Photo: The Super Bowl Host Committee

We are 10 days away from Super Bowl Sunday, as long as this pesky “Polar Vortex” cooperates. What are you doing to prep for one of the biggest pizza ordering days of the year?

Check the below list to ensure you have a winning game-day plan in place.

• Stock Up. You do not want to run out of food on Super Bowl Sunday. Make sure you have double or triple the amount you would normally need. Take a look back at last year’s numbers and work from there. If your pizzeria is located anywhere near the MetLife Stadium, expect increases in business for the days leading up to and after the game as well.
• Staff Up. There will always be employees who call in “sick” on the day of the big game, so schedule everyone you have–you will need them for taking orders, baking, delivering and more. It will be worth it to have as many hands as possible helping out.
• Promote Preordering. Save yourself a little time on February 2 by offering to take orders now and hold them in the system. This will save customers time waiting on hold or ordering online when they’d rather be enjoying time with friends, and it will give you a good idea of how many supplies to purchase as well. Encourage preorders with a percentage off coupon on your website/Facebook/Twitter, etc.
• Run a Game Day Special. Bring in more orders with a Super Bowl special such as “free wings with any large pizza” or “free 2-liter with 2 medium pizzas.” Customers will need to feed groups of people, so consider that when creating specials that will take the guesswork out of ordering.
• Run a Social Media Contest. Get customers involved in the game and the pizzeria by offering something free to anyone who can guess what the halftime score will be (answers must be submitted before the game starts). This one could be tricky, depending on how many people get it right, but they’re likely to order more food when they call to claim their prize.
• Bring them Back. Want all of those orders on Super Bowl Sunday to be reorders in March, or better yet, the rest of the year? Include a box topper on every order that provides a different coupon for every month for the rest of the year (good only for each designated month). Make sure the coupons are enticing enough that they’ll be saved (free pizza with purchase of another, free appetizer with drink and pizza, 20% off your order, etc.).  

Have more ideas? Share them in the comments.