Staggering “Big Game” food facts

INDIANA- Peanut butter and jelly. Cheese and wine. Milk and cookies. There are some things in this world that are just made for each other. This weekend is a celebration of one of those wonderful combinations: junk food and football. It’s time to post up on the couch, grab the hot wings, and watch the big game. And you won’t be alone while feasting, as these fun food facts will show you:

1 IN 7 AMERICANS ORDER TAKE OUT

Right after Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday is the second most popular day to order takeout. It’s estimated that around one in seven Americans, or 48 million Americans, order takeout for the big game. These statistics prove that it’s essential for your establishment to offer takeout and delivery services. “But what are people ordering for their Super Bowl watch parties?” is a question you may ask yourself because you’re looking to create a game day menu. The three most popular Super Bowl dishes people order are pizza, chicken wings, and chips with dips.

60% OF TAKE-OUT ORDERS ARE PIZZA

If you’ve ever ordered pizza during the Super Bowl, you know it’s gone as soon as it arrives. This hand-held favorite accounts for 60% of takeout orders during the Super Bowl, and pizza places look forward to this day because their sales double.

1.25 BILLION CHICKEN WINGS ARE EATEN

What is Sunday football without chicken wings? About 1.25 billion wings are consumed, which equals 162.5 million pounds of chicken. This weekend alone is responsible for 7% of chicken wing sales every year.

19.4 MILLION POUNDS OF CHIPS ARE PURCHASED

Are you a potato chip or tortilla chip person? Don’t worry, you don’t have to choose between the two; you can have both! While dipped veggies are great for snacking, most prefer chips during the big game. On Super Bowl Sunday, 11.2 million pounds of potato chips and 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips are purchased. It’s no surprise that so many chips are snacked on; there’s just something comforting about crunching on them while watching the game.

AVOCADOES ARE A FAN FAVORITE

While many foods eaten on Super Bowl weekend aren’t the healthiest, you can look forward to heart-healthy avocados. Approximately 139.4 million pounds of avocados are purchased to make guacamole or add to their meals for the big game. Guacamole is the dip of choice for Super Bowl get-togethers, with Americans enjoying 8 million pounds. So, add guacamole to your list if you want to offer guests healthy Super Bowl food.

10% OF AMERICANS USE THEIR GRILLS

During the week of the Super Bowl, about 10% of Americans grill food, second to only the 4th of July. It is estimated that 14 billion hamburgers are made, while other options include hot dogs, steak, bratwurst, or grilled vegetables. It is tradition to fire up the grill during this day, whether in your backyard or while tailgating.

POPCORN & NUTS ARE POPULAR SNACKS

If you want to offer snacks, popcorn, and nuts should be your go-to options. 3.8 million pounds of popcorn and 2.5 million pounds of nuts are eaten during the game. These are great for guests or customers to snack on while waiting for meals to be cooked or takeout to arrive.

325.5 MILLION GALLONS OF BEER ARE CONSUMED

During Super Bowl weekend, football fans will drink about 325.5 million gallons of beer, equating to 50 million cases. Beer cases cost up to $10.8 billion and are enough liquid to fill an Olympic-sized pool almost 2,000 times. But not everyone drinks beer during the big game. People spend $2.37 million on soda, showing that soda is another popular Super Bowl beverage.