Winning with football promotions

With football season in full swing, operators are capitalizing on the spirit of the most popular sport in America. Here's how three members of FoodService Director's Chefs' Council are taking the ball and running with it—developing successful dining events to suit their regional fans.

"Football season is near and dear to all Pittsburghers," says Cameron Clegg, executive chef at Highmark Pittsburgh. Every year, the Pennsylvania health insurance provider chooses several home, rival and division NFL games to highlight for Friday football promotions.

The menus always include Pittsburgh-style sandwiches, featuring a heap of capicola, steak or cod; coleslaw; and French fries. 

Themed wings face off with rival flavors. For October's game against the Miami Dolphins, Clegg and his team developed Miami Jerk Wings, a jerk-seasoned chicken with red-hot poker sauce. The Steelers-themed Black & Gold Wings play off the color theme, as blackened roasted wings are served with a gold BBQ dipping sauce, and diners can customize their wings with sauced named after popular players.

"We market it on our menu weeks in advance, and the word of mouth is usually our best tool," Clegg says. Staff and guests are encouraged to wear their favorite jerseys for the events.

The Unversity of Kansas updated its football menus in April, "while the highs and lows of the season were still fresh," says Janna Traver, assistant director and executive chef. The more upscale Andouille in Puff Pastry ("What a pig in a blanket wants to be when it grows up") is served with barbecue sauce and has proven very popular among the football crowd, she says. 

"Being on a college campus with a championship football team, we do a special each week themed at who we are playing against," says Drew Patterson, Wexner's culinary director. When OSU topped Oregon in the championship, 42-20, Patterson served these duck wings. 

Philly-style cheesesteaks will be served in honor of OSU's Oct. 22 game against Penn State University. Other menu offerings include a Chicago-style hot dog (Northwestern University), a Wolverine burger (University of Michigan) and a Buffalo chicken sandwich (University of Buffalo).