Seventy-eight percent of American consumers plan to order food for delivery at least once while settling in to watch the Summer Games, according to a new survey hosted by Nextbite, a leader in virtual restaurants. Summertime food delivery is about to get a huge boost with the number of Americans saying they are planning to watch the Summer Games more than twice as many that watched the Big Game (81 percent plan to watch the Summer Games versus 38 percent that watched the Big Game in 2021), and almost all saying that ordering food for delivery will accompany their viewing.

Hardcore Summer Games viewers plan to watch most days (28 percent), and some every day (15 percent), while 12 percent plan to watch a couple of times during the event. Men and women have different preferences for which Summer Games event to watch, with the top five sports for viewing by women: gymnastics, swimming, volleyball, water sports and soccer and the top five sports for viewing by men: basketball, swimming, soccer, gymnastics and volleyball.

While men and women may not agree what event to watch, they do agree on what to order for delivery while watching. Topping the list of favorite foods for delivery during the Summer Games are pizza (51 percent) and burgers (35 percent), the gold and silver medals for delivery.

The survey also revealed that gymnastics is the most popular Summer Games event overall, with 67 percent of respondents planning to watch it. Among survey respondents, 75 percent of women and only 61 percent of men plan to watch gymnastics during the Summer Games. While watching gymnastics, 15 percent of consumers plan to order wings to go along with the thrill and action of the event.

“Ordering food for delivery is now a part of the viewing experience for the Summer Games of 2021,” says Alex Canter, CEO of Nextbite.  “During the pandemic, Americans had to wait an extra year for the Summer Games and became big fans of delivery. Whether watching alone or with friends or family, Nextbite can help you win the food game with our delicious menu offerings from Firebelly Wings and Crave Burger.”

Firebelly Wings has something delicious for everyone, with Mild/Medium/Hot wings to satisfy all levels of heat accompanied by delicious shareable sides.  Options include original fried chicken tenders, deep fried mac & cheese bites, and more. Nextbite’s Crave Burger is a juicy, 100% charbroiled beef patty, piled high with toppings like gooey melted cheese, crisp onion rings or smooth avocado, and finished with flavorful sauces like truffle oil.

With the Summery Games lasting for several weeks, Nextbite’s growing brand portfolio of delicious delivery-only menu items allows viewers to try something new each day, including street tacos from George Lopez Tacos and OG hot chicken sandwiches from HotBox by Wiz Khalifa. Other can’t miss menus include  Miss Mazy’s Amazin’ Chicken and Grilled Cheese Society. 

Nextbite’s virtual restaurant solution seamlessly connects its restaurant partners with delivery services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates and Grubhub, all of which will be delivering its menu items to consumers during the games.

The survey sample represents responses from 1,256 adults in the U.S. on July 22, 2021, conducted by Suzy.com.