No matter which football team you're rooting for this year, there’s one thing everyone can agree on: Game Day parties are all about the snacks. Without the tasty food and drinks, it’s just another Sunday.
It’s time for restaurants to create a game plan to help football-watching customers serve up a delicious party.
The most-ordered game day favorites, by the numbers
We took a closer look¹ at DoorDash order data to see which game day foods fans showed up for most. It was a tight race — but one classic came out on top.
Chicken wings took the win. Championship Sunday was the biggest day of the year for wing orders, with demand climbing nearly 25% higher than any other day. More than 639,000 wing orders were placed — which works out to roughly 3.8 million wings if you estimate six wings per order. That’s enough to give every resident of Buffalo, NY — the birthplace of Buffalo wings — about 14 wings each.
Pizza wasn’t far behind. With over 637,000 pizza orders, it claimed the runner-up spot. To put that into perspective, that’s enough pizza to feed a sold-out Levi’s Stadium crowd nearly ten times over.
If you're looking to attract football fans, be sure to offer these items on your delivery menu.
Win big with Big Game promotions
Limited-time restaurant promotions are a great way to encourage customers to include you in their plans for watching the Big Game. Here are a few ideas to inform your Game Day marketing strategy:
Game Day menu specials
Consider adding a new or limited-time item to your menu for the Big Game — a catchy name will help attract attention.
How about offering a special themed package? You could include:
Foods that are popular in the competing teams' hometowns
Football-themed menu items (e.g. Endzone Enchiladas, Two Point Conversion Nachos, Midfield Mozzarella Sticks, Quarterback Queso, Fair Catch Fries, Red Zone Ranch)
A shareable platter of your most popular finger foods or guacamole and chips
Flights of beer or specialty cocktails. Check your city's alcohol regulations, then sign up to offer alcohol delivery on DoorDash.
Giveaways
Use social media to run fun, interactive giveaways, like:
Virtual sweepstakes or contests
Big Game Bingo or Touchdown Trivia
Encourage customers to share your content on their social media channels as a way to enter. Prizes can include free menu items, gift cards, merch, and more. (Reminder: You’re responsible for compliance with any applicable rules and regulations governing giveaways).
Game Day discounts
DoorDash partners can choose from a variety of Promotions, including:
Discounts on specific items, like Game Day favorites and dishes made to share
Discounts on cart minimums, encouraging customers to order an extra dish or two
Sponsored listings so your restaurant is prominently featured in the DoorDash app.
To get a piece of this pie, restaurant operators can make football season work to their advantage — and that starts with brainstorming football promo ideas.
Keep Big Game direct orders moving with DoorDash Commerce Platform
When the Big Game hits, volume spikes fast — and the last thing restaurants need is friction at checkout or confusion behind the counter. DoorDash Commerce Platform helps you handle the rush by giving customers an easy, familiar way to order from your business, outside of the DoorDash app.
Using the same technology that powers DoorDash orders every day, Commerce Platform lets customers place pickup or delivery orders through your website, Google listing, or social channels. Orders come through your existing workflow, helping your team stay organized when kitchens and phones are already at full tilt.
Commerce Platform also supports smarter planning before and after the Big Game. Tools like customizable email and text marketing can help you encourage early ordering, promote bundles built for sharing, and follow up with customers who ordered on game day — turning a one-time Big Game order into a reason to come back next weekend.
For one of the busiest food days of the year, DoorDash Commerce Platform can help you:
Reduce friction during peak ordering windows
Boost direct orders
Build momentum before kickoff — and after the final whistle
Set your restaurant up for a Big Game win
From wings and pizza to themed bundles and limited-time deals, the Big Game is one of the biggest ordering moments of the year. Restaurants that plan ahead — with the right menu, promotions, and ordering setup — are better positioned to handle the rush and turn first-time customers into repeat fans.
Whether customers are watching at home or picking up food before kickoff, having a clear game plan can help you make the most of this high-stakes moment.
Join our Big Game webinar on February 3
Want a deeper playbook for Big Game success? Join us for a live webinar on February 3, 2026 at 2:30PM ET to learn how restaurants can prepare for high-volume game day orders and use DoorDash tools to support growth — during the Big Game and beyond.
RSVP now¹Insights are based on ordering data on Feb 9, 2025 and reflect approximate figures.
