Tips and tricks for restaurant operators to maximize sales and customer satisfaction on Super Bowl Sunday.
Whether you’re hosting a watch party at your bar, or just prepping for an influx of online orders, there’s plenty of prep to be done for a successful Super Bowl Sunday.
This preparation typically starts weeks in advance by creating and marketing menu items, ordering inventory, and hiring any additional staff to keep up with orders. Whatever your plan is, here are some tips and tricks to prep your restaurant and maximize sales for the big game.
Restaurants big and small run several promotions for America’s most-watched event. These range from free wings with orders from Popeyes to a pizza stuffed with cash sweepstakes from Papa Johns. Easily shareable menu items – pizza, wings, and appetizer – are by far the most popular item for the big game. Here are some other popular items and trends to try out this year:
Setting clear pickup and delivery policies is crucial for ensuring a seamless and positive customer experience during game-day. While customers expect long wait times, they still expect those times to be accurate. Be sure to set your expected wait times in your third-party apps well in advance and update them accordingly throughout the day.
Establishing a designated area for order pickups can prevent congestion and maintain a smooth flow of customers in and out of your restaurant. Clearly communicate these areas and make use of signage when possible. A well-defined pickup and delivery system benefits customers and restaurant staff alike, improving customer (and employee) satisfaction.
That influx of orders on Sunday means stocking your inventory appropriately in advance. While there’s no way to know exactly how many wings and things you’ll sell, forecasting an estimate based on last year’s Super Bowl is a good place to start. In addition, take a look at your January performance from the previous year compared to this year to get an estimate of your growth year over year.
This is one place where restaurant data can be a huge help. Evaluating the data from your restaurant management software can make for more accurate inventory and reduced waste. These key areas can add profit to your bottom line and ensure you are running a streamlined, optimized business far beyond Super Bowl Sunday.
Whether you’re hosting your own Super Bowl event or just need more hands in the kitchen, you might be hiring some additional staff on game day. Take the time to get any additional staff trained and scheduled in advance so things go smoothly throughout the weekend.
Large sporting events have a different tempo than a regular Sunday shift. The crowd will arrive at the same time and want to be served immediately, only to linger at their tables for up to four hours. While guests may completely ignore staff during the game, they will expect immediate service during commercials, between quarters, and at halftime.
This can be extremely stressful for restaurant staff. By optimizing labor on hand, ensuring roles and expectations are clearly communicated, and checking in with employees, stress levels can be managed.
A high-quality experience from great food and drinks creates memorable service. On top of game-day specific specials or menus, during football season, operators can use other tactics such as a fan loyalty program. Punch cards, coupons, or loyalty programs are inexpensive compared to marketing costs to bring in new customers. A game day specific program will keep the restaurant top of mind with March Madness around the corner.
Whether your football team made it to the big game or not, the boost in sales the Super Bowl can bring should not be ignored. Taking the time now to attract guests, get a restaurant location in order, and prepare staff properly will score points with patrons, increase profits, and ensure the night runs smoothly.
The Super Bowl can be a stressful day not just for diehard fans hoping for a win, but anyone in the service industry. But it’s also an opportunity for both high profitability and promoting your business for the rest of the year. With these tips, you’ll be set up to maximize your sales for the big game and create a memorable experience for your customers. Good luck!
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