Beating the winter slowdown with holidays and sport events
SUMMARY: Capture winter demand by leaning into seasonal celebrations, major sports moments, and off‑premise occasions.
Tap into social moments to drive traffic
Every year, February and March tend to bring a natural dip in restaurant traffic. The good news? With the right moments and menu strategies, operators can still keep customers engaged — and coming back — all winter long.
Annual holidays like Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day provide opportunities to tap into pent-up demand. Strategic menu offerings and promotions can help operators boost winter traffic.
Fifty‑eight percent of those who observe Valentine’s Day typically go to a restaurant or bar for food and beverages, while 37% of consumers celebrating alternative occasions like Galentine’s or Palentine’s Day also choose restaurants and bars as part of their plans.1 This highlights a broader appetite for shared, out‑of‑home experiences.
St. Patrick’s Day is another holiday operators shouldn’t sleep on. You could lean into the occasion with bold, pub‑inspired flavors that feel festive and craveable, like our Dublin‑er Tots Poutine. This Irish‑inspired shareable features crispy Ore‑Ida® Tater Tots® topped with grilled red corned beef, rich brown beer gravy and melty Anchor® Breaded Wisconsin Cheese Curds.
Treat seasonal moments as built‑in marketing opportunities, creating menus that feel timely and celebratory to give customers a reason to choose you.
Pay close attention to March sports
Sporting events such as professional football and college basketball represent perhaps the best opportunities for operators to drive sales during this otherwise sluggish time period.
March sports alone draw fans across every age group, making them a powerful traffic driver during slower months. On‑premise viewing is especially popular, with 91% of adults ages 21–34, 89% of those 35–54 and 63% of guests 55+ saying they frequent restaurants or bars to watch sports and enjoy drinks.3 Fans also spend an average of four to five hours per week watching sports,4 creating extended occasions for food, beverages and repeat orders.
The March basketball tournament represents a prime opportunity to promote repeat visits with continuity promotions and contests, as well as bundled meals or snack and appetizer trays geared for watching games at home. Restaurants often use the tournament to launch shareable menu items, such as new wing flavors or limited time offers.
Some customers even look forward to those special offers. Fifty-seven percent of consumers have expressed interest in purchasing limited-edition retail items or restaurant specials (LTOs) in the winter.1
In recent years, many restaurants have also offered free or discounted home delivery during the tournament to capture revenues from consumers enjoying the games at home, as the off-premise dining trend has been gaining momentum.
A good tip is to treat March sports as a multi‑week occasion. Build momentum with shareables, LTOs and reasons to come back.
Feed the “couchgating” trend
Many restaurants have expanded their sports-themed tie-ins with off-premise offers tied to football that can carry over to the Super Bowl. These tie-ins can also be updated and deployed for the college basketball playoffs in March.
That strategy makes sense, especially given how many fans choose to celebrate gameday at home. Only 17% of those who celebrate the Super Bowl typically purchase ready‑made items from a grocery retailer.1 Instead, many fans lean on restaurants when watching from home. Thirty‑nine percent of sports fans say they order delivery when hosting,5 and 74% of football fans choose to watch games at home,6 underscoring a strong opportunity for operators to capture off‑premise orders during major sporting events.
Consumers’ pent-up demand for spending might also create opportunities for tie-ins with local businesses in these traditionally quiet months. You could also consider dinner-and-a-movie deals with local theaters, or perhaps partnerships with sporting goods stores where consumers may be drawn for memorabilia related to football and basketball playoff races. The goal isn’t just to serve food, it’s to show up wherever the game is being watched or to find ways to connect with fans and stay top of mind.
The key takeaway is that slow periods don’t have to slow progress. By leaning into the moments that matter, operators can turn seasonal slowdowns into steady opportunities for traffic and growth.
SOURCES
1Datassential; Winter Trend Report 2025.
2Deloitte; Tech, Media, and Telecom.
3Tiger Pistol; Running the Stats: The Global Impact of Sports in the Beverage Industry.
4Wegryn Enterprises; REPORT: 1 in 4 Americans Watch 5+ Hours of Sports Weekly.
5DoorDash; 50+ Food and Alcohol Delivery Statistics and Trends for 2025.
6Peter Mayer; Data: U.S. Football Fans Overwhelmingly Prefer Watching the Game from Home.
