Fall will be here before we know it and sports enthusiasts everywhere will be ready for tailgating, hosting game-day parties, and heading to their favorite bar and grill to catch the game on the big screen. While the pandemic has kept stadiums from being packed and tailgating might be limited to socially distanced gatherings in parking lots or “home-gating,” restaurants can still cater to this demographic by offering tailgating packages for delivery and takeout. Boost sales and satisfy sports fans with these creative tips for bundled meals and DIY setups.

Snack Attack

Armchair athletes are going to be craving stadium fare they can easily munch on throughout the day — foods that travel well, are quick and easy, and most importantly, tasty. Fuel sales by putting together a snack platter of classics like mozzarella sticks, potato skins, popcorn chicken bites, bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, and mac and cheese bites. Including a little something for everyone gives you a better chance of hungry fans choosing your establishment over another.

Bet on Bundles

According to Technomic’s Takeout & Off-Premise report, 29 percent of consumers prefer a restaurant that offers a wider variety of catering packages. And because tailgating is such a popular way for fans to root for their favorite teams, restaurants can get in on the action with to-go packages.

Chicken wings are a staple. No matter the flavor, wings reign supreme as a game day food. Curate a wing tailgating bundle with a few flavors of wings, celery, carrots, and dips, and even chicken tenders to appeal to hungry fans. Slider kits are always a big hit as well. Fried chicken, burgers, and pulled pork are great options to use for sliders to fuel up on game day. Throw in some Cattlemen’s^® Carolina Tangy Gold BBQ sauce with the BBQ sliders, coleslaw, pickles, buns, and savory sides liked baked beans or potato salad and you’ve got the complete package guaranteed to make fans cheer.

If you’d rather go a little simpler, a pizza kit including dough, pizza sauce, and several toppings can be just as fun and easy for fans to whip up at home before the big game.

Hail (Bloody) Mary

While snack and main course packages are the most popular, don’t be afraid to get creative with popular game day drinks like Bloody Mary’s and mimosas for kits. Include a house-made or popular Bloody Mary mix, celery, olives, some pickled veggies, spicy salts, and your favorite hot sauce, and you’ve got a winner. Frank's RedHot^® Bloody Mary Mix works extremely well here.

Taco TD

While fried foods and grilled or smoked meats tend to be the go-to, offering more creative at-home DIY setups like taco and nacho kits are a super fun idea that can feed a large crowd. I mean, who doesn’t love a taco bar with all the fixings? Include one or two proteins, shredded cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, a mouth-watering hot sauce such as Cholula^® Original Hot Sauce, soft and hard tortillas, and sour cream. Loaded totchos or fries would work well here, too. Entice guests to spend a little more with add-ons like chips, guacamole, salsa, nacho cheese and queso, and to-go margaritas.

Special Sauce

Those game-day kits filled with juicy, grilled goodness wouldn’t be complete without all the savory, spicy, creamy dips, and sauces. Pack your meal kit with the sauces your customers love and trust so they can prepare restaurant-quality meals in their own kitchen—or on a grill in a parking lot.

Stock up on BBQ sauces, blue cheese and ranch for chicken wings, and marinara sauce for apps. Don’t forget to include plenty of the condiment classics like mayo, mustard, ketchup, honey mustard, and spicy brown mustard. Sweet chili sauce and ponzu dipping sauce are great to have if you’re offering Asian-inspired dishes, and beer cheese and creamy aiolis are perfect if you’re gearing toward pub food.

Hometown Heroes

Offering drinks, specials, or LTOs dedicated to your hometown sports teams is guaranteed to score you big points with local fans. Attract them with a cocktail named after the local football team, using matching team colors, or even name a special dish named after the team.

Meal kits have not only become a fun way to keep patrons connected, but they have served as an important additional revenue stream for restaurants during the pandemic. These tips are sure to get you off the bench and into the end zone.