Super Bowl Survival Guide: 6 Restaurant Super Bowl Promotion Ideas

It’s finally here, the NFL’s biggest day! Super Bowl LIII pits the New England Patriots against the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday, February 3 at 6 p.m. EST. 

Will Tom Brady win his sixth Super Bowl ring (and make Boston-based Toasters very happy) or will the Rams win their second Super Bowl since 1999? 

Sunday is not only a big day for the teams on the field but for restaurants across the country. So here are the top Super Bowl food statistics to know, the best restaurant promotions we’ve found, and the best restaurants and bars to watch the Super Bowl in 2018.

Super Bowl Food Statistics to Know

Super Bowl Sunday is not the holiday that brings in the most restaurant sales, however for pizzeria and fast casual restaurants this Sunday may shape up to be the busiest day of the year. 

In fact, in 2018, online ordering sales for Toast restaurants increased 25% on Super Bowl Sunday, compared to all other Sundays in February.

In terms of food ordered, you can expect an increase in these menu items: 

• Pizza — There were 141,702 pizzas sold last Super Bowl, 23% more than the average day in February. 
• Wings — There were 1,018,272 wings sold last Super Bowl, 13% more than the average day in February. 
• Beer — There were 345,827 beer cans or bottles sold last Super Bowl, 32% more than the average day in February. 

According to the National Retail Federation, 13 million Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl at a bar and expect to spend an average of $81 per person;  WalletHub found that an average of 2,400 calories are consumed during a football party feast. Favorite Super Bowl foods are pizza, meat & wings, nachos, guacamole, chili, and popcorn & chips. 

Where to Watch The Super Bowl in 2019: Restaurant & Bar Edition

From the AFC East to the NFC West, Americans across the country are waiting at the ready to see who will take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy this Sunday.

With mere days to go ‘til the main event, have you decided where you’ll be watching Super Bowl LIII? Whether you’re a social butterfly who thrives off the energy only a packed sports bar can provide or you prefer to watch from the comfort and sanctity of your own couch, we’ve got you covered.

Check out our list of the best restaurants and bars in the 20 biggest cities across the country to eat at, drink at, or order out from during Super Bowl LIII.

• Los Angeles
• Boston
• New York
• Chicago
• Philadelphia
• Dallas - Ft. Worth
• San Francisco
• Washington D.C
• Atlanta - in case you can't get a seat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
• Houston
• Tampa
• Phoenix
• Detroit
• Seattle
• Minneapolis
• Miami
• Denver
• Cleveland
• Orlando
• St. Louis
• Charlotte
• Pittsburgh
• Baltimore
• Nashville
• Indianapolis

6 Super Bowl Strategy & Promotion Ideas for Bars and Restaurants

Buffalo Wild Wings experiences a giant increase in sales on Super Bowl Sunday. According to Geoff Williams of Forbes, BWW sells approximately 6,000 wings on a typical weekend. But over Super Bowl weekend, that number jumps to 13,500. And this year, the chain will offer free wings if the Super Bowl goes into over time. 

How can fast casual restaurants compete with the Buffalo Wild Wings of the world this weekend? And how are full service restaurants getting creative — or celebrating a well-deserved day off?

Here’s a compilation of some restaurant promotion ideas for Super Bowl LIII, including how restaurants are preparing for (or not preparing for) Super Bowl weekend. Thanks to the Toast restaurant community for contributing many of these ideas!

1. Beef Up Production 

At (swah-rey) a delectable dessert  in St.Petersburg, FL,  Co-Owner and baker Gregg Ciccone says they'll be "increasing production so we can fulfill all pre-ordered party platters."

The team at Limestone Blue is getting ready for the masses by "ordering more beer", says GM William Johns.  And to that we say, dilly dilly!

2. Schedule Additional Staff 

Kevin Cradduck, owner of Sergeant Pepperoni's Pizzeria - Bearden in Knoxville, TN says his team will be scheduling "extra staff for deliveries."

3. Create A Special Menu 

Two Boots, a pizza chain with locations in New York City, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Tennessee is "preparing a special menu", says Joe Lennon, Director of Human Resources for the company. 

At Tacombi, the NYC taco company bringing authentic Yucatan flavors to Gotham, guests can enjoy "a special menu and giant screen, with a variety of cocktails, wings and lots of beer", says Jhon Daverson. 

4. Run A Limited Time Promotion or Deal 

Papa Gino's, the official pizza of the New England Patriots, is running a Patriots Meal Deal where guests can get two large cheese pizzas, two large orders of boneless wings, large cheese breadsticks, and a two-liter soda of their choice all for $25.99. 

If you're a Super Bowl Sunday diner, keep your eyes on this Offers.com page for the latest Super Bowl restaurant promotions, discounts, and coupons in your area.

5. Optimize For The Takeout/Delivery Rush

Naturally, online-ordering, takeout, and delivery orders (gronk) spike on Super Bowl Sunday each year.

The new ToastTakeout app by Toast is ready to help Boston area diners get their grub on as they wait for ring #6 to make its way back home. Using ToastTakeout, diners can order ahead, pay directly within the app, skip the line, and (as if that wasn't enough) take $5 off their first order! Check it out in the App Store. 

Pub 219 is appealing to the couch potato crowd by offering " a special SB carry-out package" says CEO of Lodgenuity Restaurant Group, Adam Talbert. Keep an eye on the Pub 219 facebook page for more details if you're hungry and in the Freeport, IL area! 

Super Bowl parties usually mean there are lots of mouths to feed. 

The dream team behind Loco, Lincoln, Capo, and Fat Baby – all located in Boston, MA – is offering a carry-out 'snack pack': 40 spicy wings (from Lincoln) 1 order of pineapple guacamole (from Loco), 24 meatballs (from Capo), and 25 crab rangoon (from Fat Baby) for $200. One snack pack feeds 10. 

At Eventide Oyster Company - Fenway in Boston, MA, guests can order The Eventide Feast for takeout: clam chowder, fish sandwich sliders, chicken sandwich sliders, burger sliders, mini lobster rolls, cole slaw, kimchi, and nori chips, with whoopie pies and oatmeal cream pies for dessert for $105. The Eventide Feast feeds 6 people.

6. Use the Event to Launch A New Campaign or Make A Big Announcement 

Domino's will be launching a new rewards program through their Points for Pies app (available on Android and iOS) the day before the Super Bowl. Using the app's 'pizza identification feature', guests can scan their pizza order and earn 10 points; Dominos will also give out points for users who scan a competitors pizza in the app. 60 points gets you a free medium two-topping pizza from Dominos. 

What Are Your Restaurant Plans For Super Bowl LIII?

If you own a pizzeria restaurant or a fast casual restaurant, your restaurant sales, and more specifically your online ordering sales, will probably soar on Sunday.

If you own a full service or fine dining restaurant, you may be closing doors and hosting a staff appreciation party instead.

Whatever your plans are, share them below with the Toast community, and don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date on restaurant promotion ideas throughout the year!