The Ultimate Tailgate Hack: Why You Should Order Food from a Local Cafe

The football tailgate is a sacred weekend ritual. It’s a celebration of team spirit, community, and, of course, fantastic food. But for the person hosting the tailgate, the reality can be a little less celebratory and a lot more stressful. The mad dash to the grocery store, the pre-dawn prep session, the Tetris-like game of packing the car with a grill, coolers, and tables—it’s a ton of work. By the time the party starts, the host is often too busy managing the grill to actually relax and enjoy the pre-game fun.

But what if you could have all the delicious food and festive atmosphere of a great tailgate without any of the hassle? It’s possible, and the secret is right around the corner. Instead of spending your morning flipping burgers, imagine picking up a fresh, crowd-pleasing spread from a local cafe that handles all the hard work for you. It’s the ultimate tailgate hack that lets you be the hero of the party while actually getting to enjoy it yourself.

Here are the biggest benefits of letting a local cafe cater your next game day gathering.

You Get Your Time and Sanity Back

This is the number one reason to outsource your tailgate menu. A DIY tailgate is a massive time commitment. It involves planning the menu, fighting the grocery store crowds, chopping and prepping all the ingredients, packing dozens of containers, and then spending hours at the event cooking and serving.

When you order from a local cafe, you reclaim your entire morning. All you have to do is place your order and pick it up. The shopping, cooking, and most of the prep are completely taken off your plate. This means you can spend less time stressing over the details and more time enjoying the camaraderie and excitement with your friends and family, which is what a tailgate is all about.

You Can Elevate Your Menu Beyond Burgers and Brats

While we all love a good grilled hot dog, a catered menu allows you to offer your guests a more diverse and higher-quality selection of food. Cafes have professional kitchens, which means they can create delicious and creative options that are tough to pull off on a portable grill in a parking lot.

Think about offering a platter of gourmet sandwiches on artisan bread, a variety of fresh and interesting salads, or hearty breakfast burritos for those early-morning kickoffs. This is a fantastic way to cater to different tastes and dietary needs, ensuring there’s something delicious for everyone in your group. For ideas on the best types of dishes for a crowd, culinary resources like Delish have great suggestions.

It’s Surprisingly Cost-Effective

At first glance, catering might seem like an expensive luxury. But when you start to add up the real cost of a DIY tailgate, the numbers get closer than you might think.

Consider a single dish like burgers. You have to buy the meat, the buns, the cheese, the lettuce, the tomatoes, the onions, and a variety of condiments. Now multiply that by several different dishes. Add in the cost of charcoal or propane, paper plates, napkins, and all the other supplies. The bill can add up incredibly fast. When you factor in the value of your own time, ordering a catering package that includes everything you need can be a very smart financial decision.

You Are Supporting Your Local Community

When you choose to order from a local, independently-owned cafe, you’re doing more than just buying food. You’re investing in your own community. You’re supporting local jobs, celebrating local culinary talent, and keeping your money circulating in your local economy.

This simple act adds another layer of community spirit to your game day celebration. It connects your support for your favorite team with your support for your own neighborhood. As Forbes often highlights, supporting local businesses has a powerful positive impact on the economic health of your town or city.

So for your next tailgate, consider hanging up the apron. Let a local cafe handle the food so you can focus on the fun, the friends, and the football. It’s the easiest way to guarantee your party is a win, no matter what the final score is.