Office Christmas parties: how restaurants win group bookings
To fill November and December with office parties, reach out in October, offer two or three group set menus at a fixed price, answer enquiries the same day and block the room when you close for private hire. Year-end groups book early and compare fast: the restaurant that replies first with a clear offer often wins.
Why year-end groups are worth the effort
An office party fills a large part of the room in a single booking, often on a weeknight, on a menu set in advance. For the kitchen and for cash flow, it is a predictable evening.
But these guests have their habits:
- They choose early. The organiser compares several restaurants weeks before the date.
- They want a price per person. The budget is fixed in advance: a set menu gets approved faster than an à la carte menu.
- They need guarantees. Capacity, times, drinks, dietary needs, an invoice in the company’s name.
Step 1: prepare a simple group offer
A group offer fits on one page:
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Menus | 2 or 3 set menus per person (starter, main, dessert, with or without a drinks package) |
| Capacity | Number of seats, private hire option |
| Dates | Evenings still free in November and December |
| Conditions | Deposit on confirmation, final head count 72 hours before, invoice in the company’s name |
| Contact | Phone and email of someone who replies quickly |
Put these menus online on your website, in a dedicated section of your menu (see how to keep a QR code menu up to date). You can then send the link with every reply.
Step 2: go and find the companies
Groups rarely come on their own. Four channels work:
- Your lunch regulars. People who eat with you on weekdays often work nearby: a note on the table or with the bill (“Organising your end-of-year party?”) is enough.
- Local companies. A short email to the office manager or HR, with your offer linked, by early November at the latest.
- Your Google profile. Publish a “Group and Christmas party menus” post: it shows on your profile, which organisers check before calling you (see our Google Business Profile checklist).
- Your social accounts. A photo of the room set for a group says more than a long text.
Step 3: reply the same day
Organisers often contact several restaurants at once. Reply the same day with:
- the dates still free;
- the link to your group menus;
- your conditions (deposit, final head count);
- an offer to hold the date, for example for 5 days.
Small groups can book directly online. With Resto1Click booking (Pro+ plan), you set a maximum online party size: above it, the booking is not refused, it becomes a request you approve, so you can talk to the guest first.
Step 4: block the room for private hire
Private hire must not overlap with online bookings taken by mistake. In Resto1Click, add an exceptional closure on the group’s date and time slot, in “Room free (private event)” mode: the room must be empty during that slot, so no online booking is offered, including those whose meal would run into it.
For a group that only takes part of the room, keep online booking open and add the group by hand (“Add a booking”): it takes its tables, and the rest of the room stays bookable.
Step 5: secure the evening
Group cancellations are expensive. Three simple rules:
- A deposit on confirmation. Resto1Click does not take deposit payments: ask for it by bank transfer against a quote, as you usually do for groups.
- A final head count set a few days before, which you invoice on.
- A reminder the day before: with Resto1Click, the reminder email goes out automatically and the guest confirms in one click.
Step 6: turn the group into regulars
A successful office party means twenty people discovering your restaurant. After the evening:
- thank the organiser and suggest they come back next year;
- invite guests to leave a Google review: Resto1Click can automatically send a review request 3 hours after the meal;
- keep the organiser’s details for next autumn.
To go further, see our ideas on customer loyalty.
FAQ
When should restaurants contact companies about Christmas parties?
In October and early November. The best December evenings go first.
What should a group offer include?
Two or three set menus at a fixed price per person, the room capacity, the free dates and your conditions.
Should a restaurant close for private hire?
Above a certain size, yes. Set a minimum for private hire and block the room in your booking tool.
How do we stop a group cancelling at the last minute?
A deposit on confirmation, a final head count set in advance and a reminder the day before.
Your groups and your everyday guests, booked on your own website.
✓ Online booking with no commission, with approval for large tables ✓ Private hire: block the room for the group’s time slot ✓ Reminder the day before and a Google review request after the meal ✓ Founder price: EUR 39/month excl. VAT for life for the first 30 restaurants, until 31 December 2026