How to plan Christmas catering
Order before the week of Christmas
Many kitchens close holiday ordering a week or more before December 24, and some sell out sooner. Christmas Eve pickups often come with fixed time slots. Settle your headcount early in December and order as soon as the menu is posted.
Pick the centerpiece first
Prime rib, ham, turkey, a whole roasted fish or a vegetarian main sets the tone. Choose it first, then add sides that reheat well, such as gratins, roasted vegetables and braised greens. Leave delicate salads and anything fried for the last minute.
Tamales, and Christmas in January
For a lot of LA families, Christmas Eve means tamales by the dozen, and tamale shops get swamped in the days before the 24th. Order them as early as the main meal. Armenian families, many of them in Glendale and Burbank, celebrate Christmas on January 6, and many Orthodox churches on January 7. If that is your date, ask whether a caterer is still cooking after New Year's.
Plan around the holiday schedule
Many restaurants and caterers close on Christmas Day itself, so dinners are often picked up on December 23 or 24 and reheated at home. Ask whether the meal comes hot or chilled, which time slots are open, and whether delivery runs on the holiday.
Christmas parties at the office
A mid-December office party competes with every other company's party for the same caterers and staff. Book early, give the caterer the start and end time, and decide whether people will sit down to a meal or stand with drinks and small plates.
What it costs in Los Angeles
Somewhere between cooking it yourself and a restaurant night out: that is where Christmas dinner to order usually lands on price. These ranges come from holiday menus that LA markets, restaurants and caterers post on their own sites.
Christmas dinners and parties in LA| What | Typical range |
|---|
| Ham or turkey dinner to order | $20 to $50 per person |
|---|
| Prime rib dinner to order | $35 to $65 per person |
|---|
| Drop-off Christmas party spread | $25 to $50 per guest |
|---|
| Staffed Christmas party | $60 to $130 per guest |
|---|
Christmas Eve is one of the busiest delivery days of the year, so some kitchens set order minimums or higher delivery fees for December 24, and many close on December 25. Sales tax applies to hot food and to any required service charge on a staffed party.
In Marbled LA's holiday store, dinners for 10 are $345 for ham, $620 for prime rib and $925 for the full table, about $34.50 to $92.50 per person, with delivery priced by distance and higher on holiday dates.
Tips
- Price the dinner per person with sides and dessert included. A cheaper roast plus everything bought separately can cost more in the end.
- Pick up on December 23 if you can. You skip holiday-date delivery fees and the Christmas Eve traffic.
These are typical Los Angeles market ranges drawn from public price lists and cost guides, not quotes. Every caterer prices its own menus, so ask each one for a written quote.
