How to make a group and corporate menu

What a company is looking for

The person organising a work lunch or party isn’t usually the one paying, and has to justify the choice. They need:

• A set price per head, with everything it includes.
• A document they can forward to their manager or to HR.
• Clear terms: minimum numbers, deadlines, deposit and invoice.
• Options for everyone: vegetarians, allergies, people who don’t drink.

Give them all that on one sheet and you save them work, which counts as much as the price.

One menu or several

There are two ways to do it:

• One menu with a choice of mains: sharing starters, three or four mains, dessert and drinks. The easiest for the kitchen and for the client.
• Several set menus at different prices: for example, menu A at £35, B at £42 and C at £55 with a more elaborate main or seafood. Useful if you host companies with very different budgets.

If you offer several, give each its own complete page, with price, what’s included and allergens. Mixing them on one sheet with asterisks leads to mistakes.

Typical structure

1. Sharing starters: a charcuterie board, arancini, a salad and something fried. Give the ratio, for example one platter for every four people.
2. Choice of main: a meat, a fish and a vegetarian option. If you add a pricier dish, put the supplement next to its name (“Sirloin steak +£5”).
3. Dessert: one or two to choose from.
4. Drinks: specific red and white wines, beer, soft drinks, water, coffee and, at Christmas, a glass of prosecco for the toast.

Price, drinks and terms

The price is per head, including VAT, with what’s included underneath:

£42 per head · Drinks package, coffee and a glass of prosecco included

The terms worth writing at the bottom of the menu or in the confirmation:

• Minimum numbers for the menu or to book a private room.
• Pre-order of mains in advance, for example 72 hours before.
• Drinks: which wines and how much. If there’s an optional open bar, its price and length.
• Deposit on booking: how much, whether it comes off the bill and when it’s refunded.
• Final numbers and what happens if fewer people turn up than confirmed.
• Payment: one bill or separate payments, and the details for the invoice.
• Service charge: in the UK, many restaurants add a discretionary service charge for groups; in the US, an automatic gratuity for large parties. Either way, it must be written on the menu, not discovered on the bill.

Allergens in large groups

With twenty or forty guests, an allergy or intolerance is almost certain. Ask for them with the final numbers, with each person’s name, and mark on the menu:

• Breaded food, arancini and desserts: gluten, eggs and milk.
• Squid and mussels: molluscs; prawns and langoustines, crustaceans.
• Wine-based stews and sauces: sulphites and, in stocks and gravies, celery.
• Wine, prosecco and beer: sulphites in wine and sparkling wine, and gluten in beer.

A vegetarian option among the mains avoids most last-minute changes.

When to prepare it

Group lunches happen all year round, but the peak is December. In 2027 the Fridays before Christmas are 3, 10 and 17 December, and Christmas Eve falls on a Friday. A handful of Fridays and Saturdays are shared between many companies: whoever has a menu first fills them first. A practical timeline:

• August: group menus finalised, as a PDF and on your website.
• September to early November: most bookings come in. Reply with the PDF the same day.
• One week before each party: final numbers, pre-orders and allergies.

In the US, Thanksgiving falls on 25 November 2027, so holiday parties are squeezed into the first three weeks of December. If you also open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, read the guide to the Christmas menu and the restaurant calendar.

Design and formats

The Brasserie style, classic and understated, looks serious without feeling cold. For something more contemporary, try Editorial.

• PDF on A4 to send by email. If you have several menus, one per page.
• A5 at every place setting on the night, with the company’s name as a custom date (“Christmas party · North Studio”).
• Post and story in September: “Our Christmas party menus are out”.

For the everyday lunch with colleagues from the office, your set menu of the day is still your best calling card.

Make it with MenuDesign

Open the group menu template, adjust the dishes, drinks, price and terms, and download the PDF. For several menus, duplicate it and change the dishes and price in each copy. There are more designs in the menu templates.