Football season officially kicked off in September, bringing together millions of fans to celebrate America’s most-watched sport. This time of year is an important opportunity for restaurants — customers spend generously when they’re watching the game. In fact, of the $17.3 billion spent during the NFL championship game last February, 80% went toward food and drinks. That means there’s a huge opportunity for restaurants to get a piece of the pie, and with game-day restaurant delivery, your menu has an even higher chance of scoring big.

Whether fans are cozying up on their couches for Monday night football or bundling up on the bleachers for the Friday night game, football and food go hand in hand. In fact, Super Bowl Sunday was one of Grubhub’s most popular days for delivery last year. That’s why it’s important to make sure you follow the right steps to guarantee hungry fans choose your restaurant to get their game-day grub.

Game-day specials that will score big with your customers

Football games tend to create a celebratory feeling that makes customers want to indulge. As a restaurant owner, you can lean into this feeling — the right game-day specials can boost sales of appetizers, main dishes, and drinks.

• Extended happy hour. Create a happy hour that lasts throughout the entire game. When customers can get extended discounts on drinks, appetizers, and entrées, they’re more likely to keep ordering. This happy hour strategy encourages guests to come in groups and stick around for all four quarters. Plus, you can implement it whether you have a sports bar or a fast-casual restaurant.
• Game-day loyalty program. Create an incentive for customers to come back every game day by introducing a punch card or app-based loyalty program. Award points for each purchase, and offer rewards for different point levels — free desserts, discounts, or exclusive gifts can be enough to convince guests to choose your restaurant over another.
• Team spirit discount. Provide a 10% discount to customers who wear their favorite team’s clothing or accessories during the game. You’ll create a more festive atmosphere and set up a lighthearted rivalry between fans of opposing teams. This strategy is particularly effective for hotly contested games or highly anticipated match-ups.
• Score-based specials. If your city has a football team, offer a special deal every time they score. You could offer 50% off draft beer for 15 minutes after every touchdown, for example, and $1 off drinks after each field goal. Don’t have a home football team? Pick a different favorite for every game. Score-based specials are especially popular at sports bars, but they work in any establishment that serves alcohol.
• Halftime raffle. Host a raffle at halftime and give away prizes such as gift cards, a free meal at the chef’s table, or your restaurant’s most popular branded merchandise. The trick is to require that customers be present to win — if they stick around for the raffle, they’re more likely to stay, watch the rest of the game, and order more food and drinks.
• Social media contest. Build a buzz around game days at your restaurant by encouraging customers to post photos on social media. For extra motivation, host a social media contest — ask customers to tag the restaurant and mark their location to be eligible to win. Drum up extra interest by including in-house diners as well as takeout and delivery customers. Just make sure to check the platform’s contest rules carefully.
• Bring a friend, get a discount. Boost foot traffic during football games by offering a discount for customers who bring a friend or two. Don’t forget about your delivery customers; create a promo code for people who order two or more entrées. With Grubhub’s help, it’s easy to promote your deals to people in your area.
• Fantasy football specials. If you’ve ever played fantasy football, you know players are serious about their strategies. Harness that enthusiasm and passion with special deals for fantasy football players. You could offer a discount for groups who hold their draft at your restaurant or provide a free drink for every person who shows you their bracket on game day.
• Game-day brunch. When a football game is early in the day, encourage customers to come in by offering a special brunch menu. Incorporate fun menu ideas such as chicken and waffles or breakfast burritos. Beef up your beverage menu with colorful mocktails, beers such as Bud Light or Miller Lite, and bottomless mimosas or Bloody Marys. This is a great opportunity to reach audience segments who love brunch but aren’t typically interested in football; it can also introduce your brunch menu to football fans.
• Fan of the game contest. Embrace the fun and energy of football fandom by rewarding the most enthusiastic fan at your restaurant on game day. Select a winner based on cheering, costume, social media engagement, or general team spirit; then, give them a free meal or another valuable prize. Post their photo on social media — when other people see that they can be rewarded for being super fans, they’re more likely to come in for a meal during the next game.

Want to offer specials to your takeout and delivery customers? Use Grubhub’s promotional content and loyalty tools to schedule limited-time deals on game day only.

Crafting a game-day delivery strategy: What do you need to know?

Game days can bring a rush of orders, so it’s important to be prepared for high delivery demand. Here are five ways your restaurant can gear up for football season this fall:

• Cook up a mouthwatering game-day menu. Stack your menu with classics such as pizza, tacos, burgers, and french fries. Don’t forget the wings — according to the National Chicken Council, Americans ate 1.45 billion wings while watching the NFL championship game in 2024. Does your restaurant serve a more elevated menu? Focus on comfort-food variations of gourmet dishes, such as lobster mac and cheese or Parmesan truffle fries. Choose items that work well for delivery to ensure all your customers have the same great experience.
• Ensure your staff knows the playbook. To ensure your kitchen crew and servers can handle an influx of orders, make sure everyone is adequately trained. It can also help to revisit your workflows, particularly when it comes to plating and to-go packaging. If it’s legal in your area, you might also consider offering a selection of alcoholic drinks for delivery. See if alcohol is available in your market, and make sure your employees know how to package drinks for security and legal compliance.
• Double down on delivery. Some fans prefer to watch the big game in the comfort of their own homes. To get your menu in front of them, promote your restaurant’s delivery services. That way, they can enjoy a high-quality meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Seamless technology is a must, which is why it makes sense to partner with Grubhub. When you list your restaurant on the Grubhub Marketplace, the platform handles everything from ordering and payment processing to delivery tracking.
• Pile on the promotions. On game day, your restaurant likely has plenty of competition for customers’ business. Great deals can sway customers’ decisions in your favor, which increases business. You can even run promotions with Grubhub Marketing to provide the same fun, affordable experience to your delivery customers. 
• Spread the word. In the days leading up to a big game, spend time marketing your menu and football-themed specials. Post on social media, take out print ads, and put up signs in your business. Keep in mind that after seeing a marketing message, many people will head to your website to browse the menu and get a sense of your restaurant’s vibe. To help them find the information they need, ensure your website contains the key elements of usability.

Feed hungry fans with Grubhub Delivery

Creating a game-day playbook can help your restaurant handle the extra orders during big football games. When you partner with a third-party delivery app like Grubhub, your restaurant will instantly reach more hungry fans. Whether you have a pizza restaurant in a championship city or a sports bar in a small town with a big fan rivalry, catering to football fans is a surefire way to drive more orders. Sign up for Grubhub today to reach more customers on game day this fall.