ezCater Unwraps 2024's Workplace Holiday Party Trends

Report reveals rising attendance rates and growing budgets for year-end office celebrations

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As holiday festivities draw near, ezCater, the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US, today released its Workplace Holiday Party Trends Report. Based on a survey of office workers and party planners, the report reveals that 81% of employees plan to attend their company’s holiday celebration this year and 43% of businesses are increasing their party budgets. Above all, food is set to be the star of the event, with 78% saying it is what they look forward to the most.

“With employee attendance and budgets trending up, holiday gatherings continue to be a big part of workplace culture," said Kaushik Subramanian, Chief Revenue Officer, ezCater. "Employees are increasingly looking for ways to socialize and build camaraderie, and there’s no better opportunity for that than over a meal at the company holiday party.”

Key findings from ezCater’s report include:

• Holiday party attendance is trending upwards: Planners estimate that 69% of employees attended last year's holiday party and 81% of employees say they plan to attend it this year.
• Food fuels excitement and camaraderie at holiday parties: A majority of employees (78%) are most excited about the food at holiday parties, with 85% believing it plays a central role in fostering social interaction.
• Alcohol might not make the guest list this year: Although 89% of employees say they try to avoid drinking too much at workplace holiday parties, 27% of decision-makers don’t feel comfortable making alcoholic beverages available in a work setting.
• Companies are increasing their holiday party budgets: 43% of decision-makers expect to spend more on this year’s holiday party than last year’s. On average, they plan to spend $44 per guest on food and beverage.
• Partying on the clock is a much-anticipated holiday gift: 55% of employees favor afternoon office celebrations. Gen Z workers are 50% more likely to look forward to early work dismissals than any other generation.

The full findings from ezCater’s Workplace Holiday Party Trends Report are here. Customers can also find a selection of seasonal menu items for holiday celebrations at www.ezcater.com.

Methodology

In August 2024, ezCater surveyed 1,007 full-time employees and 608 decision-makers nationwide who are involved in the planning process to understand how they feel about workplace holiday parties and gauge their plans for the 2024 office holiday party season.

About ezCater

ezCater is the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US. The company makes it easy for any organization to manage its food needs and order from over 100,000 restaurants nationwide. For workplaces, ezCater provides flexible and scalable solutions for everything from recurring employee meals to one-off meetings, all backed by beyond helpful 24/7 service and business-grade reliability. For restaurant partners, ezCater helps grow their business by bringing them more orders and new high-value customers. To learn more, visit www.ezcater.com.