Every year someone gets handed the company party, and the first real decision is where it happens. Most teams end up choosing between three options: keeping it in the office with catering, renting a hall, or booking a restaurant’s private space. Each has its place. This scorecard lays them side by side so you can pick the one that fits your team, your budget and how much work you’re willing to take on.
We’re Station One Smokehouse, a Texas-style BBQ restaurant in Plainfield and Yorkville. We cater office parties and host private events in our Yorkville event space, so we see both sides regularly. We’ll be straight about where each option shines.
The Corporate Party Scorecard
| What matters | In-office with catering | Rented hall | Restaurant private space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | Drop-off or pickup; someone on staff sets it up | Outside caterer; you coordinate timing and delivery | Cooked on site and served straight from the kitchen |
| Drinks | Depends on company policy; often limited | Depends on the hall’s rules; may need extra arrangements | Stocked bar with staff to pour |
| Setup and cleanup | Your team handles it | Split between you, the hall and vendors | Handled by the restaurant |
| Feels like a night out | Hard to shake the office feel | Blank slate; decor is up to you | Atmosphere comes built in |
| Planning effort | Lowest | Highest | Moderate |
| Travel for guests | None | Varies | Varies |
| Best for | Daytime parties and teams that can’t step away | Large groups and custom themes | Evening parties where you want to host, not work |
In-Office With Catering
Keeping the party at the office is hard to beat for convenience. Nobody commutes, you can hold it during work hours, and people can drift in between meetings. For plenty of teams, a good catered lunch in the break room is exactly the right size of celebration.
The trade-off is that the office still feels like the office. Someone on staff has to set up, watch the food line and clean up afterward, and many workplaces limit or skip alcohol. If this is your route, our guide to corporate BBQ catering covers what works for teams.
Rented Hall
A hall gives you an empty room and full control. That’s appealing for a large company or a party with a theme, but it also makes you the general contractor. You line up the food, drinks, tables, linens, music and cleanup, and every vendor has its own timeline.
Read the hall’s rules closely before signing. Some require specific caterers, some have their own requirements for serving alcohol, and most set hard start and end times that include your setup and teardown.
Restaurant Private Space: Where a Full Bar Makes a Difference
A restaurant’s private space folds food, drinks and service into one booking. The kitchen is steps away, so food comes out hot instead of riding across town in a van. The bar is already stocked and staffed. When the party ends, you grab your coat and leave the cleanup to people who do it every night.
A full bar changes the evening more than most planners expect. Guests order what they actually like to drink—a cocktail, a draft beer or a glass of wine—instead of picking from whatever someone bought in bulk. At our Yorkville location, the Yorkville drinks menu covers cocktails, draft and packaged beer, wine and spirits.
The limits are real, too. A restaurant room has a set capacity, popular dates book early, and your team has to travel to get there. Weigh those against the work you’d save.
What to Confirm Before You Sign
Whichever option you choose, get these answers in writing:
- Capacity for your format, seated or standing
- What’s included, such as tables, linens, audio and staff
- How food is served and when the final headcount is due
- How the bar works: open, capped, drink tickets or cash
- Start and end times, including setup and teardown
- Deposit, payment and cancellation terms
- How dietary needs are handled (for our menu, see our allergen information)
- Parking and accessibility for every guest
How Station One Fits a Company Party
Our Yorkville smokehouse at 524 E Kendall Crossing has the only dedicated event space across our two locations, and office parties are one of the gatherings it’s built for. We handle everything from drop-off catering to full-service spreads, and the food comes off the same all-wood pit that serves the dining room. Booking steps and details live on our Yorkville events page.
For full-service events, send an inquiry three to four weeks ahead so we can build the cook around your headcount. For a holiday party, earlier is better, since that’s when nearly every company is looking for a date.
Corporate Party FAQs
Can we hold our company holiday party at Station One?
Yes. Company parties book our Yorkville event space by inquiry through our contact page.
Can you cater at our office instead?
Yes. We cater across Kendall County and the surrounding towns, from drop-off trays to full-service setups.
Do both locations have a full bar?
Yes. Plainfield and Yorkville both have full bars, though private events are held in Yorkville.
Do we need a reservation to bring a small team to dinner?
No. Dining is first come, first served. For a group of 8 to 20, come early, or order catering to skip the counter wait.
Plan Your Company Party
Tell us your date, headcount and the kind of evening you have in mind through our contact page, and we’ll help you decide whether the event space or catering at your office is the better fit.