Being a football fan is more than just supporting the team during game day. It's a culture driven by team colors, mascots, and gameday rituals and experiences that often revolve around food. Of those foods, sales of deep-fried dishes like French fries and chicken wings skyrocket on Saturdays and Sundays in the fall.

Operators have a unique opportunity to tap into this harmonious relationship by offering the dishes that fans want the most. But not just any food will do. Deep-fried dishes are a staple of gameday, so it's imperative for restaurants to have the best commercial fryers.

The Allure of Game Day Dining

The eating experience while watching a football game goes back to the game's inception. Over the decades, fans have blended their love of both food and football into incredible menus and dishes. Because game day is a special occasion, the foods enjoyed before, during, and after the game are just as important, bordering on superstition for many.

Football fans in particular want to indulge themselves in the full. Comfort foods are popular, many of which are fried. In fact, the most popular meal items ordered on game days include chicken nuggets, potato wedges, and chicken wings.

Creating Football-Themed Fried Food Menus That Sell

Although food is always popular during a football game, restaurants and bars can get creative with unique menu offerings. By understanding the types of foods fans like, operators can dish out new favorites like:

Regionally-Flavored Wings

Locations in the Southwest can offer spicy wings, while those in the Midwest may want to incorporate cheese and bacon (i.e., bacon-wrapped chicken wings). Those on the East Coast already have a local favorite - buffalo wings. However, in the South, barbecue is king. No matter what, though, wings are always in style, and adding other regions' favorites can enhance a menu even more.

Loaded Fries

While French fries are a menu staple, it's easy to create a whole meal from this sidekick. Adding elements like barbecue pork, grilled steak, bacon, and hearty helpings of sauce and cheese can turn a basket of fries into a decadent entree. Plus, customers can customize their loaded fries for even more enjoyment. Whether you call them poutine or not, they're still delicious.

Fried Chicken Sandwiches

As fast food places already know, consumers go gaga for a really good fried chicken sandwich. Operators can take advantage of this fervor and deliver a high-quality sandwich that rivals anything a fan could get in the drive-thru. It’s relatively easy to upgrade this item with more flavorful breading, savory sauces, and better cuts of chicken. 

Mastering the Art of Game Day Cuisine with Pitco Fryers

Creating a delicious game day menu is one thing - executing it is another. During the busiest time of the sports year, commercial kitchens require equipment that can cater to large groups of hungry fans at once. Fortunately, commercial fryers from Pitco can easily handle this challenge.

Not only do Pitco fryers deliver unmatched performance with crisp and juicy dishes, but they're built to handle high demand. When everyone wants the same thing, workers need to be able to serve tons of dishes with little variation between them.

Pitco even makes it easier for operators to get the best fryer with the company's proprietary fryer selector tool. Once an owner selects the right fryer, they need to know how to maximize productivity. For example, some tips include maintaining a consistent temperature, frying only frozen items, and filtering the oil regularly. Best of all, smart fryers can automatically filter and top off the oil, making the job even easier.

Get hands-on and delve into culinary experimentation at our Jaymark test kitchen: