Maximize Game Day Sales with Smart Online Ordering

Anyone who’s worked in a restaurant during football season knows how quickly a smooth day can flip once the game day rush hits. Phones light up, the kitchen gets loud and every mistake feels bigger.

Operators that streamline ordering and prepare their operations ahead of time see the payoff when the game day rush hits. 

Build Menus for Shareability

Game day orders lean toward food that’s easy to pass around, so think about offering simplified options to help drive higher ticket sizes. Things like wing or soda bundles, along with nachos or cheese sticks, offer easy choices for customers to make. Restaurants can even offer these at varying portion sizes, small for roommates, large for watch parties, to make sure no customer feels left out.

Some restaurants take it a step further and add personality with specials named after local teams or players to encourage social sharing online and give regulars a reason to return. Rotating in limited-time flavors also helps. A buffalo ranch wing in September and a smoky BBQ slider later in the season give customers variety without requiring a full menu overhaul. You can also offer DIY kits for tacos or pizzas for households that prefer to stay in.

After fine-tuning your menu, the next step is to make things easily accessible, as even the best menu is ineffective if the ordering process is difficult.

Make Ordering Quick and Simple

Most game day traffic comes from phones, often minutes before kickoff, which makes your storefront design as important as the food itself. Featuring bundles at the top cuts down on scrolling, and pre-set combos save time and reduce drop-offs.

Suggesting smart upsells like extra sauces when a wing platter is added or offering desserts as a one-click add-on helps grow the order without slowing customers down. While speed is an important factor, it doesn't matter if things aren’t reliable. Make sure your digital storefront loads quickly, takes payments without friction and works on any screen. When the ordering process feels seamless, fans build a habit of ordering week after week.

After streamlining how customers place orders, restaurants can focus on scheduling promotions that match their busiest windows.

Tie Promotions to the Season

Promotions give restaurants a way to stretch demand across the calendar. Early-season specials set the tone, and operators who rotate new items or flavors hold attention as the season moves forward.

Holidays add another way for restaurants to get creative with their promotional mix. A Halloween combo in October or a Thanksgiving platter with a football twist gives people something fresh to look forward to. As the playoffs approach, gatherings grow which makes family-sized bundles and premium sides an easy sell. The Super Bowl takes things even further since fans plan well in advance, and the operators who promote early with exclusive menus usually see the biggest returns. 

Timing is what makes these promotions successful. Operators who run their own campaigns can send reminders when it makes sense, before kickoff, during halftime or in the days leading up to the big game, rather than relying on a marketplace to send generic blasts.

Prepare Operations Behind the Scenes

Promotions only work when the operation behind them holds up, so staff should be ready to package bundles quickly and keep high-demand items stocked. When wings or fries run short during a big game, customers notice and they remember. Would you want to order from a place that is always out of your favorite item? Keeping the back of house prepared for peak moments makes the front run more smoothly.

Delivery deserves the same level of focus. Customers expect food to arrive on time, and nothing sours game day faster than a late or missing order. Restaurants that tap into multiple courier networks or maintain a strong pool of drivers reduce delays. Clear tracking and direct communication help build trust, and when issues do come up, quick refunds or replacements show the restaurant stands behind its service.

On the customer side, a simple text or email reminder to order early can ease the rush and keep the kitchen balanced. Operators that use courier-agnostic systems have more flexibility here, since they can pull from multiple driver pools and step in directly if something goes wrong, making the entire experience feel more seamless.

When communication, delivery and service align, restaurants handle the rush with confidence and give customers reasons to return.

Turning Football into a Revenue Stream

Game day traffic will keep coming whether restaurants are ready or not. The operators who plan ahead capture more revenue and keep fans loyal long after the season ends. Shareable menus, easy online ordering, well-timed promotions and dependable operations can turn game days into one of the most profitable stretches of the year.