Big game days have long been a key revenue driver for sports bars, but more fans are now opting to host watch parties at home rather than heading to restaurants, leading to a surge in takeout orders, according to a recent Marketplace report. For Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, this shift isn’t a challenge — it’s an opportunity.

According to the National Restaurant Association, off-premises dining made up 61% of all restaurant traffic before the pandemic. Today, that number has grown to 74%, while dine-in visits have declined to 26%. This trend is particularly evident during major sporting events, when customers place most of their takeout orders before kickoff.

“Nobody’s coming in during the middle of the second quarter to get a to-go order,” said Scott SirLouis, chief operating officer of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s parent company, FSC Franchise Co., “so we want to stay busy during and after the game as well.”

While fewer in-store guests may seem like a challenge, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s benefits from the higher margins of takeout orders, which require less labor. To capitalize on this shift, the brand has refined its game-day operations, streamlining efficiency to handle large volumes. During major sporting events, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s sells tens of thousands of pounds of wings, with an assembly-line-style system to keep orders moving.

Although takeout has become a primary focus, the brand is also finding ways to keep in-store guests engaged. One of its most popular promotions allows customers to win free wings for a year by correctly guessing the halftime score.

“The corresponding business is not dine-in; the bulk of it is in off-premise,” SirLouis said. “Any business we get during the game itself is upside.”

As convenience remains a priority for many consumers, sports bars like Beef ‘O’ Brady’s continue to adapt. 

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