Coming up is the week when Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day vie for operators’ marketing dollars and diners’ attention. Will it be wings and dips to order out for watch parties, or a romantic dinner for two at a favorite restaurant? There are also some quirky Valentine offers from unexpected chains along with Monday-after-the-game deals.
Wings and pizza are popular game-day eats, but Cousins Subs is bringing back its Party Subs for a limited time. From Feb. 3-9, customers can order the two-foot-long sandwiches in four options: Ham & Provolone, Club, Turkey Breast and Italian Special. Each oversized sub feeds five to eight football fans.
Football Party Packs are available from California Tortilla. Customers can choose a Fajita Fiesta or Taco Party, each feeding four to six guests. For the dippers in the crowd, there’s queso, pico de gallo and guacamole by the quart along with chips.
A smoothie bowl puts a healthy twist on Super Bowl snacking. | Photo courtesy of Smoothie King.
Smoothie King offers a healthy antidote to nachos, wings and pizza with its Super Fruit Bowl. The limited-edition bowl, available through Feb. 11, features acai, strawberries, bananas and mangos. New Healthy Rewards members can get $3 off the Super Fruit Bowl and current members are entitled to three times the points when purchasing the LTO.
Several GoTo Foods’ concepts are offering Super Bowl specials. Auntie Anne’s has its iconic Football Buckets filled with pretzel bites in original, pepperoni and/or cinnamon sugar flavors. On Super Bowl Sunday, the buckets are available for $5. McAlister’s reward members can score $5 off a delivery order of $25 or more, and Moe’s Southwest Grill is returning its Shredded Beef Birria in time for the big game. The fast casual is also releasing a limited-time Quesabirria Taco featuring the new protein.
Shredded Beef Birria returns to Moe's in time for Super Bowl. | Photo courtesy of Moe's Southwest Grill.
Carl’s Jr. has declared Monday, Feb. 10 “National Hangover Day” and is giving away free Hangover Burgers to My Rewards members at participating locations. The fast-food chain teamed up with influencer Alix Earle for the cure-all, a burger layered with a charbroiled beef patty, folded egg, bacon, melted Swiss cheese, crisp hash rounds and special sauce on a seeded bun.
And First Watch is offering free delivery on all online breakfast and lunch orders of $20 or more on the Monday after the game. The full-service chain is bringing its signature avocado toast, lemon ricotta pancakes and protein-packed power bowls straight to customers’ doors.
Then it’s on to Valentine’s Day, with some unusual promotions joining the more traditional heart-shaped pizzas and romantic dinners for two.
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer partnered with Last Crumb Cookie to launch the Red Velvet Cookie CrazyShake. The pink-hued shake is served in a glass with a chocolate frosted rim and is topped with chocolate kisses, red M&M’s, a “What the Velvet” cookie from Last Crumb’s Valentine Collection, whipped cream, heart-shaped sprinkles and a chocolate drizzle. It’s only available from Feb. 13-17.
The Bae Bowl 2.0 is Playa Bowls’ way of celebrating romance. It is composed of half Stupid Cupid base (strawberry, banana, and coconut milk) and half Playa Pitaya, then topped with blueberry flax granola, strawberries, coconut flakes and goji berries. Also on offer is the new Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie, a blend of strawberries, chocolate protein and coconut milk with a chocolate drizzle.
Coffee concepts hope to see some Valentine’s Day action, too. Dutch Bros introduced a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mocha finished with the brand’s signature Soft Top and heart spinkles, and the Strawberries & Cream Rebel—a fusion of strawberry, sweet cream and the chain’s Rebel energy drink.
Starbucks welcomes celebrants with a Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crème Frappuccino, a blend of strawberry puree, Frappuccino chips, milk and ice, with a layer of strawberry puree on top along with whipped cream and a mocha drizzle. There’s also a Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Cold brew aimed at chocolate lovers, with a base of cold brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and topped with silky chocolate hazelnut. The coffee giant’s collection of Valentine’s Day cold cups and tumblers is in stores, too.
Coffee drinks wtih strawberry flavors evoke Valentine's Day at Starbucks. | Photo courtesy of Starbucks.
Heart-shaped doughnuts make a return appearance at Krispy Kreme with an all-new Hearts in Bloom Collection, packed in a flower bouquet box. There’s the You Make My Daisy Doughnut with strawberry icing and a daisy candy; Love You Bunches Doughnut with red icing, green stems and candy curls; Blooming Heart Doughnut dipped in purple icing with heart sprinkles; and You Are My Sunshine Doughnut topped with a candy sunflower.
No heart-shaped pies for Mod Pizza. Instead, guests can indulge in a three-course meal, starting with a warm, cheesy garlic bread appetizer, followed by personalized pizzas with unlimited toppings, and ending with a choice of a limited-edition Red Velvet No Name Cake or Mod’s signature Mega Cookie for dessert. The meal is exclusive to locations in Austin, Denver, Seattle and Philadelphia.
For more of a splurge, couples can head over to Maggiano’s for a That’s Amore Dine-In Menu for Two. The $100 four-course dinner includes new additions, such as Wagyu Meatballs and Wagyu Stuffed Shells, alongside classics including Honey Whipped Ricotta, Calamari Fritté, Fettucine Bolognese and Beef Tenderloin Medallions. Desserts include Cheesecake and Tiramisu, and guests can opt for the Sommelier’s Selection Wine Pairing for an additional $25 to $30 per person. Those who prefer a cozy dinner at home can order the four-course That’s Amore Carryout Package, starting at $90.
Black Angus is offering a "Campfire Feast for Two" on Valentine's Day. | Photo courtesy of Black Angus Steakhouse.
A Campfire Feast for Two ($69) is enticing couples to dine in at Black Angus. Two can share a starter like Shrimp Cocktail or Loaded Potato Skins, then indulge in Prime Rib or Grilled Salmon, and finish up with Big Mountain Fudge Cake. The dinner also includes Classic Sidekicks like broccoli, baked potato and mac & cheese.
Iron Hill created five food and beer matchups for its Valentine’s Day promotion. The casual-dining chain’s “perfect pairings” range from a $9 Raspberry Pecan Salad with Pink Brambleberry Farmhouse Ale, to a $27 Pan Roasted Halibut with Philly Phavorite IPA and $32 Grilled Filet Mignon Medallions with Vienna Red Lager. There’s also a beer pairing for panko shrimp and cheesecake.
Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day are taking up most of the menu headlines, but El Pollo Loco is making news with the launch of Mango Habanero, its first flavor introduction in almost a decade. The marinade and sauce combines pureed mangos and habanero peppers to create a sweet-heat flavor profile. Mango Habanero Sauce is available a la carte for $0.99 and as Mango Habanero fire-grilled chicken in a two-piece meal and 16-piece family meal.
Rounding out this week’s lineup is Kolache Factory’s February LTO of the month, the Cherry Hazelnut Cream Kolache. The baked treat starts with semi-sweet yeast dough that’s topped with tart cherry filling and finished with a generous drizzle of Nutella.
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