Corporate after-work drinks ideas: 12 formats, budget per person and logistics

Corporate after-work drinks cost €29.90 to €51.90 per person excl. VAT as a delivered cocktail reception, €34.90 to €37.90 excl. VAT as a sharing menu, and entertainment is added from €600 excl. VAT. Here are 12 after-work drinks ideas you can put together with what L'Écrin Traiteur actually delivers, with the budget per person worked out, the timing and the logistics.

Which corporate after-work drinks idea should you choose for your budget?

For 20 to 50 people, five formats have a catalogue price, from €6 to €51.90 per person excl. VAT; the appetiser platters and the six live stations are priced on a quote, the latter from €600 excl. VAT. The table gives the delivered budget for 20 and 50 people, with a single €29 excl. VAT delivery.

Format	What L'Écrin delivers	20 people	50 people
1. Afternoon break	Sweet treats and a drink, from €6 per person excl. VAT, for light after-work drinks	120 + 29 = €149	300 + 29 = €329
2. 8-canapé drinks reception	L'Invitation: 6 savoury and 2 sweet, €29.90 per person	598 + 29 = €627	1,495 + 29 = €1,524
3. 12-canapé cocktail reception	La Réception: land and sea, €40.90 per person	818 + 29 = €847	2,045 + 29 = €2,074
4. Dinner reception	La Célébration: 16 canapés, €51.90 per person	1,038 + 29 = €1,067	2,595 + 29 = €2,624
5. Sharing menu	Le Jardin €34.90, Le Méditerranéen €37.50, Le Parisien €37.90 per person	€727 to €787	€1,774 to €1,924
6. Appetiser platters	Mini baguettes, club sandwiches, wraps, mini burgers, aged cheeses, halal pork-free charcuterie, crudités and dips	On a quote	On a quote

The cocktail reception selections are on the corporate cocktail receptions page, the platters on the appetiser platters page.

Which live stations can you add to after-work drinks?

Six live stations bring something prepared on the spot to after-work drinks, with a minimum of €600 excl. VAT: at least €30 per person excl. VAT for 20 guests, €12 excl. VAT for 50. The exact price is set on a quote according to the date, venue, headcount, duration and access. Installation and dismantling are included.

Format	What your guests receive	Ideal moment
7. Street food	Mini burgers (cheeseburger, crispy chicken, halloumi), gourmet tacos (chicken, beef, falafel) or loaded fries	Team after-work drinks, launch evening
8. Mocktail bar	100% alcohol-free cocktails made to order by a bartender	Any evening, without leaving anyone out
9. Coffee tasting	Barista: espresso, cappuccino, latte, flat white, hot chocolate, teas	Late-afternoon after-work drinks
10. Sushi and maki	Makis, california rolls, nigiris, gyozas; option without raw fish; or fresh salmon carving	Partner evening, dinner reception
11. Cheese or charcuterie	Aged cheese station, or halal pork-free charcuterie sliced to order	Friendly after-work drinks, seated or standing
12. Sweet treats	Ice cream bar, chocolate fountain, candyfloss or sweet popcorn	Team party, end of a summer's day

The full descriptions are on the live cooking stations page, and their price depends on the date, the venue and the headcount.

How much do after-work drinks for 20 or 50 people cost, alcohol-free drinks included?

After-work drinks for 20 people with L'Invitation cost €794.60 excl. VAT including delivery and alcohol-free drinks, so €39.73 per person excl. VAT; for 50 people, €1,928.50 excl. VAT, so €38.57 per person excl. VAT. Drinks are counted at 4 glasses per person.

Item	20 people	50 people
Canapés (8 per person)	€598.00	€1,495.00
Chardonnay 0% (1 flute)	4 bottles: €67.60	9 bottles: €152.10
Juice (2 glasses)	8 L: €76.00	20 L: €190.00
Water (1 glass)	5 bottles: €24.00	13 bottles: €62.40
Delivery (1 delivery)	€29.00	€29.00
Total excl. VAT	€794.60	€1,928.50
Per person	€39.73	€38.57

Without the Chardonnay 0%, the budget falls by €67.60 excl. VAT for 20 people and by €152.10 excl. VAT for 50: the sparkling drink is the first extra to remove.

How long do after-work drinks last, and how many canapés should you plan?

After-work drinks last 1.5 to 2 hours with 8 canapés per person, more than 2 hours with 12 canapés, and 16 canapés if they replace dinner. Keep two thirds savoury to one third sweet: savoury canapés go twice as fast as sweet ones at the start of the evening.

• 30 to 45 minutes before: delivery, platters set out, drinks chilled.
• 0 to 20 minutes: guests arrive, first savoury canapés.
• 20 minutes to 1 hour: the main part of the service, a good moment for a word from the team.
• 1 hour to 1.5 hours: the sweet comes to the fore, with the cake for a leaving party.

The packages and their selection are also detailed on the corporate after-work drinks catering page.

Which after-work drinks format should you choose for the headcount and the moment?

Choose a light format under 15 people, an 8-canapé cocktail reception for 20 to 30 people, and add a live station from 20 guests, when the €600 excl. VAT minimum falls below €30 per person excl. VAT. The table gives the benchmark by headcount.

Headcount	Recommended format	Why
10 to 15 people	Afternoon break or appetiser platters	A live station would cost €40 to €60 per person excl. VAT at the minimum (600 ÷ 15, 600 ÷ 10)
20 to 30 people	L'Invitation, with or without a live station	The minimum comes to €20 to €30 per person excl. VAT
50 people and over	La Réception, on two tables, with a live station	The minimum comes to €12 per person excl. VAT or less

For a leaving party, add a cake to share: the large lemon meringue tart serves 10 to 12 people for €59.90 excl. VAT, two cover 20 people for €119.80 excl. VAT.

How do you organise after-work drinks: setup, waste, timing?

The logistics come down to four points: delivery 30 to 45 minutes before the start, platters spread over two tables beyond 30 people, disposable cups and cutlery included, no service to provide. The €29 excl. VAT delivery includes neither setting up nor collecting equipment.

• Timing: order until 2 pm the day before, delivery Monday to Friday just before the drinks; 48 hours' notice from 50 people.
• Waste: disposable cups, tableware and cutlery are included at no extra cost; plan a bag and a sorting point. Reusable tableware means collecting the equipment, €19 excl. VAT on top of delivery.
• Live stations: electrical access and space to be provided on your side for the hot stations.
• Dietary needs: everything is halal and pork-free, alcohol-free; vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free on request.

Which common mistakes should you avoid for after-work drinks?

Six mistakes cost after-work drinks money or atmosphere. Most come down to the order of decisions: headcount first, format next, live station last, with a full alcohol-free drinks list from the start of the order.

• Choosing the live station before the headcount: under 20 guests, the minimum goes over €30 per person excl. VAT.
• Combining a live station with a full cocktail reception: the live station replaces some of the canapés, ask what can be removed.
• Cutting back on savoury: it goes twice as fast as sweet.
• Taking 16 canapés for 1.5 hours: 8 canapés are enough, so €22 per person excl. VAT less.
• Placing the live station away from the flow of people: a station at the back of a room goes unused.
• Forgetting the alcohol-free options: plan at least three juice flavours, a 0% sparkling drink and water.

What are the frequently asked questions about corporate after-work drinks ideas?

How do you request a quote for your after-work drinks?

Give the date, address, time, headcount and the live stations you have in mind: the quote comes back within 24 hours, with company invoicing and VAT. For a tight budget, see also our guide to the affordable dinner reception. Request your quote. L'Écrin Traiteur prices, October 2026.