7 Hacks On GameDay Promotions From Texas Pete®

Big time traffic opportunities await kick-off every weekend. Gameday is the time to look for an aggressive promotional offense with appetizers, bar drinks and entrees. Try scoring with these 7 points this season and Sauce Like You Mean It™:

1. Leverage local games – From local high school games to college Saturdays and pro games on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays, offer 5 or 10% off menu items for those who show their tickets before the game and ticket stubs post-game. High school game advertising is affordable and effective with in-game jumbotron ads, vinyl banners and flyers just outside the gate. For college and pro games, leverage your social media, but be careful of trademark laws on using team logos.

2. Build tailgate-oriented bundles – For take-out, delivery, drive-thru or catering, build Gameday-oriented bundles and promote them through in-store signage digital displays, drive-thru order panels, social and paid advertising. You can also look at digital geo-fencing stadiums on gameday for those checking scores on their smartphones. Be sure to include bounce-back coupons with every tailgate or “home gate” bundle for those who’ll host friends at home to watch the game.

3. Don’t forget the band – Catering opportunities for high school and college bands should not be overlooked. Contact band booster organizations and offer pre-packaged meals or self-serve catering for pre-game meals or during band camps. Feeding hundreds at once might be within the goal posts of your capabilities. Don’t forget to include a bounce-back free drink with a meal for the students. Document your support for a local band on social media, tag them and you may get calls from other schools asking for the same service.

4. Leverage a local celebrity and tie it to a charity – Do you know a former hometown hero that customers would love to meet? Why not work with a local charity to entice the star to drop by your restaurant for an autograph or a photo and set a percentage of proceeds from sales that day to a charity. The star could potentially write-off the activity, your brand and charity get extra dollars and your restaurant intercepts an opportunity to be involved with the community. Be sure to document it all on social as well.

5. Make it salty – Deep discount salty pretzels or offer free salty buttered popcorn for your bar and watch your beer sales grow!

6. To wing or boneless wing? Offer both. – Remember, Gen Z and Millennials prefer boneless wings. Other popular wings are fried drumettes tossed in your favorite brand of wing sauce. If you want to sauce like you mean it, tells your customers that your wings are made with Texas Pete®.

7. Pre-Game with a game. – How about a twist on trivia night with questions focused around football? Do you have an outdoor patio? Try a weekly cornhole, beer pong or flip cup play-off leading to a championship trophy. Players organize their teams and each player buys in with a weekly package of beer and bar food.  

These ideas are the start of the profitable football promotions game. Score more by discussing your big ideas with your restaurant staff and bartenders. Remember, you can also cash in on rebates of up to $500 on Texas Pete® products as you stock up for a long season ahead. Download your rebate form now.