Before the pandemic, consumers of all ages congregated over appetizers and drinks to cheer on their favorite teams. And as economies reopen consumers are more than ready to revisit their favorite restaurants again—especially after spending the better part of the year at home. For restaurants, this presents a big opportunity, especially among sports fans. Sports games broadcast at restaurants have the potential to boost business overall, as well as boost beverage purchases and appetizer sales.
Increasing average check size
According to Technomic’s 2020 Beverage Consumer Trend Report, nearly half (44%) of consumers—including 56% of consumers 21- to 34-years old—say they would order an alcohol beverage instead of a nonalcohol beverage at least occasionally while dining at a restaurant. For restaurants, where alcohol and beverage sales often offer high margins, this presents significant opportunity. Consider offering drink specials during important games, happy hour deals or seasonal cocktails and beers.
As for appetizers, diners may be more likely to graze on snacks when watching sports. Consider expanding the appetizer, shareable and small plate sections on the menu—or at least highlighting existing offerings—to boost consumer appeal. Popular picks for consumers include indulgent eats such as loaded fries, nachos, sliders and more.
Drawing in diners with premium entertainment
Boosting business with sports requires more than just customers’ favorite snacks and drinks. In addition to offering high quality programming, operators should be sure to continue following state and local guidelines for safety, including social distancing requirements, mask-wearing recommendations and increased sanitizing. This will help ensure consumers as well as staff are safe, plus it boosts peace of mind among diners.
As for the sports, operators also need to ensure they’re able to broadcast the game successfully; local TV channels may not offer every game diners are interested in watching, and if a restaurant isn’t able to show a customer’s preferred game, it’s likely that the customer will choose to dine elsewhere.
Restaurants that offer DIRECTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket don’t have to worry about that, however. DIRECTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket program not only includes hundreds of games, but it also allows restaurants to add themselves to the Sports Bar Finder app, which customers can use to find a local spot to watch their favorite game. With 99% reliability, weekly schedules and a range of premium and 4k programming to keep guests entertained, DIRECTV is the industry leader in sports programming. DIRECTV’s Sunday Ticket package is available nationwide, as well.
Boosting business in a post-pandemic landscape is key for restaurants of all kinds. By offering sports programming, however, restaurants can breathe a little easier, knowing that local sports fans will find their way in.
DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS's National Accounts entertainment packages are designed to support the unique demands of multi-location businesses. If you’re a Fortune 500 company, multi-unit operator, large footprint business or have more than 25 locations, then the DIRECTV National Accounts Program is perfect for you. Enjoy one-on-one service, exclusive sports coverage and the simplicity of having one provider for all your locations.
To learn more about DIRECTV for BUSINESS’s Sunday Ticket and other programming available for restaurants, click here.
This post is sponsored by DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS℠