Corporate event activity ideas: which one to choose by occasion, headcount and budget (2026)
Which activity for a company event: ideas by occasion (seminar, afterwork, end-of-year, Christmas, wellbeing), by headcount, budget and 27 live food stations from €600 excl. VAT.
The right corporate event activity depends first on the occasion, then the headcount, then the budget. In the morning, go for hot drinks and juices (barista, juice bar); at the break, something sweet (crêpes, waffles); in the evening, standing formats (mini burgers, mocktail bar) and entertainment (quiz, DJ, photo booth). At L'Écrin Traiteur, a live food station starts at €600 excl. VAT, at least €12 excl. VAT per person for 50 guests. This guide sorts ideas by occasion and headcount, and shows how to combine an activity with catering.
Which activity for which occasion?
The table matches each common company occasion with live food stations from our catalogue and the entertainment activities most often seen there.
The full catalogue is on the live food stations page: 29 stations across five themes, breakfast and brunch, lunch, street food, sweets and bars.
Which activity for how many people?
Headcount decides the number of stations and how much an activity weighs in the budget per person. The minimum below is the L'Écrin Traiteur live station floor divided by the headcount.
| Headcount | Example | Live food station, minimum per person | What works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 20 people | 15 people | €40.00 excl. VAT | A short entertainment activity (quiz, creative workshop) or a more generous delivered break: at this size, a live food station costs more per person than an 8-piece cocktail reception. |
| 20 to 50 people | 30 people | €20.00 excl. VAT | A single live food station at the key moment: barista at the welcome, crêpes at the break, mini burgers at the afterwork. Examples: Barista, Crêpe & Pancake Station, Mini Burger Station. |
| 50 to 150 people | 80 people | €7.50 excl. VAT | One live food station plus one entertainment activity, or two food stations to avoid queues: one savoury, one sweet. Examples: Fresh Salmon Carving, Artisan Ice Cream Bar. |
| Over 150 people | 200 people | €3.00 excl. VAT | Several stations spread around the room, one per theme, with a delivered cocktail reception alongside: service does not rely on a single station. Examples: Fresh Salmon Carving, Sushi & Maki Station, Mini Burger Station, Mocktail Bar. |
A useful benchmark: an 8-piece cocktail reception costs €29.90 excl. VAT per person. As long as the floor per person is above that, a live food station alone is not the best spend.
How much does a corporate event activity cost?
A live food station is priced in two parts, set-up and servings. At L'Écrin Traiteur, the floor is €600 excl. VAT, set-up and clearing included, and the exact price is set in the quote depending on date, venue, headcount, duration and access.
Live food station or entertainment activity?
- A live food station feeds people while entertaining them: it replaces part of the buffet or cocktail reception, and everyone stops by, even those who do not want to play a game.
- An entertainment activity (quiz, escape game, DJ, photo booth) creates a shared moment but does not feed anyone: you need catering alongside.
- A workshop where guests cook is team building: it needs an equipped kitchen or a dedicated venue, and two to three hours. Our stations are prepared in front of guests by a host, without making them cook.
- Both together work above 50 people: a food station while the quiz or the DJ holds the rest of the room.
Live food station ideas by time of day
- Morning welcome: Barista, Fresh Juice Bar, Scrambled Eggs to Order, Yoghurt & Granola Bar, New York Bagel Station. For coffee without a host, the Professional Espresso Machine Hire for Offices.
- Break: Crêpe & Pancake Station, Belgian Waffle Station, Fresh Fruit Bar, Sweet Popcorn Station, Dessert Station.
- Lunch: Italian Pasta to Order, Focaccia & Burrata Station, Lebanese Wrap & Pita Station, Mini Baguette Station, Gourmet Brunch.
- Cocktail reception and evening: Fresh Salmon Carving, Aged Cheese Station, Artisan Charcuterie Station, Sushi & Maki Station, Lobster Roll Station.
- Afterwork: Mini Burger Station, Gourmet Taco Station, Loaded Fries Station, Mocktail Bar.
- Parties and children: Artisan Ice Cream Bar, Chocolate Fountain, Candy Floss Station.
The charcuterie is halal (dried beef, smoked turkey, bresaola), like all the meat in the stations. For dates in the calendar, see Candlemas, the wellbeing week, Halloween and the end-of-year party.
How much to budget for an activity with catering?
Three examples calculated at the €600 excl. VAT floor, with catalogue prices for the rest and a €29 excl. VAT delivery. The actual price of the station is set in the quote.
| Occasion | Delivered service | Activity | Minimum total excl. VAT | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar welcome, 30 people | Classic breakfast: €269 | Barista: €600 | €869 | €28.97 |
| Afterwork, 50 people | 8-piece cocktail reception, juice and water: €1,695.50 | Mini Burger Station: €600 | €2,295.50 | €45.91 |
| Staff party, 50 people | Afternoon break: €329 | Artisan Ice Cream Bar: €600 | €929 | €18.58 |
More on budget: live food stations, ideas and budget and which caterer for a live food station.
Organising an activity: the checklist
- Set the occasion and time: the activity goes where everyone is, at the welcome, the break or the start of the evening.
- Confirm the headcount: it decides the number of stations and the quantities.
- Check the venue: space near where people pass, a power socket for hot stations, set-up time, access and lift.
- List dietary needs: vegetarian, gluten-free, allergies, given with the order.
- Book early: at least a week for a live food station, more in December.
- Adjust the rest: remove from the buffet or cocktail reception what the station already serves.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the activity before the headcount: under 20 people, a live food station weighs more than €30 excl. VAT per person.
- One station for 200 people: queues kill the mood, plan several stations.
- An activity with nothing to eat: a quiz or a DJ needs catering alongside.
- Putting the station at the back of the room: a station away from the flow stays empty.
- Forgetting the power supply: crêpes, waffles, burgers and pasta need a socket.
Frequently asked questions about corporate event activities
What activity should we plan for a company event?
Choose by occasion and headcount: a barista or a juice bar for a seminar, mini burgers or a mocktail bar for an afterwork, salmon carving or an ice cream bar for an end-of-year party, candy floss for a family Christmas party. L'Écrin Traiteur offers 27 live food stations from €600 excl. VAT in Paris and the Île-de-France region.
Which activity for a small group of under 20 people?
A short activity with little equipment, such as a quiz or a creative workshop, or a more generous delivered break. A live food station at the €600 excl. VAT floor costs €40.00 excl. VAT per person for 15 guests, more than an 8-piece cocktail reception at €29.90 excl. VAT.
How much does a corporate event activity cost?
It depends on the format. At L'Écrin Traiteur, a live food station starts at €600 excl. VAT, at least €12 excl. VAT per person for 50 guests. Entertainment activities (quiz, DJ, photo booth) are priced separately, as a flat fee or per person, by specialist providers.
Which activity for a company seminar?
In the morning, a barista, a fresh juice bar or scrambled eggs to order for the welcome; during breaks, a yoghurt and granola bar or a fresh fruit bar. The activity goes where everyone is, not during working sessions.
Which activity for an afterwork?
Standing, quick formats: mini burgers, gourmet tacos, loaded fries or a mocktail bar, 100% alcohol-free. For entertainment, a one-hour quiz or music quiz works well up to about fifty people.
Which activity for a company end-of-year party?
A savoury station people notice, such as fresh salmon carving or a sushi station, a sweet station such as the ice cream bar, and an entertainment activity (DJ, photo booth, magician). Above 150 guests, plan several stations to avoid queues.
Which activity for a company Christmas party with children?
Sweet stations children can watch being made: candy floss, sweet popcorn, chocolate fountain, crêpes. They pair well with a magician or a caricaturist.
How far ahead should we book an activity?
At least a week for a live food station at L'Écrin Traiteur, earlier in December. The quote is sent within 24 hours; from 50 people, the firm order for the delivered part is placed 48 hours ahead.
What do we need on site for an activity?
Space near where people pass, a power socket for hot stations (crêpes, waffles, eggs, pasta, burgers), the set-up time and access to the venue. Give these details when you ask for a quote.
Do live food stations suit every diet?
At L'Écrin Traiteur, the meat in the stations is halal (charcuterie, burgers, tacos, wraps, baguettes). The mini burgers (plant-based patty on request), tacos and wraps (falafel) have a vegetarian option; gluten-free is specified with the order.
Ask for an activity quote
Give the date, venue, headcount, duration and access: L'Écrin Traiteur replies within 24 hours, with a company invoice and VAT. Ask for a quote. See also the 10 live food station ideas.
L'Écrin Traiteur prices, October 2026, in euros excluding VAT, delivery at €29 excl. VAT in Paris and nearby towns, minimum order €50 excl. VAT.
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