Why not something different this year?
By the middle of December, most people have eaten more than enough turkey, stuffing and mince pies. A Christmas party with Mexican street food stands out. It’s warm, generous and colourful, and it gets people mingling rather than sitting at assigned tables.
It works for an office party, a team night out on site, a winter wedding evening or a big family gathering between Christmas and New Year.
Plan around the weather and the dark
Winter events need more planning than summer ones. A few things to think about:
- Light. It gets dark by around 4pm in December. Make sure the area around the truck or trailer and the walk to it are well lit.
- Cold. Guests won’t want to stand outside for long. The usual answer is for the truck to serve from outside, near a door, while guests eat indoors.
- Rain and wind. The truck serves in the rain, but guests need a covered route between the truck and the room. See our wet weather plan.
- Ground. Grass gets soft in winter. Hardstanding such as a car park or yard is safer for a truck or trailer.
Serving ideas
Truck outside, party inside
The truck or trailer parks close to the venue entrance, and guests nip out to collect food, or staff carry plates in. Your party stays warm and the cooking smells drift in when the door opens.
A taco bar indoors
Fillings cooked in the truck are brought to a serving table inside, and guests build their own tacos. This suits a hall, function room or large office. Ask the venue whether this is allowed, and leave space for a queue. Our taco bar guide explains the set-up.
Late-night food
For a long party, a second round of food around 9 or 10pm, such as loaded nachos or quesadillas, keeps people going.
A festive Mexican menu
Every menu is agreed with each client. For a winter party we’d suggest richer, slow-cooked dishes, such as:
- Beef birria tacos with a cup of warm consommé for dipping
- Slow-cooked pork carnitas or al pastor-style pork
- A vegan option such as spiced mushrooms or black beans
- Burritos for anyone who wants something more substantial
- Guacamole, salsas, pickled onions and chips
Read what is birria if you haven’t tried it. It’s ideal on a cold night.
Drinks for a winter party
Our drinks bar serves margaritas, Mexican beer, aguas frescas and soft drinks. Margaritas aren’t only a summer drink, and a tray of them makes a party feel like a celebration.
In Mexico, the winter season has its own warm drinks, such as spiced hot chocolate and ponche, a warm fruit punch. These are ideas to talk through rather than part of our standard bar, so ask us if you’d like something warm. Serving alcohol needs the right licence, either the venue’s or a Temporary Event Notice, and we’ll check the licensing with you.
Diets at Christmas
Office parties bring together lots of different needs. Ask guests about diets and allergies when they RSVP. We offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free (with corn tortillas) and dairy-free options, and allergen information for every dish. Anyone with a severe allergy should talk to us before the event. See Mexican food and dietary needs.
Book early
December is the busiest month for work parties, and Friday and Saturday nights go first. Send us your date, numbers and venue as early as you can. Our truck and trailer service usually suits around 50 to 400 guests, and smaller parties are quoted case by case. Contact us for a quote, or read about corporate Mexican catering and party catering.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll suggest a menu and send a quote for your event.