This guide covers what to sell, how to price it and how to write the ads so you do not draw a letter from the league.
A wording warning before you print anything
The NFL treats unlicensed commercial use of the phrase "Super Bowl" in advertising as a violation of its trademark rights, and it has sent cease-and-desist letters to businesses that used it in taglines. Legal commentary notes that a bar with the proper license can show the broadcast to patrons, but using the trademark in ads to attract customers is a separate matter. This is why you see "the big game" in so many promotions. As of October 2026, that wording is the common workaround.
In your own promotional copy, write "the big game," "game day" or "watch party." Avoid the league's logos, team names and the trademark in your posts, flyers and online ordering page. This page uses the name only in the title so owners searching for it can find it. It is not legal advice, so ask a lawyer before anything large, such as a ticketed event.
How the day works
Most game-day revenue is takeout and catering, with a smaller dine-in crowd that arrives early for seats near a screen. Orders land in the hours before kickoff, and the kitchen is slammed with the same few items: wings, nachos, pizza, sliders and sides. A restaurant that shows the broadcast sees a sports-bar rush; one that does not sells platters.
Sixteen specials for game day
Keep the list tight and the items easy to batch.
- A wings-by-the-dozen deal with three sauces
- A party platter for ten with wings, sliders and sides
- A pizza party pack with a set number of pies
- A nacho tray with toppings on the side
- A sliders platter in two flavors
- A veggie and dip tray for the guests who skip wings
- A game-day combo for two
- A cooler pack with a drink bundle, where allowed
- A watch party table with a reservation and a minimum spend
- A halftime special, such as a free appetizer, on the dine-in side
- A pre-order pickup with a kickoff-minus-two-hours window
- A dessert tray for the table
- A kids' snack box
- A loyalty bonus for preordered trays
- A gift card bonus for use in February or March
- A reheating guide printed on the bag for orders eaten later
Pricing and margin notes
Wing prices swing, so cost them against the week's supplier price rather than a figure from last season. Price platters per person and keep a margin in the sides, dips and drinks. A deal that includes a pack of celery and sauces costs little and feels generous. Charge extra for extra sauces and for rush orders after the cutoff.
Planning timeline
Open ordering two weeks before and close it the day before.
Staffing and prep
Think of game day as a catering event. Pre-portion sauces, par-cook wings, and set a station for packaging only. Add a second fryer person, a packer and a dispatcher who calls pickup names. Stagger pickup windows in 15-minute blocks and cap each block.
If you show the broadcast, confirm that your public performance license covers it.
How to announce it
Email and SMS two weeks out and again two days before. Post a photo of the tray on social, add a Google Business Profile offer, and put a flyer in each bag for the week before. Use the words "the big game" in your examples: "Order your big game platter by Friday."
Your direct online ordering page can handle scheduled pickup with a per-window cap. Studio can create the tray flyer and social post, with no league branding.
Mistakes to avoid
Do not take unlimited orders. The day has a hard deadline, kickoff, and a late tray is useless. Close ordering early and tell guests what time to pick up. Do not overextend the menu either; three platters done well beat ten items done unevenly.
Do not forget the guests who are not eating wings: a veggie tray, a dessert and a kids' box widen the party order. Finally, keep the reheating note simple, because many trays are eaten an hour after pickup.
Game-day checklist
- Copy reviewed for trademark wording
- Platters costed against current prices
- Pickup windows and caps set
- Broadcast license confirmed, if showing the game
- Staff and prep plan posted
- Messages scheduled
| Weeks before | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 | Choose platters, cost wings, review copy |
| 2 | Open ordering, email and SMS, post on social and Google |
| 1 | Order supplies, confirm staff |
| Day before | Close ordering, par-cook and portion |
Sources, checked on the dates shown: Nevada Broadcasters Association, Tiptoeing on the Sidelines: 2026 Update on Super Bowl Advertising and Promotions.