close · Team Building, Reflection, Communication · 90–180 min · 8-20 people · medium energy
15 Toasts
A dinner with one theme where every guest must give a toast before the night ends. Each toast is a short story from the speaker's own life connected to the theme, followed by raising a glass. The last person to toast has to sing theirs, which keeps people from waiting until the end.
When to use 15 Toasts
Use for the closing dinner of a team retreat or offsite, when you want people to know each other better without making it feel like a workshop exercise.
What it solves
Retreat dinners default to small talk and work gossip, so the evening that could have built the most connection builds the least.
How to run 15 Toasts, step by step
- Choose a theme with a little tension in it, such as 'a fresh start' or 'a risk worth taking', and tell guests before dinner (before the event).
- At the table, explain the rules: everyone gives one toast, it must be a story from your own life tied to the theme, the last person sings (5 min).
- Let toasts happen whenever someone is ready, between courses. Each ends with the toaster raising a glass to something (60-120 min).
- Track who has not toasted yet and gently remind the table as the count rises (throughout).
- The last person sings their toast, however badly. Close with a toast from the host to the group (10 min).
Materials needed
- A shared dinner table
- Drinks for toasting, alcoholic or not
- A theme card on the table
Facilitator tips
- Ask for stories, not opinions. 'Seed stories over opinions' is Parker's own advice.
- Pick a theme specific to this group at this moment. Generic themes produce generic toasts.
- Add a pop-up rule if you need one, for example the host plays music when a toast runs long.
Common pitfalls
- The theme is so safe that people give speeches about the company instead of stories about themselves.
- The group is too large and the toasts take all night; cap it at about twenty.
Variations
- Without a meal: run it as a standing toast circle with drinks at the end of the last day.
What it produces
A set of personal stories the group has heard together, often quoted for months afterwards.
Origin
A dinner format created by Priya Parker and Tim Leberecht, with Anand Giridharadas. Parker describes it in The Art of Gathering and on her own channels. — source
Build a session around 15 Toasts
METODIC places 15 Toasts inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.