Game-Day Demand and Promotions in Foodservice

In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, the food industry prepares for what sports enthusiasts may consider a different sort of holiday: the National Football League’s championship game. This year's event is scheduled on February 8 in Santa Clara, California- South of San Francisco. 

Football fans are anticipated to gather in groups for the big day, indulging in an assortment of small bites that drives food sales across grocery, retail, and foodservice, with pizza and chicken wings traditionally taking the lead.

According to the National Retail Federation's...

The Retail Rundown: Protein Movement Gains from Championship Game and Severe Weather 

February is typically a sluggish period for protein sales, but demand tied to the season’s championship football matchup is delivering a timely lift for retailers. As shoppers prepare for watch parties and at-home gatherings, meat cases are seeing an uptick in interest for value-oriented, crowd-friendly cuts.

This week’s promotional mix leans toward beef, which accounts for 26% of total features. Seafood follows closely at 25%, while pork represents 24%. Chicken promotions eased to 17.5%, and egg features held steady at 4%. Turkey ads account for 2% of total ads, led by ground turkey features...

FMI Celebrates Congressional Sponsors for Reintroducing Credit Card Competition Act

Today [January 13, 2026], FMI – The Food Industry Association offered its endorsement of the reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) and expressed gratitude for the leadership of bill sponsors Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representatives Lance Gooden (R-TX) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). The legislation requires the nation’s largest banks to enable a second network on a credit card on which to route transactions, similar to the existing federal law for two debit networks to be enabled on a debit card. 

“FMI enthusiastically endorses the reintroduction of the Credit Card...

NRF Renews Call to Pass Swipe Fee Legislation

The following statement may be attributed to National Retail Federation following the reintroduction of the Credit Card Competition Act.

“NRF commends Senators Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Representatives Lance Gooden, R-Texas, and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., for their steadfast leadership in challenging the credit card swipe fee duopoly. The Credit Card Competition Act is essential to leveling the playing field for millions of American businesses that currently lack any control over the non-negotiable fees tied to every card transaction.

“By fostering much-needed competition, this bipartisan legislation will provide direct relief to both retailers and consumers...

A Record 159 Million Consumers Expected to Shop on Super Saturday

An estimated 158.9 million consumers plan to shop on the last Saturday before Christmas, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The figure is up from 157.2 million shoppers last year and surpasses the previous record of 158.5 million in 2022.

“As the final Saturday before Dec. 25, Super Saturday is a significant shopping event for both consumers and retailers,” NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said. “This year’s event falls only five days before the Christmas holiday, and...

Report Finds Full-Service Restaurants are Winning Back Customers with Menu Updates

Full-service restaurants are hoping to make a comeback in 2025, thanks to menu updates and operational improvements, according to Chatmeter’s latest Full-Service Reputation Ranking Report. 

The report, based on over one million reviews from June 16, 2023 to June 15, 2025, analyzed customer feedback across 10 of America's largest casual dining chains. The findings suggest that restaurants introducing new menu items and enhancing the overall dining experience are seeing a spike in both demand and customer reviews.  

The Cheesecake Factory, which claimed the...

Study Finds 61% of US Consumers are Scaling Back on Restaurants, Spending Less on Groceries 

As tariffs and inflation continue to impact consumers, Americans are spending less on food. According to Popmenu, which currently serves over 10,000 restaurants, 67% of consumers are scaling back their budgets.  

The nationwide study tracked the dining and spending habits of 1,000 people 21 and older from June 16 to June 17, 2025. When asked to name the areas where they are cutting back the most, restaurants landed the number one spot, with 61% saying they are eating out less and staying in...