A retirement party for 40 guests comes to €1,543.30 excl. VAT for an 8-canapé cocktail reception, alcohol-free drinks and delivery included, so €38.58 excl. VAT per guest, and to €269 excl. VAT as an afternoon break. Here are the buffet, the drink quantities, the running order and each person's share of the collection, from 10 to 60 people. For an ordinary leaving party, see organising a leaving party at work.

Which buffet should you choose for a retirement party?

Choose the 12-canapé cocktail reception at €40.90 excl. VAT per person if the party replaces lunch, the 8-canapé one at €29.90 excl. VAT at the end of the day, or the afternoon break from €6 excl. VAT in the afternoon. A retirement brings more people together and lasts longer: plan 2 hours.

  • Afternoon break, from €6 excl. VAT: in the afternoon, 20 to 30 minutes, pastry and drink included (afternoon breaks).
  • L'Invitation cocktail reception, 8 canapés, €29.90 excl. VAT: end of the day, 6 savoury and 2 sweet canapés (corporate cocktail receptions).
  • La Réception cocktail reception, 12 canapés, €40.90 excl. VAT: midday or early evening, 9 savoury and 3 sweet canapés.
  • Sharing menu, €34.90 to €37.90 excl. VAT: lunch placed in the centre of the table, Le Jardin being 100% vegetarian (sharing menus).
  • Cake to share, €44.90 to €69.90 excl. VAT: 6 to 12 slices, as an extra or on its own.

What budget should you plan for a retirement party?

Allow €38 to €41 excl. VAT per guest for an 8-canapé cocktail reception with drinks, and €49 to €52 excl. VAT for a 12-canapé cocktail reception. The table gives the total from 10 to 60 guests, the retiree included, with the €29 excl. VAT delivery, for a single delivery.

GuestsAfternoon break8-canapé cocktail reception, drinks included12-canapé cocktail reception, drinks included
10€89.00€414.20€524.20
20€149.00€794.60€1,014.60
40€269.00€1,543.30€1,983.30
60€389.00€2,292.00€2,952.00

Calculation for 40 guests with 8 canapés: 40 × €29.90 = €1,196; 7 bottles of 0% Chardonnay × €16.90 = €118.30; 16 L of juice × €9.50 = €152; 10 bottles of water × €4.80 = €48; delivery €29; total €1,543.30. The guide to the ordinary leaving party gives €770.60 excl. VAT for 20 people: the same cocktail reception, without the water, so €24 less. Order for the confirmed headcount plus 10%.

How many drinks should you plan for a retirement party?

For 40 guests, plan 7 bottles of 0% Chardonnay, 16 litres of juice and 10 bottles of water of 75 cl, so €318.30 excl. VAT before delivery. The rule: 1 flute, 2 glasses of juice and 1 glass of water per person, so 4 drinks for 2 hours.

Guests0% Chardonnay (75 cl)Juice (1 L)Water (75 cl)Total excl. VAT before delivery
10243€86.20
20485€167.60
4071610€318.30
60102415€469.00

A 75 cl bottle serves 6 flutes, a litre of juice 5 glasses. For coffee at the end of the buffet, allow one 1 L thermos for 12 people: 4 thermoses for 40 guests, €78 excl. VAT. The details are in the guide to drinks per person.

Leaving party: how much should you give, and how do you split the collection?

There is no standard amount: each person's share is the budget divided by the number of participants. For a buffet of €1,543.30 excl. VAT and 40 guests, the share is €38.58 excl. VAT, plus €2.50 per €100 of gift.

ParticipantsAfternoon break, per person8-canapé cocktail reception, per person12-canapé cocktail reception, per personGift, per €100
10€8.90€41.42€52.42€10.00
20€7.45€39.73€50.73€5.00
40€6.73€38.58€49.58€2.50
60€6.48€38.20€49.20€1.67

If the retiree does not contribute, divide by one participant fewer: 1,543.30 ÷ 39 = €39.57. The buffet and the gift can also be funded separately, one by the company, the other by the collection: that is an internal decision, and the calculation stays the same. To aim for a set amount, work it backwards: 40 participants × €5 = €200.

How do you organise a retirement party?

Organise it in six steps over three weeks: set the date and the budget, invite, request the quote, send reminders, order the day before by 2 pm, keep to a 2-hour running order. The office manager runs it; the manager or senior management gives the speech.

  1. D-21: date, venue, budget, collection opened with a person in charge and a closing date.
  2. D-14: invitation with a reply deadline and dietary requirements, template in the 8 invitation templates.
  3. D-10: quote request, sent within 24 hours.
  4. D-3: chase up replies, collect dietary requirements, close the collection, buy the gift.
  5. D-1 before 2 pm: firm order for the confirmed headcount plus 10%. From 50 people or for several sites, 48 hours' notice recommended.
  6. On the day: delivery from 6:30 am; it does not include set-up, so appoint someone.

What running order for a 2-hour retirement party?

Plan 20 minutes of welcome with drinks, 20 minutes of speeches (manager, one or two colleagues, the retiree's reply) with the gift and the toast, then the buffet and conversation, and dessert with coffee in the last half hour.

What ideas for a retirement party?

  • A cake to share at the time of the toast: large lemon meringue tart at €59.90 excl. VAT or large hazelnut praline cake at €69.90 excl. VAT, 10 to 12 slices.
  • A box to take home for the retiree: 24 exceptional macarons at €64 excl. VAT, or 20 madeleines at €49 excl. VAT.
  • An alcohol-free toast: a flute of 0% Chardonnay for everyone, with no distinction.
  • A guest book or a video of messages, prepared in the two weeks before the party.
  • A food station for a big send-off: mocktail bar, 100% alcohol-free, on quote, floor price €600 excl. VAT.

Which mistakes should you avoid for a retirement party?

  • Opening the collection without a target budget: work out the total first, then each person's share.
  • Ordering from the guest list: former colleagues reply late, so chase up at D-3.
  • Forgetting the closing date of the collection: the gift must be bought before the party.
  • Leaving the buffet open during the speeches: welcome people first, serve afterwards.
  • Planning a set-up with no one in charge: delivery includes neither set-up nor collection.

Frequently asked questions about retirement parties

Which buffet for a retirement party?

A 12-canapé cocktail reception at €40.90 excl. VAT per person if the party replaces lunch, an 8-canapé cocktail reception at €29.90 excl. VAT at the end of the day, or an afternoon break from €6 excl. VAT in the afternoon. Add a cake to share for the toast.

What does a retirement party cost?

For 40 guests, €269 excl. VAT as an afternoon break, €1,543.30 excl. VAT as an 8-canapé cocktail reception with alcohol-free drinks, €1,983.30 excl. VAT as a 12-canapé cocktail reception. The €29 excl. VAT delivery is included, calculated for a single delivery.

Leaving party: how much should you give?

There is no standard amount. Each person's share is the total budget divided by the number of participants: €1,543.30 ÷ 40 guests = €38.58, plus €2.50 per €100 of gift. Set the budget before asking for contributions.

How many drinks for a leaving party of 40 people?

Plan 7 bottles of 0% Chardonnay (one flute per person), 16 litres of juice (two glasses) and 10 bottles of water of 75 cl (one glass), so €318.30 excl. VAT. Add 4 thermoses of coffee, €78 excl. VAT, if you serve coffee.

How do you organise a retirement party?

Set the date, the budget and the collection three weeks ahead, send the invitation with a reply deadline, request the quote, send a reminder at D-3 and order the day before by 2 pm. Plan 2 hours: welcome, speeches, toast, buffet.

Until when can you order the buffet for a leaving party?

Until 2 pm the day before, for delivery from 6:30 am Monday to Friday. From 50 people or for several sites, 48 hours' notice is recommended. The quote is sent within 24 hours, with company invoicing and purchase orders accepted.

How do you request a quote for a retirement party?

Give the date, the headcount, the address and the dietary requirements collected: the quote is sent within 24 hours, with company invoicing, VAT and purchase orders accepted, and delivery is available from 6:30 am Monday to Friday. Request your quote. L'Écrin Traiteur prices, October 2026.