4 Work Party Food Ideas That Employees Actually Want

Spice up your office celebration

Throwing a wonderful work party is a tall order, especially when it comes to the food. It can be hard to cater to everyone’s tastes, preferences and restrictions with a single menu. But catering your company celebration doesn’t have to be a headache. With these five work party food ideas, you’ll be well on your way to hosting a gathering that employees can’t wait to attend. Let’s dig in!

Great work party food ideas

1. Office party potluck

When your employees all have different dietary restrictions or preferences, finding catering options that satisfy everyone can feel impossible. Potluck work parties are a great way to ensure that every employee has at least one option they’ll enjoy. Potlucks are also a great way to celebrate diversity among your employees—encourage national dishes, hometown classics or childhood favorites to foster meaningful conversations at the party. Don’t forget to supply the essentials: utensils, plates, napkins, tablecloths and decorations.

2. Make your own ___ bar

Another great way to make sure everyone walks away happy is customization. You could create a salad bar, burger bar or taco bar,  laying out platters or bowls of each ingredient so that everyone can create their perfect bite. For lighter fare, try a smoothie bar with plenty of options for fresh juices, non-dairy milks, nut butters and even protein powders. To keep things on the sweeter side, try an ice cream sundae bar with toppings galore: caramel and chocolate sauce, sprinkles, candies, chopped nuts, sliced fruits, whipped cream and don’t forget the maraschino cherries to go on top.

3. Cuisines of the world

A popular concern when it comes to work party food is that the tried and true options are just that—pizza may be a people pleaser, but it can be a little boring. Spice things up by turning your office party into a trip around the world. Choose a regional cuisine and highlight the ingredients, spices and cooking techniques from that region. You can even host a cooking class or live demonstration if someone on your team has a culinary specialty they’d like to share. If your event is a recurring gathering as opposed to a one-off celebration, it’s easy to turn the “cuisines of the world” idea into an ongoing series. Don’t forget to make it easy to send your employees home with leftovers!

4. Support a local food business

Why not use your work party to create connections with your wider community? Support local chefs, restaurant workers and food business owners in your area by hiring them to cater your company celebration. It’s a great way to build relationships with other business owners in your neighborhood. Make sure you know exactly what your caterer is bringing to the table so that you can shop for extras on your own. Paper products, beverages, snacks or desserts might be missing from the party’s menu if you don’t plan ahead.

Shop for your next work party at Walmart

Whether you’re shopping for ingredients to make your company party delicious or simply stocking up on paper plates, napkins and utensils, Walmart Business can help. With a huge range of fresh, refrigerated and frozen foods, and must-have items for your office pantry, Walmart Business has your work party list covered. Plus unlock free shipping,¹ free delivery from store on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250 when you sign up for Walmart Business+.³ You can even save over $500 a year!⁴ Learn more here.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. Additional fee applies for Express delivery.

³ Exclusions apply. See full terms for details.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).