgers, seafood and plenty for vegetarians, so the picky eater and the big eater both leave happy. Point the whole team at the full menu so everyone knows what to expect before they arrive.
Make the drinks part of the fun
A work party lives or dies on atmosphere, and the bar is a big part of that. Cocktails give the night a sense of occasion beyond just dinner, and our Amigo Hour is a nice way to kick off proceedings before the food arrives. Building in a drinks moment at the start settles nerves, gets people chatting, and stops the night feeling like an extended team meeting.
Sort the logistics early
The difference between a smooth office do and a stressful one is almost always planning.
Pin down numbers and a date
December fills up fast. Get a rough headcount and a couple of possible dates locked in before you approach a venue, and be honest with colleagues about the deadline for confirming. A firm date early beats a perfect date decided too late.
Collect dietary needs in one go
Send one message asking for allergies, vegetarian and vegan needs, and anything else, then hand it all over in a single list. It saves endless back and forth and means the kitchen can prepare properly.
Decide how you are paying
One company card, a kitty, or everyone paying their own way all work, but pick one before the night so there is no awkward maths at the end. Sharing platters make a single bill particularly painless.
Bring the whole thing together
If you want more inspiration on choosing the right room and setup for your group, our guide to where to have your Christmas party in Southampton walks through the practical side in more detail.
Bedford Place puts you right in the middle of town, so getting to and from the party is easy whether people are driving, cabbing or heading on somewhere after. We are set up for groups, used to feeding hungry teams, and happy to help you shape a night that fits your budget and your crowd.
A work Christmas party should feel like a reward for a long year, not another item on your to-do list. Sort the format, share the food, keep the drinks flowing and the rest looks after itself.
Ready to plan your team's night out? Enquire about your work Christmas party over on our events page or give us a call on 023 8192 0466 and we will help you get it booked.