By the Little Italy Catering team · Updated · 6 min read
Which package and price should you use?
Italian Lunch Essentials is $13.95/person, minimum 10 guests. It includes one pasta, lasagna or other listed entrée, italian garden salad, garlic bread. Cookies, desserts, drinks and additional proteins are not included. Delivery and 13% HST are additional. Optional extras are charged separately.
Italian Lunch Essentials: minimum 10 guests; Signature Italian Buffet: minimum 10 guests; Italian Feast Buffet: minimum 15 guests.
- Italian Lunch Essentials — $13.95/person: One pasta, lasagna or other listed entrée; Italian garden salad; Garlic bread.
- Signature Italian Buffet — $17.95/person: Chicken, meatball or other listed entrée; Italian salad; Garlic ciabatta.
- Italian Feast Buffet — $22.95/person: Choice of entrée; Two sides or salads; Garlic bread; Optional dessert upgrade, quoted separately.
There is no complimentary cookie, dessert, drink or additional protein in Essentials. Optional extras are selected and charged separately. Do not add a second charge for food already included in your chosen package.
What does a 30-guest order cost?
The following planning examples include the food, one standard Toronto delivery and 13% HST, with no optional extras preselected.
| Menu | Food | Delivery | HST | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Lunch Essentials | $418.50 | $40 | $59.61 | $518.11 |
| Signature Italian Buffet | $538.50 | $40 | $75.21 | $653.71 |
| Italian Feast Buffet | $688.50 | $40 | $94.71 | $823.21 |
The written quote confirms the actual delivery fee, selected extras and availability. See the full menu, pricing breakdown, pan sizes and prices or calculate a different headcount.
Plan an office Christmas lunch around the meal time, guest count, room access and budget. This guide compares the regular Little Italy Catering menus for holiday and year-end gatherings, with worked totals for 40 guests. There is no separate holiday package or published seasonal cutoff; holiday availability and the delivery window require written confirmation.
When should you book Christmas party catering?
Our minimum notice is 48 hours all year, including December. But December is when many offices want the same handful of dates, so the ones you want may already be taken by the time the headcount is final. The practical advice is simple: request a quote as soon as your date is set, even if the headcount is still moving. Availability is confirmed in the written quote; the order is confirmed after you approve it.
We don't publish a December cut-off date, because availability depends on the menu, location and the orders already booked. Christmas Day and other holiday availability, and the delivery window, are confirmed in the quote. If your party is on a specific day that cannot move, ask early rather than relying on the 48-hour minimum.
What should you serve at an office Christmas party?
Whatever you choose, put at least one meat-free choice on the table, such as Eggplant and White Bean Ragu or Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells, and send every allergy with your request. We confirm ingredients per order and don't make blanket dietary claims.
Should the party be a lunch or an evening event?
Both work well with a delivered buffet, but they call for different planning.
If you are splitting a team across two sittings or two office locations, treat them as two orders, each meeting its selected menu’s minimum, so each delivery arrives hot for its own meal time.
What about dessert and drinks?
How do you settle the headcount in December?
December attendance is slippery. People take vacation days, some bring a plus-one, and remote staff may or may not come in. A few habits help:
- Send the invitation with an RSVP and a dietary question in one form. You get your count and your meat-free and allergy numbers at the same time.
- Request the quote with your best estimate, then update the headcount before you approve it.
- Order for people who will eat, not everyone invited. Each primary buffet package is portioned per guest, so a large cushion adds cost without adding much value.
How should you time the food?
Our standard service is hot delivery in disposable catering trays, set up for self-serve with serving utensils and dish labels. The arrival window is confirmed in your quote. To get the timing right:
- Tell us the time people will start eating, not the time the party starts. If speeches or a gift exchange come first, say so.
- If the food will sit out for a long party, ask about chafing equipment; it is quoted separately on request.
- Staff to serve or replenish are not part of standard service. If you want them, raise it before booking so it can be confirmed and quoted.
- Plan where dessert and drinks go, separate from the main line, so the queue keeps moving.
What building details matter in December?
Office buildings often run reduced hours, close loading docks early or tighten security around the holidays. When you request a quote, include the full address and suite, parking or loading access, elevator and security sign-in notes, and an on-site contact who will be there when the food arrives. If the party is off-site in a rented room, check that the venue allows a delivered self-serve buffet.
Christmas party catering checklist
- Pick the date and request a quote right away, even with an estimated headcount.
- Choose lunch or evening, then the package that fits.
- Send one RSVP form that collects attendance, meat-free counts and allergies.
- Confirm building access and an on-site contact for the delivery.
- Finalize the headcount and approve the written quote.
- On the day, clear a table for the trays and set out plates at the start of the line.
Payment is due on the event date unless your approved quote or invoice says otherwise. For year-round team lunches after the holidays, see our office and corporate catering page.
Plan the serving window and leftovers
Tell us if the meal will be served over several sittings or held until later. Discuss suitable delivery and holding arrangements before booking; packaging alone does not solve that question. For handling, storage and reheating guidance, use Health Canada’s general food safety tips. Equipment and staff, if required, must be quoted and confirmed separately.
What should you send with a quote request?
Send the event date, serving time, number of guests, selected menu, address and dietary needs. List requested extras separately so the food already included in the package remains clear. Mention parking, loading, elevators or security check-in and provide an on-site contact.
Minimum 48 hours’ notice. Order cut-off: noon, two days before your order date. Your written quote confirms availability. Your request is an enquiry, not an automatic booking. The team confirms the menu and availability before you approve the written quote.
