Getting Ready for Game Day

With playoff football looming on the horizon, it’s time to set yourself up to score big on game day. Every year, billions of dollars are spent on the Super Bowl alone. Just last year, it was estimated that Americans spent upward of $14.1 billion dollars on purchases related to the Big Game. Set yourself apart from the pack by providing fans with the atmosphere that they desire throughout the playoffs leading up to the Big Game. Because food is the pivotal element of any game day celebration, we have put together our own Game Plan to help you have a successful playoff season.

Prepare

The first step in our Playoff Game Plan is to familiarize yourself with the schedule. Knowing the playoff schedule puts you ahead of the game in many ways. First and foremost, it allows you to have the games featured on TV for fans that might not have access to the games at home. Knowing when your patrons’ favorite teams are playing will make them feel more at home when they choose to go out to watch the game. In addition to showing the games, this also gives you the chance to plan your specials, and run featured menu items or happy hour deals on those dates. By planning ahead for these games, you will create an inviting environment for fans to view the games and enjoy some great food while they’re at it. Here’s a look at the 2018 Playoff Schedule:

• Wild Card Round: January 6-7^th
• Divisional Round: January 13-14^th
• Championship Round: Sunday, January 21^st
• Super Bowl 52: Sunday, February 4^th

Promote

After planning ahead to celebrate the playoffs, the second half of our Game Plan is focused on promotion. Social Media is a great way to advertise your upcoming promotions to patrons looking to go out on Game Day. Advertising your playoff specials on social media will put your establishment on the radar of your followers and other football fans in the area. Creating Facebook events for your promotions will also give you a chance to see who plans on spending their game day with you. In addition to advertising on social media, on-premise advertising is another great way to let your patrons know about what you’re offering during the playoffs. You can also cater to fans of specific teams by offering deals when they wear jerseys or other spirit wear on the day their team is playing.

Our Top Pick’s

Football and food go hand in hand, it’s almost a magical combination. Appetizers will always be a big hit on game day. Some recipes will always remain fan favorites, but don’t be afraid to try something different this year. To get you started, we’ve picked three of our favorites that the fans are sure to enjoy just as much as the game.

• Cauliflower Bites
  • A contemporary take on a traditional favorite, Cauliflower Bites will be sure to spice up your game day! Game day meals aren’t usually associated with healthy food, until now. Baked cauliflower, doused in any of your special wing sauces is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. This is a great way for wing-lovers to enjoy a hearty game day meal without any of the added guilt. It also adds a veggie option to your menu.
• Sliders
  • Sliders are another great Game Day menu item. Burgers are one of the top sellers for Game Day, so why not take it down to miniature form? Being so versatile, there are countless combinations of delicious creations you can offer. From the traditional mini-burger/chicken sandwiches, to shrimp Po Boys, and BBQ pulled pork macaroni sliders; there is a seemingly endless number of combinations to choose from.
• Nachos
  • A traditional commodity for sporting events, nachos are another versatile appetizer option to add to your featured game day specials. It has been estimated that Americans eat approximately 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips during the Big Game alone. With that being said, nachos are a fun and affordable appetizer option that can be served a number of ways. Fresh tortilla chips and unique ingredients can make all the difference in offering your patrons the ultimate nacho platter.

If you follow our game plan, there’s no way you can lose this Game Day! Thanks for making SFS part of your team!

*This blog post was written by our winter intern, Timothy Barbolish.