Football Season Menus

The largest international football event in the calendar kicks off on 11th June this year, so we’ve pulled together some menu inspiration to help your customers have ball of a time!

Staples for Kick Off

When customers’ focus is on the match, they want something easy to nibble on that doesn’t break attention. ‘Pub grub tapas’ like chicken wings, potato puffs, mozzarella sticks and the like perform particularly well. Offer a build-your-own-sharing-board with 3 side dishes from a list to choose from (great for catering to demand for increased personalisation too!). We recommend including the following:

For something more substantial, burgers, hot dogs, and BBQ food like ribs all perform particularly well.

And the good news is we have a blog on each of these topics to inspire you!

Put the ‘World’ in world tournaments with internationally inspired twists on menus

Tailor your menu offering to match the match of the day and draw on the cuisine of the countries playing! Offer a selection of iconic dishes from the nations playing, or just one from each as the ‘specials’ of the day.

11th June: Mexico vs South Africa

Team Mexico: Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, taquitos, fajitas and nachos (we love Mexican food and a lot of the dishes rely on the same core ingredients e.g beans, tortilla, cheese, guac, etc).

Team South Africa: Braai (assorted grilled meats), potjie (slow cooked stew often featuring lamb), bunny chow (hollowed load filled with curry), and koeksisters (fried dough infused with syrup or honey).

12th June: South Korea vs Czechia

Team South Korea: Bibimbap (rice bowl with veg, meat, and fried egg), kimchi jjigae (fiery stew with pork or tofu), kimbap (seaweed and rice rolls), and hotteok (griddled pancake with cinnamon and nuts).

Team Czechia: Goulash, Svíčková na smetaně (beef, vegetable sauce, cream, cranberries, and dumplings), Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (pork, sauerkraut, bread dumplings), and Smažený Sýr (deep-fried breaded edam).

Some cuisines are obviously going to be quicker to whip up than others, in which case you could consider a fusion twist on these classics. Instead of a menu overhaul to introduce kimchi jjigae, why not transform a regular burger into a Korean burger with a splash of our Rio Pacific Korean BBQ Sauce? Featuring notes of garlic, ginger, sesame, and Asian pear, this sauce pairs perfectly with some kimchi slaw and chilli mayo! Likewise, creating speciality menu items in house on match days can be time-consuming, so ready-to-serve solutions like our prepared taquitos can help significantly streamline operations. Updating options for each match keeps things new and exciting, drawing repeat customers who may have otherwise only attended to support their chosen teams.

Immersive Dining

Streamed football and other sports showings bridge the gap between traditional dining and competitive socialising – the leisure trend that combines drinking and dining with interactive games or activities. While watching football is more passive than typical examples, it is still a highly social activity that revolves around community bonding. To put more of an emphasis on the food and drink, there are several ways operators can create an immersive experience.

  1. Menu Updates: We’ve already spoken about incorporating international eats into your menu, but that’s not all you can do!
  2. Creative Names: Rename existing dishes with football-related names. This works particularly well for drinks – such as a red-based cocktail like a Manhattan being renamed ‘Red Card’. Check out our Drinks blog for more ideas and download the pdf for cocktail inspiration.
  3. Deals: Nothing puts customers back ‘in the moment’ like a limited time offer. Think ½ price drinks if they order within 5 minutes of a goal being scored or at half time, or ‘happy hour’ coming into effect during extra time.

Need any more ideas? Get in touch with our friendly Funnybones Foodservice customer service team who will be happy to help!

Phone: 01707 321 234

Email: info@gkco.com