Make the Most of Tailgating Season in Your Dining Hall

When the leaves start changing and the air starts getting cooler, that means one thing for many Americans—it's time to tailgate. In fact, a whopping 13 billion meals are eaten at tailgates every year.¹ Even more shockingly, nearly nine in ten football fans say they had more fun tailgating than at the game itself.²

That love of tailgating has created a key opportunity for college and university foodservice dining halls and programs. Tailgaters want options, with the average tailgater saying they want at least five different food choices and four unique beverage choices at any single tailgate.² College and university foodservice operators have an opportunity to bring in additional revenue and engage with students, alumni, and visitors through unique, interesting food options and programs. At the same time, innovative tailgating options can provide a chance for the culinary team to get more creative, market the full foodservice program, and even enhance school spirit.

As the tailgating season heats up, consider these ideas to elevate and reinvigorate this passionate campus tradition.

Pre-game with winning to-go options

With many students relying on their college dining plan for meals, dining halls can capture more student participation on game days by focusing on tailgate-friendly grab-and-go options. Many colleges and universities nationwide have been upping their to-go game in recent years, providing a strong foundation for more tailgate-focused options.

Consider grab-and-go boxes that feature tailgate classics (burgers, hot dogs, chips) that students and even visitors can pick up on their way to a tailgate. Any to-go options are also a key marketing opportunity, as hundreds and sometimes thousands of students and fans make their way to the game carrying bags or boxes with the school colors and dining services logo. Online or mobile ordering can also help a program plan and prep ahead of game day.

But don’t limit yourself to just burgers and hot dogs. Healthy and plant-forward options, regional and global ingredients and flavors, and more creative and gourmet offerings can take a simple grab-and-go meal to the next level. Seventy-two percent of consumers say they like veggie wraps, for instance, creating a clear opportunity for a healthier to-go option (swap out flavors and ingredients regularly to keep the menu interesting).³ Or give tailgaters a fun snack box option, capitalizing on the popularity of charcuterie, the “snackle box” trend, the nostalgia for lunch meal kits from childhood, and the snacking trend overall. Consider these recipes to jumpstart your game day menu innovation:

Amp up the comfort food options

There are some classic options that tailgaters say are must-haves—burgers, hot dogs, and chips are at the top of their list, followed by options like chicken wings, barbecue, potato salad, and brats.⁴ But a college dining hall can level up these favorites, giving students and football fans the unique foods and flavors they may not be able to execute on their own.

At West Virginia University, the Dining Services team took inspiration from comfort foods found in the home states of the two teams competing in the College Football Playoff National Championship last January. Students were invited to celebrate the championship at two separate dining locations dedicated to each of the teams in contention. At one location representing the Michigan Wolverines, crowd-pleasing options like Detroit-style pizza, Coney dogs, olive burgers, and steak sandwiches were on the menu, while a second location represented the Washington Huskies, showcasing grilled brats with sriracha mayo, bacon burgers with onion rings and cheese sauce, cod in tomato sauce, and calzones.

Looking for a new comfort food option to inspire your own football menus? Consider chicken and waffles—a new comfort food classic—utilizing Simplot Maple City® Waffle Flavored Waffle Fries served with chicken strips. Or combine two tailgating classics—fries and barbecue—with Simplot's Smoked Brisket Slider with Dill Avocado Spread Slaw, served with a side of Simplot's newest Conquest® Delivery+® fry.

Post-game snacking opportunities

Whether the home team won and fans want to continue the celebration, or they couldn’t quite pull off the win and they want to take their mind off the sting of defeat, tailgating opportunities don’t have to end when the game does. Indeed, post-game dining options can be an additional revenue driver on game day.

At Notre Dame (where they take tailgating very, very seriously), home games often feature a post-game tailgate. The ticketed event held in the North Dining Hall is open to the public and features a menu inspired by the Fighting Irish’s opponents: Italian beef and Chicago tavern-style pizza after a game against Illinois, or chili and fried bologna sandwiches after a game against Ohio.^5,6

Craft your tailgating marketing playbook

Tailgating is a fun, festive, and ultimately social event. Go beyond simply naming an option a “tailgating burger” and instead create a more wide-ranging activation, which is particularly key as consumers continue to seek out experiences and reasons to celebrate. Use social media, signage, websites, student organizations, local media, and email campaigns (targeted at students, alumni, and fan groups) to get the word out about grab-and-go options and deals, special events, tailgating menus, and post-game celebrations. Use packaging and decorations that celebrate the school colors and mascot, while also taking inspiration from opponents’ states and cities to highlight unique regional dishes.

A combination of marketing creativity and culinary innovation can create a tailgating program that gets attention, increases visitation, and drives school spirit.

¹ NielsenIQ/Circana National Consumer Panel
² Crestline Tailgating Study
³ Datassential, Supermarket Prepared Foods Keynote Report, 2024
⁴ Talker Research and The Finnish Long Drink Tailgating Study, 2024
⁵ Notre Dame North Dining Hall Tailgate, September 7, 2024
⁶ Notre Dame North Dining Hall Tailgate, September 21, 2024