Assemble a winning sports season snack lineup
SUMMARY: A practical guide to building a sports‑season snack menu that drives traffic, check size and repeat visits.
Prepare to feed the flavors fans crave
As summer winds down, fall sports season starts back up — and in its wake comes a rush of diners gathering to cheer on their favorite teams over a plate of nachos or a platter of wings.
For operators, there’s a great opportunity for incremental traffic and sales on game days, which makes fall an ideal time to capitalize on consumers’ desire for indulgent appetizers and shareable, loaded dishes.
With many options available, operators can capture business by offering unique LTOs and shareable menu items that attract game day crowds.
Level up on craveable indulgence
Consider what your consumers are craving and challenge yourself to level up your menu.
Seventy-four percent of consumers are more likely to try a new menu item if it is indulgent.1
Forty-two percent are also more likely to visit a certain restaurant because they are craving one of their appetizers.2
A whopping 90% of U.S. consumers love fries. They are in the 99th percentile for consumption, meaning they are more regularly consumed than 99% of all other foods, flavors and beverages.3
Social conversations about French fries alone have increased by 32.91% year-over-year.4
Whether celebrating a home team win with friends or consoling the kids after a youth football loss, gathering around a big plate of craveable bites is what keeps people coming back for more, making these types of dishes an area of opportunity.
It’s about going bigger than the base. Turn familiar favorites into crave magnets by piling on bold toppings, sauces, and textures. Focus on layering flavor — not just ingredients — by playing with contrasts like sweet and heat, rich and acidic, creamy and crunchy.
Add fun-loaded options to your menu
Sixty-three percent of consumers agreed fries can be considered a main dish, not just a side. According to them, fries shine as mains in dishes like “loaded” fries (66%), chili fries (36%) and topped with various seasonings (36%).5
But beyond this classic, other “loaded” apps are making appearances on menus, including breadsticks, guacamole, queso dip, potato skins and even wings.
Shanghai Pickles is one of our favorite loaded recipes, a crunchy pile of Anchor® Spicy Battered Pickle Fries topped with a flavorful trio of sauces: hoisin, Sriracha and garlic mayonnaise, then finished with fresh cilantro and crushed peanuts.
Dare to turn everyday sides into can’t-miss favorites that feel like a full experience — bold, abundant and made for sharing. Deliver both deep satisfaction and strong perceived value.
Bring more shareables to the table
Appetizers are both habitual and communal. Forty percent of diners order them about half the time, 26% always do, and 55% prefer to share appetizers with the table.6 In fact, 63% of consumers say they “always” or “often” order shareable items when dining out.
Gen Z consumers lean into this behavior even more, with a higher likelihood of sharing plates and ordering appetizers as a way to offset costs.7
Shareable apps are perfect for consumers who want something to eat but aren’t very hungry, or those who want to try more than one item without having a whole plate to themselves.
With shareable appetizer plates, tables can choose from larger portions of a favorite app or a sampler plate of several foods. Shareable plates occasionally expand beyond appetizers, too — some restaurants offer shareable entrees or desserts.
Plan for a buzzworthy Limited Time Offer
LTOs are a great way to attract more game-day diners. In fact, 91% of consumers say they’re more likely to visit a chain that offers limited-time deals or new items.8
Operators also report higher ticket averages and stronger group retention when featuring LTOs or bundled appetizer and fry deals.9
Keep in mind that when it’s limited, it’s irresistible. Plan LTOs that feel exciting and worth showing up for. Introduce new flavors, bold builds and bundles that bring the whole table together.
Know that game day success isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things well. Craveable apps, shareable plates and smart LTOs help operators capture traffic, build checks, and keep groups engaged.
SOURCES
1Datassential; Keynote 2024 Report Menu Development.
2Datassential; Keynote 2024 Report Casual Dine.
3Simplot; Why fries are the superhero of QSR Menus.
4Tastewise; French fries trend overview.
5Talk Research; Here’s how America does fries, 2025 Study commissioned by McCain Foods.
6Toast; Restaurant Dining Trends: 57% of respondents are comfortable with restaurants using AI.
7Eater; How Dining Out Differs Across Generations.
8Circana; Circana 2023 Report Reveals the Strategic Influence and Timeless Impact of Limited-Time Offers in Shaping.
9Mintel; Multicultural America: 2024 Dining Out, US.
