Christmas work party catering in Auckland gets harder the closer you get to December. Every office wants the same couple of Fridays, every kitchen is working off the same calendar, and whoever's organising the party usually has a real job to do as well. Here's what we'd order for an end-of-year do, how much of it you need, and when to get your booking in with Roll'd.
Book early, because December fills up
The second and third weeks of December are the busiest of our year. If your party lands on one of those Fridays, don't leave the order until the week before. Pick the date, pick the boxes and lock it in.
Our standard cut-off is 7pm the day before. That rule holds in December too, but treat it as the bare minimum. A late order on a quiet Tuesday in March is easy. A late order on the Friday before Christmas, when half the city's offices are doing the same thing, is a gamble. If your numbers change at the last minute, call your closest store and the team will tell you what they can do.
What to order for a Christmas work party
Most work Christmas parties are people standing around with a drink in one hand. Food that needs a knife and fork, or a plate balanced on your forearm, tends to get left behind. Everything in our catering range is handheld or comes in its own bowl, it's made fresh daily, and none of it needs reheating, serving staff or setup.
- Mini Fresh Rolls, $130: 45 mini fresh rolls with sauces. It's the most pieces you'll get in any box, and the easiest thing to eat while you're holding a glass.
- Mini Bánh Mì, $140: 30 mini bánh mì baguettes. More filling than the rolls, so add these if the party runs into the evening and people are skipping dinner.
- Bao, $150: 20 mixed bao buns. A good pick for a smaller team that wants something a bit different from the usual Christmas spread.
- Best-Sellers', $150: 8 mini bowls, 8 mini fresh rolls, 6 mini bánh mì and 4 bao buns. If you don't know the crowd, start here.
- Mini Bowls, $140: 20 mini bowls across Gỏi, Bún and Cơm. These suit a seated Christmas lunch better than a standing party.
Our pick for most offices is a mix. Get one Best-Sellers' box so there's something for everyone, then make up the numbers with Mini Fresh Rolls and Mini Bánh Mì. If you'd rather keep the order short, the two combo boxes do much the same job: Mini Bánh Mì & Mini Fresh Rolls (15 bánh mì and 20 fresh rolls) and Mini Bowls & Mini Bánh Mì (10 bowls and 15 bánh mì), both $140. Premium flavours carry a small surcharge.
How much food you need per person
Every Roll'd catering box feeds 8 to 10 people. Which end of that you plan for depends on the time of day. If the party is a lunch and this is the meal, count eight people per box. If it's an afternoon do with drinks and everyone's already eaten, ten per box is plenty.
- 15 people: two boxes either way.
- 30 people: three boxes for an afternoon do, four for a lunch.
- 50 people: five boxes for an afternoon do, seven for a lunch.
When you're stuck between two numbers, round up. Nobody has ever complained about leftover fresh rolls in the office fridge on a Friday afternoon.
That works out at $13.00 to $18.75 a head depending on the box and how many you're feeding. We've broken the maths down box by box in how much catering costs per person in Auckland. If you're catering for a whole floor, our page on catering for 30 to 50 people covers bigger orders.
Sorting out dietary requirements
Ask about dietaries in the party invite. Leave it until the day before and someone ends up eating crackers.
Our Mini Fresh Rolls, Standard Fresh Rolls and Mini Bowls boxes come in vegetarian, vegan, gluten friendly, dairy free and halal friendly options. The Bao and Best-Sellers' boxes have vegetarian and halal friendly options. Tell us what your team needs to avoid when you order and we'll build the boxes around it.
One thing to pass on to anyone with a serious allergy: our food is prepared in a shared kitchen that handles all 13 major allergens, so we can't rule out cross-contact. If you or a guest has a severe allergy or coeliac disease, contact your store directly so the team can confirm. There's more detail on our nutritional, dietary and allergen information page.
Delivery, pickup and paying
We cater across Auckland from three stores: Sylvia Park, St Lukes and Botany. Delivery is $2 per kilometre from the store, with a $20 minimum, and pickup is free. If your office is close to one of them, sending someone to collect on the way in saves the fee. Check which store is nearest on our find a store page.
There's no minimum order, so one box for a small team is fine. All prices include GST. If your finance team would rather not see a credit card on the expense claim, ask for an invoice when you book.
Before the day, send the store a contact name and mobile number for whoever's receiving the order, and tell them which floor and entrance to use. Office buildings in December are full of couriers, and a driver who knows exactly where to go gets the food to you faster.
Book your Christmas catering
Pick your date, choose your boxes and get the order in before the December rush. You can see every box and book on our Christmas catering Auckland page.