Super Bowl Sunday is about more than football. We all know this. It’s a feasting occasion worthy of the Roman Empire. Case in point. It’s been estimated that one in seven Americans will order takeout on Super Bowl Sunday. That’s 48 million people, or the population of Spain. More than 12 million pizzas will be delivered. Nearly one and a half billion chicken wings will be digested. This is the day the earth stops spinning and reaches for a napkin. The operators that are prepared will be the ones who spike the football.
A good first step is to analyze your historical data to aid in planning. Spoiler: if you haven’t started doing this by now, you may be in for a scramble.

Derek Anderson, district manager of Sizzling Platter.
“We’ve been planning since the beginning of the year,” said Derek Anderson, a district manager for Sizzling Platter who operates 30 Wingstop restaurants in Utah and Idaho, noting that the Super Bowl is his biggest revenue day of the year. “We do about six weekly conference calls with our general managers and start layering in different pieces of information to help them get prepared.”
Among the layered pieces are the estimated breakdowns of in-store, pick-up, and delivery orders. Cracking that formula can determine staffing levels and determine how best to accommodate hustling couriers. “Having dedicated parking spots and pickup lines are crucial,” he said.
Pre-order offers can be a smart play. “Our digital orders exceed 70 percent of our sales and about 30 percent of those are pre-orders that come in either the day before or earlier,” he said. “Item count reports help us with ordering. And hourly sales, looking at missing and incorrect items to see where we might have struggled before.”
Marketing also plays a big role. Everyone and their sister will be offering a BOGO. How can you stand out? By paying attention to the details. Pro tip: check the weather forecasts. That can be a difference-maker.
The only thing less surprising than the Chiefs playing in another Super Bowl is that pizza and chicken wings are likely to be the most ordered items. Here are just some of those offers:
Applebee’s is offering 20 free chicken wings with any $40 online purchase to go or delivery.
Buffalo Wild Wings will hand out six free wings if the game goes into overtime.
California Pizza Kitchen is offering CPK Pizza Packs for the game, which include two take-and-bake pizzas for $25 or four for $40.
Marco’s is serving up Pizza Bowls for $7.99.
Outback Steakhouse is commemorating the 59th Super Bowl with an offer of 59 wings for $59.
Popeyes will provide free 12-piece wings for DoorDash orders of $15 or more place at participating locations.