Between mid-November and the end of December, corporate catering demand climbs fast. Thanksgiving team lunches, client appreciation events, year-end all-hands, holiday parties and “last meeting before the break” lunches all land within a few weeks. Companies also have year-end budgets to use.
The restaurants that win corporate holiday catering aren’t necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones who planned in October. Here’s how to get ready.
1. Publish a holiday catering menu early
Office coordinators start booking holiday events weeks in advance. A dedicated holiday menu, live by early November, puts you on their shortlist before they default to whoever they used last year.
- Holiday packages by headcount (“Holiday Lunch for 25,” “Year-End Celebration for 50”) make it easy to book.
- Seasonal add-ons such as desserts, festive sides and beverage packages raise average order value.
- Clearly labeled dietary options so mixed groups are covered.
- Gift and appreciation options, such as boxed lunches for client deliveries or treat boxes for teams.
2. Plan capacity before the rush
Holiday catering orders cluster on the same few weeks and often the same days. Decide in advance how many catering orders you can take per day and per time slot, and set your ordering system to enforce it. Add longer lead times for large orders, such as 72 hours or more for groups above a certain size. Saying “that slot is full, but we have 11 a.m. or the next day” is far better than accepting an order you can’t deliver well.
3. Re-engage last year’s accounts first
Your warmest holiday leads are the companies that ordered from you last year, or that ordered at any point this year. Reach out in early November with the holiday menu and an offer to hold their date. A catering CRM with order history makes this list easy to build: filter by last order date, company size and past holiday orders, and send a short, personal note.
New to working corporate accounts? Our playbook for winning corporate catering clients covers outreach and follow-up.
4. Make ordering direct and self-serve
During the holidays, phone lines get busy and emails get buried. A direct online catering ordering page lets coordinators pick a date, choose a package, add notes and pay without waiting on a callback. It also keeps your busiest, highest-ticket weeks on your own channel, with every new holiday customer added to your own customer list.
5. Lock in delivery before you need it
Holiday traffic, weather and volume all stress delivery. Confirm driver availability ahead of time, whether that’s your own team or a catering-trained fleet. Build buffer time into delivery windows and confirm every order the day before with the delivery time and on-site contact. Nibble’s partnership with Expedite was built for exactly this kind of end-to-end control; read more in Nibble + Expedite.
6. Turn holiday orders into next year’s accounts
Holiday catering often introduces you to a company’s decision-makers for the first time. Don’t let it be a one-off. Follow up in January with a thank-you and an easy way to reorder for their first team lunch of the new year. A single holiday party can become a standing monthly account.
Frequently asked questions
When should restaurants launch a holiday catering menu?
Ideally by the first week of November. Many companies plan holiday events in late October and early November, especially for December dates.
How far in advance should corporate holiday catering be booked?
For large groups, two to four weeks ahead is common during peak season. Setting longer lead times for big orders helps protect kitchen capacity.
How do I avoid overbooking during the holidays?
Set daily and time-slot limits for catering orders in your ordering system, require minimum lead times for large orders and confirm every order the day before delivery.
Ready to take catering orders direct? Book a demo of Nibble ONE and see how restaurants run direct catering ordering, CRM and delivery in one place.
