Office Holiday Party Catering in NJ: How Much to Order, What It Costs, and What to Serve

If you're planning the office holiday party, you have two questions before anything else: how much food do we need, and what's it going to cost?

Here are straight answers, with sample menus and per-person prices from the Cubano X-Press catering menu. We cater offices and gatherings across Essex County, including Belleville, Bloomfield, Nutley, Montclair, Clifton, and Newark. Still deciding on a catering style? Start with our overview of Cuban catering trays for fall and holiday parties.

How Much Food to Order for an Office Party

Our trays keep the math simple. Half trays feed 8 to 10, full trays feed 18 to 20, and salad bowls feed 10 to 12.

For a lunch or dinner party, plan on one or two mains, two or three sides, and a salad.

For a grazing party with drinks and mingling, plan on three or four appetizers.

When you're between sizes, round up. Leftovers at an office never go to waste. Someone always has containers.

What Office Party Catering Costs Per Person

Team of 10: Half trays of Pollo al Mojo, Congrí, and Maduros, 10 empanadas, and a Cuban Caesar bowl with romaine, plantain croutons, lemon dressing, and shaved queso. About $185, or $18.50 a person.

Team of 20: Full trays of Pollo al Mojo, Yellow Rice, Cuban Black Beans, and Maduros, a half tray of Tofu Picadillo for vegetarians, 20 empanadas, and two Cuban Salad bowls. About $445, or roughly $22 a person.

Team of 40 or more: Double up the full trays, or have the truck serve your team on-site. Here's how booking the Cubano X-Press food truck works.

Prices are from our current catering menu, before tax.

Building a Menu for a Crowd with Mixed Tastes

An office party might be the widest range of eaters you'll feed all year. A few ways to cover everyone:

Lead with chicken and a vegetarian main, then add pork or beef. Not everyone eats pork, and this way every plate has options.

Vegetarian picks: Tofu Picadillo, Vegetable Stew, and our salads. We offer gluten-free options too, so just ask.

For the less adventurous: Our chef spent 15 years cooking Italian, and Chicken Marsala and Chicken Francaise are on the menu.

Want to go bigger? Swap in Ropa Vieja, Steak with Chimichurri, or Shrimp in Garlic Sauce.

Early December Gatherings: An Appetizer Spread for Open Houses and Parties

Not every December party is a sit-down meal. Holiday open houses, tree trimming nights, book clubs, the friend group's yearly dinner that finally made it onto everyone's calendar. These run on food people can eat standing up with a drink in the other hand.

Our appetizers fit right in: Ham Croquettes, Papa Rellena (stuffed beef potato balls), empanadas, Chorizo in Garlic Tomato Sauce with Cuban toasted bread, and Cuban Polenta with sofrito mayo and queso blanco.

Open house for 20: Full trays of Ham Croquettes, Papa Rellena, and Chorizo with Cuban toasted bread, plus 20 empanadas. About $270, or $13.50 a person.

Your Office Party Catering Timeline

Four weeks out: Pick the date and get a rough headcount.

Three weeks out: Book your catering and lock in the date.

Two weeks out: Collect dietary needs and finalize the menu.

A few days out: Confirm your final headcount.

Our holiday catering calendar wraps up in December, so if your party falls in the first half of the month, that four-week window starts now.

Book Your Holiday Party Catering

Email cubanoxpress@gmail.com with your date, headcount, location, and whether you want trays or the truck, or start on our catering page.

Hosting Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving first? See our Cuban Thanksgiving menu guide.