Retirement party food ideas for the office or a hall: three menus with prices

Retirement party food ideas depend on where it is held. For an office lunch, boxed lunches at $14.50 each are the easiest, and 25 of them are $362.50. For an afternoon reception, a finger food spread of sandwiches, cheese, meatballs and desserts feeds 60 for $652, about $10.87 a person. For a hall dinner, a hot buffet is $18.99 to $20.99 a person. We do not make cake, so many hosts order the cake elsewhere and let us handle the rest. Call (630) 553-9533.

An office lunch for 25

People are on a work schedule, and the guest of honor wants to talk. Boxed lunches mean nobody lines up.

• 25 Basic Boxed Lunches at $14.50: $362.50
• 1 Assorted Dessert Tray: $59, 40 pieces

Total $421.50, or $16.86 a person. For a better box, Executive Boxed Lunch is $16.50, so 25 is $412.50. Boxed lunches have a 20-box minimum, are individually boxed on fresh baked French rolls and are described on the boxed lunches page. Add Coffee, $89 for 50 servings, or Soft Drinks and Bottled Water at $2.49 each. For help choosing among lunch formats, see office lunch for 20.

A finger food reception for 60

For a two-hour reception at the office or a hall, where people come and go and eat standing. We plan about 5 to 6 savory pieces a guest and 1 to 2 sweets, which is a planning guide.

• 1 tray Assorted Finger Sandwiches: $89, 60 pieces
• 1 tray Pinwheel Sandwiches: $79, 60 pieces
• 1 Cheese & Sausage Tray: $79, 120 pieces
• 1 tray Cocktail Meatballs: $64, 100 pieces
• 1 Fresh Vegetable Crudités: $59, serves 25 to 30
• 1 Assorted Dessert Tray: $59, 40 pieces
• 1 tray Chocolate Drizzled Mini Cream Puffs: $45, 50 count
• 1 Coffee: $89, 50 servings
• 1 Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade: $89, 50 servings, cups included

That is 340 savory pieces (5.7 a guest), 90 sweets (1.5 a guest), $652 total, or $10.87 a person. Add 9.25% sales tax. Plan on a second Crudités tray if you want it for everyone, since one serves 25 to 30. Plates, Napkins & Silverware are $1.50 a person if you need them, and Disposable Appetizer Plates & Napkins are $0.99 a person if you only need finger food plates. Cost for the appetizer pieces, tray by tray, is in appetizers for a crowd.

A hall dinner for a larger group

For a restaurant-style party at a hall or a banquet room, a hot buffet at 20 guests or more takes the planning off you. For 60 guests:

• Buffet Menu 1, $18.99: 60 x $18.99 = $1,139.40
• Buffet Menu 2, $19.99: 60 x $19.99 = $1,199.40
• Buffet Menu 3, $20.99: 60 x $20.99 = $1,259.40

Menu 2 has chicken piccata, marsala, pot roast, roast turkey and our famous pork chops. Menu 3 has carved sirloin, cordon bleu, cod, brisket and salmon, and is the celebration menu. Each is before tax. If you want servers, that is a staffed event: $35 an hour each with a 4-hour minimum, a $50 event production fee and a 20% service charge on food and rentals, and we need 14 days' notice. Ask for a quote with the date and count.

Small touches that matter

• Ask the retiree's team for one food everybody knows he or she likes. If it is on our menu, we can add it.
• Put the dessert table where the toast will happen, so the sweets are within reach.
• Tell us about allergies and diets in advance. We list vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free items, and can point you to them.

More office formats are under corporate lunches, and the full guide to company orders is corporate catering in Yorkville, Aurora and Oswego.

Questions

How much food for a retirement party of 50?

For a reception, about 5 to 6 savory pieces a guest and a dessert, or about 300 pieces. For a lunch, 50 boxed lunches are $725.

Can you deliver to the office?

Yes. Delivery is quoted when you order, and the driver texts when five minutes out.

Do you provide a cake?

No. We do not list a cake. Our Assorted Dessert Tray, Cream Puffs and Cookies are the sweet choices.

How far ahead should I order?

Three days for standard orders, 14 days if you want staff.