Local restaurant owners: Carryout orders rise on Super Bowl Sunday

Those watching the game plan to spend an average of $86.04 on food, drinks, apparel, decorations and other purchases for the day. The most popular purchases: food and drinks, the NRF stated.

Super Bowl Sunday is a big day for carryout

Marc Perkins, owner of Nick’s Restaurant in Xenia, said Super Bowl Sunday is “probably our biggest carryout day of the year.” He is expecting double the number of carryout orders with most people ordering wings.

Dan Apolito, owner of Archer’s Tavern in Centerville and Kettering, is expecting the same thing.

“We actually see less people for the biggest games like the Super Bowl, but we see a tremendous rise in carryout,” Apolito said.

Apolito said the earlier customers can get their order in the better, so they can make sure they have enough wings and staff on hand. He mentioned that everyone wants to pickup wings a half hour before kick off, so preordering helps with timing.

Perkins believes most people watch the game at home because it starts later in the evening. If the game started around 3 p.m., it may be a different story, he said.

Some restaurants are closed on Sundays

Other favorite places in the Dayton area to get wings or watch a sports game include Bunkers Sports Bar & Grill in Vandalia and Slyder’s Tavern in Dayton. Both restaurants are closed on Sundays.

Joe Garnito, owner of Slyder’s Tavern, said in the past some customers have picked up wings for Super Bowl Sunday on Saturday night. He has considered opening the restaurant for carryout wings only on Super Bowl Sunday, but then he would have to make his staff come in.

Other than wings, there are several other foods that people love to eat during the Super Bowl such as dips, nachos, sliders, pizza, desserts and much more.

Bakeries getting creative

Theresa Hammons, owner of Ashley’s Pastry Shop in Oakwood, said they always try to connect their sweet treats with what people are celebrating.

As soon as the Chiefs won in the AFC title game, Ashley’s Pastry Shop started getting calls with people asking if they were planning to do any Taylor Swift-themed football cookies, since she is dating tight end Travis Kelce.

In June 2023 when Swift was performing in Cincinnati, the bakery made specialty cookies.

Hammons said they have a variety of Swift-themed cookies, in addition to team specific cookies, brownies and cupcakes. The bakery also has bread that is shaped in footballs where people can carve out the middle and put in a dip.

If you’re looking for ideas of where to get food for the big game or where to watch it, below is a list of categories from our 2023 Best of Dayton winners:

Best Appetizers

First place: El Meson

Second place: Nick’s Restaurant

Third place: Rip Rap Roadhouse

Best Bakery

First place: Dorothy Lane Market

Second place: elé Cake Co.

Third place: Ashley’s Pastry Shop

Best Brewery/Distillery

First place: Warped Wing Brewing Company

Second place: Eudora Brewing Company

Third place: Branch & Bone Artisan Ales

Best Caterer

First place: Christopher’s Restaurant & Catering

Second place: Spaghetti Warehouse

Third place: Kohler Catering

Best French Fries

First place: The Root Beer Stande

Second place: Loose Ends Brewing

Third place (tie): Rip Rap Roadhouse

Third place (tie): Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery

Best Neighborhood Bar

First place: Bunkers Sports Bar & Grill

Second place: Slyder’s Tavern

Third place: Red Carpet Tavern

Best Pizza

First place: Marion’s Piazza

Second place: Old Scratch Pizza & Beer

Third place: Joe’s Pizzeria

Best Wings

First place: Archers Tavern

Second place: Bunkers Sports Bar & Grill

Third place: Nick’s Restaurant

Find more suggestions

Visit daytondailynews.com/best-of-dayton for ideas on the top places to go, dine and have fun in the region.