Holiday party appetizers that feed a crowd: trays, piece counts and a 50-guest plan
A holiday party for 50 can be fed from four appetizer trays for $252, about 260 pieces. Piece counts, prices and what to serve hot or cold.
By the Upper Crust Catering kitchen
For holiday party appetizers that feed a crowd, we plan about 2 to 3 pieces per guest per hour for a mix of hot and cold trays. For 50 guests over two hours, four trays do it: Cocktail Meatballs, $64, 100 pieces, plus Assorted Cheese Tray with Crackers, $69, 60 pieces, Bruschetta with Garlic Toast Points, $45, 60 pieces, and Bacon Wrapped Dates, $74, 40 pieces. That is 260 pieces for $252.
The 50-guest plan, with the math
- Cocktail Meatballs, 100 pieces: $64
- Assorted Cheese Tray with Crackers, 60 pieces: $69
- Bruschetta with Garlic Toast Points, 60 pieces: $45
- Bacon Wrapped Dates, 40 pieces: $74
$64 + $69 + $45 + $74 = $252, which is about $5.04 a guest. With 9.25% sales tax it is $275.31. The 260 pieces work out to just over 5 per guest, or 2.6 an hour across two hours. The rule of thumb is a planning guide. If the party runs longer or dinner is not served, go up.
Hot or cold
Mix them so that the hot ones last and the cold ones fill gaps.
Hot trays:
- Cocktail Meatballs, $64, 100 pieces
- Rumaki, $64, 60 pieces
- Bacon Wrapped Dates, $74, 40 pieces, gluten-free
- Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms, $69
- Open Faced Mini Grilled Reubens, $64, 28 pieces
- Mini Italian Sausage Kebabs, $74, 60 pieces
Cold trays:
- Jumbo Chilled Shrimp with Zesty Cocktail Sauce, $95, 60 pieces, gluten-free and dairy-free
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Spears, $74, 60 pieces, gluten-free
- Antipasto Kabobs, $74, 50 pieces
- Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese & Party Rye, $80
Hot trays go in a chafing dish. A chafing dish set is $17 per hot dish and yours to keep, or a stainless steel rental is $20 and comes back to us after the party.
Dress it up
Add one showpiece tray. At 50 guests, Jumbo Chilled Shrimp at $95 is the one people photograph. That takes the plan to $347 for 320 pieces, or $6.94 a guest.
For something sweet, Chocolate Drizzled Mini Cream Puffs are $45, 50 count. Brownies and cookies are on the dessert menu.
Serving and setup
Plates, napkins and silverware are $1.50 a person. Disposable Appetizer Plates & Napkins are $0.99 a person and sized for 1½ pieces per guest. Tongs and spoons are $1 each. Drinks: Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade is $89 for 50 servings, and Coffee is $89 for 50. We do not serve alcohol.
Ordering
A drop-off or pick-up order needs about three days' notice. If you want servers, the staffed minimum notice is 14 days, and servers are $35 an hour each with a 4-hour minimum. For the whole tray list and counts see catered appetizers near Yorkville. For a Christmas dinner on the table, see Christmas dinner catering. Browse holiday party catering or send your date through the quote form. Call (630) 553-9533.
Questions
How many appetizers per person for a holiday party?
We plan 2 to 3 pieces per guest per hour for a mix. That is a planning guide, not a rule.
Which trays can I serve cold?
Cheese tray, bruschetta, shrimp, asparagus, antipasto kabobs and smoked salmon are cold trays.
Can you deliver?
Yes. Delivery is quoted when you order, or pick up at our Yorkville kitchen.
Holiday party catering for the office and the family, plus dinner to go
