Holiday Party Budgets Climb 13% as Employees Gather for Year-End Workplace Celebrations

New ezCater report reveals growing budgets and attendance for office holiday parties as employers prioritize workplace culture and team bonding

BOSTON, Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ezCater, the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US, today released its 2026 Workplace Holiday Party Report. Based on a survey of office workers and party planners, the report found that holiday party budgets are projected to rise 13% on average this season, with 96% of planners expecting to match or exceed last year’s spending. The increased budgets come as employees turn out in force: 84% plan to attend the celebration this year, up from 82% in 2025. Planners rank boosting employee morale (80%), company culture (65%), and team bonding (64%) as the top reasons for this continued investment.

“Employees now have fewer opportunities to interact due to distributed work environments and the increasing use of AI, so companies understand they can’t leave connection to chance,” said Robert Kaskel, VP of People, ezCater. “By investing in the annual holiday party, they are intentionally creating space for workplace friendships and better collaboration to take root.”

Additional findings from ezCater’s 2026 Workplace Holiday Party Report include:

• Holiday parties bring workers closer. 81% of employees say holiday parties help them bond and build friendships, and 64% of planners say team bonding that bridges the gap between hybrid and remote workers is a key reason for hosting the party.
• Great food and company give employees a reason to gather. 71% of employees say free food and drinks motivate them to attend, while 52% cite time to catch up with teammates.
• Gen Z is gaining influence over workplace celebrations. Gen Z now makes up 24% of holiday party planners, up 69% from last year. Among Gen Z planners, 93% say food drives excitement for the event, the highest share of any generation.
  
  

“Food is the centerpiece of the office holiday party. It gives people a compelling reason to show up and an easy way to bond once they are there,” added Kaskel. “Yet planners say pleasing different employee tastes is the most stressful part of organizing the event. ezCater removes that friction, providing the variety needed to bring great food to the celebration without the operational complexity.”

ezCater’s platform enables organizations to order food from over 140,000 restaurants nationwide for celebrations of any size or format. To place an order or learn more about how ezCater can make your holiday party catering easier, visit www.ezcater.com.

The full findings from ezCater’s third annual Workplace Holiday Party Report can be found here.

Methodology
These results come from an online survey conducted in July of 2026 of 1,000 full-time employees and 605 workplace decision-makers involved in holiday party planning nationwide. Respondents represented a mix of roles, industries, and company sizes across small, mid-market, and enterprise organizations.

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 140,000 restaurants nationwide. For workplaces, ezCater provides flexible and scalable solutions for everything from employee meal programs 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 new high-value customers and large orders. To learn more, visit www.ezcater.com.

Media Contact:
Liciê Leite
PR Manager
licie.leite@ezcater.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87eb1c6c-0221-49c9-ba2b-4d8f69f47c5b

holiday tablescape

Employee builds their food plate at the office holiday party