As the weather cools down, the urge to snuggle up with a pizza and the latest Netflix series can become all-consuming. Boredom peaks, social activity hits a wall, and you find yourself madly scrolling through Facebook for something, anything, to do. One idea to reawaken the social butterfly within is to plan a good old-fashioned dinner party.

Need help getting back into the hosting groove? Follow our 5 simple tips and your next soiree won’t just be talked about, it’ll the be the benchmark for all your upcoming gatherings.

  1. Pick a theme to kick things off

If you’re not sure where to start, a theme or a mood is a great place to start. It can be something as simple as the food you serve, like ‘taco Tuesday’ or ‘Sunday roast’, or as vague as ‘a romantic evening’, a theme gives you something to work from and makes it super easy to make choices, meaning that you won’t waste time stuck in the party supplies aisle buying drink umbrellas if you know you’re hosting a classy red-wine-and-blue-cheese night.

  1. Keep it simple, think ahead

Want effortless entertaining? The golden rule with any event, no matter how small, is to think through your planning and reduce your options. Sure, making 17 types of handmade pasta from scratch is impressive, but is it something you can pull off on a Friday night? Think about what you can outsource, combine, or leave out entirely. After all, a clear concept is not only easier to execute, it also means everything else will just fall into place; guests, theme and menu.

  1. Curate your guest list

It’s no secret that a great guest list is one of the key ingredients for an epic night. But bigger isn’t always better, it’s the mix of people that matters – a carefully chosen guest list can be as few as 3 people or as many as 50. Don’t shy away from inviting friends who’ve never met, your dinner party could kick off a fresh bromance, or even be the starting point for a rom-com level meet-cute.

  1. Build your menu

The food is the main event; it’s what your guests are here for. Allergies aside, the same dish with slight variations, or a made-ahead dish with plenty of sides is a great way to focus on quality over quantity. Make sure there are plenty of tempting snacks and nibbles as well, things like dips, olives, cured meats, breads and crudites are classics for a reason, and have the added bonus of requiring very little prep. Going all out on the mains? You can even order in sides and desserts and plate them up prettily – it’s a great way to save time.

  1. Prep in the lead-up

Make sure you buy everything you need, prep everything you can and reconfirm with your guests. This is also the time to have a think about things like music and servingware, and to triple check that you have everything you need (and to borrow whatever you don’t). And don’t forget your outfit – it doesn’t hurt to dress to impress.

Short on time? No worries. With a plethora of cuisines available through UberEATS, leave some (or all) of the catering to us, and have all the meals delivered straight to your door. Here are four of our fave dinner party restaurants in Brisbane!

Jocelyn’s Provisions – Premium quality cakes that come in portion options to share with big groups of people.

Alfredo’s Pizzeria – Great selection of starters and tasty pizzas all perfectly appropriate for dinner parties.

Battery Station – Perfect option if you’re up for sharing some fried food and burgers.

Crazy Panda Dumpling Bar – Wide selection of share plates and dumpling platter perfect for any size dinner party! These dumplings are amongst the tastiest on the platform.

HOW TO ORDER:

EATS

  1. Download the UberEATS app – you can sign in using your Uber account or sign up and create a new one.
  2. Tell us where to deliver – add your home or campus address.
  3. New to UberEATS? Get $10 off your first order– simply enter the promo code DINNERPARTYBRS (valid until 1.12.2017).
  4. Track your order – watch as your order gets picked up and delivered to you.