U.S. retailers and restaurants are hoping that the upcoming Super Bowl, taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A., on 9 February, will result in a boost in food sales, including seafood.
“The Super Bowl is the fourth top food holiday in the U.S. and a very good seafood holiday,” Chuck Anderson, vice president of operations at Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.-based food and beverage data firm, told SeafoodSource. “Retailers will see a bump in sales the week before the Super Bowl and on Super Bowl Sunday, adding a seafood sales bump for two weeks for most companies.”
The overall sales lift is typically 5 percent to 20 percent for both weeks, according to Anderson – and could be higher in stores around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Kansas City, Missouri: the home cities of the two National Football League teams competing in this year’s Super Bowl.
Total spending on food, drinks, and other purchases for the Super Bowl is expected to reach a record USD 18.6 billion (EUR 17.9 billion), or USD 91.58 (EUR 88) per customer, this year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics’ 2025 Super Bowl Spending Survey. Notably, 81 percent of Americans plan to purchase food and beverages in conjunction with the game.
In another survey offering more good news for retailers, 76 percent of U.S. consumers plan to spend up to USD 250 (EUR 240) on refreshments, and 67 percent said inflation will not deter their Super Bowl celebrations, according to a recent Advantage Unified Commerce survey.
Anderson suggested retailers feature some of the same seafood items that are popular for New Year’s Eve parties, particularly focusing on snacking items.
“Shrimp will lead the way, with raw shrimp, cooked shrimp, shrimp rings, and party trays in high demand. Extra displays in frozen doors and end caps of shrimp and shrimp rings will generate planned and impulse sales,” Anderson said, adding that retailers should provide a wide range of price points and options to fit a variety of budgets.
Real and imitation crabmeat and smoked salmon, both of which shoppers can use in dips, spreads, and cheeseballs, should also perform well, Anderson suggested.
210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink agreed, telling SeafoodSource that retail seafood departments have “ample opportunity to integrate snacking-focused items into the Super Bowl ad and merchandising.”
“Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is shrimp platters, but retailers could also consider crab legs, smoked fish dip, or even sushi platters as entertaining options,” she said. “Super Bowl bundles [retailers typically offer] often include chicken, chili, chips and dip, etc., and having seafood as one of the options can be a great reminder for consumers.”
In just one example of promotions and partnerships retailers are rolling out associated with the game, New York-based Fulton Fish Market has partnered with NFL Quarterback Jameis Winston on a promotion touting free golden king crab legs with qualifying purchases of USD 250 or more.
However, it’s not only retailers that are expected to enjoy a seafood sales lift during the Super Bowl, as restaurants are also set to benefit, with NRF and Prosper Analytics finding that 17.6 million Americans plan to watch the game at a bar or restaurant.
Some U.S. restaurants are already touting Super Bowl seafood specials, such as Palm & Pine Restaurant, located in the game’s host city of New Orleans, which is highlighting its Forgotten Shrimp Dip with cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and hot sauce, as well as a BBQ Shrimp & Meatball Pistolettes offering, which includes Cajun-stuffed shrimp and a meatball roll.
New York-based hospitality provider Sodexo is serving a variety of seafood dishes at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, where the game is being held, during the Super Bowl. The menu is inspired by “the rich flavors synonymous with the city of New Orleans and greater Louisiana,” the company said.
Featured Sodexo items at the stadium include a Lobster Karaage Sandwich, which is a panko-coated, butterflied lobster tail drizzled with a lemon pepper sauce on a brioche bun; Surf & Turf Po’ Boy; Elevated Seafood Nachos; and The Taste of Louisiana, which is chicken and sausage gumbo along with lobster and crawfish étouffée served with steamed white rice.
“New Orleans is a city celebrated for its food culture and distinctive flavor profile, and it’s an honor to showcase that vibrance on this global stage,” Sodexo Live National Executive Chef Carmen Callo said. “This is a unique opportunity to highlight dishes that define this city that we know and love while introducing thousands of fans from around the world to the diverse flavors that make New Orleans one of the top food destinations. We want fans to eat at the Superdome and know they could only be in New Orleans.”
