Plan an office party budget.
The number that makes or breaks an office party budget is attendance, not headcount. Catering is committed per head against a guaranteed minimum, so over-forecasting attendance means paying for empty seats and under-forecasting means running short. Seventy to eighty percent of invitees is typical for a voluntary work event, lower if it falls outside working hours or requires travel. Venue and entertainment are fixed and dilute across attendees, which is why the cost per attendee is a poor guide to the marginal cost of one more person — that is just the catering rate. Tracking the variance against the approved budget is what keeps the conversation with finance short.
Office Party Planner
Attendees = headcount x attendance rate%; catering = attendees x per-attendee cost; total = catering + venue + entertainment; variance = approved budget - total
Seventy-five percent for an in-hours event at or near the office, 50-60% if it is in the evening, requires travel or falls near a holiday. Confirm with an RSVP before committing to the catering minimum.
Most venues want a guaranteed minimum 72 hours out and will cater a small percentage above it. Set the guarantee slightly below your RSVP count rather than above — the upside is usually covered, the downside is not refunded.