For sports fans, the next couple of months is the best time of the year. Baseball is heading to the post season, football is in full swing, and basketball is coming up real quick. The best part about going to the bar and restaurants is the environment. Great friends and quality service really go a long way in creating lasting memories that transcend the game itself. Your goal as a owner/manager is to protect this crucial environment so patrons come back over and over again.
Everything seems to be very AI nowadays and it's important to understand and use this information to your advantage. Having that "real emotion" feeling is just as vital to your business as the food and beverage you are pushing out the door. "In an August 2026 survey of 601 consumers, 53% said they were less likely to buy from brands they knew used AI in social-media content."
Marketing can be a do or die for you and this is this is where you can shine and showcase what you are really about. The AI age on Q&A is already here and people are asking ChatGPT where they should go watch the games based on different variables that matter to them. If they don't remember who you are, it isn't going to be part of their prompt and you will get lost just like the other 99% of businesses competing for every customer.
If you haven't started thinking about marketing your business in new and unique ways for 2026, here are a few ideas to get you started.
Your food, drinks, and prices are a great starting point when it comes down to why customers want to try a place out. The quality service and emotional connection they have while there is what keeps them coming back for more. From the host stand to the kitchen, it all must function as one and customers will pick up quickly if something is wrong. Taking care of your staff is vital for a great experience and finding ways to help them will help you in the long term. "77% of restaurant operators say retaining employees is a significant challenge for their businesses, according to the 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report".Here are some great ways to get the most out of your staff:
Using automation can be good for speed for can harm trust if used incorrectly. Everyone has seen ads whether that's on Tv or social media and a piece of content is obviously made with AI. Don't be the owner/manager that gets caught up with making poor quality content just because it's easier. This goes for social posts and menu designs. This is where you want to highlight your creativity and have a bit of fun while you are at it!
There are going to be plenty of games to watch but it's important that some TVs can actually be used to promote yourself. Loop TV is a great place to start looking for a solution that allows you to use your screens to promote many different pieces of your pictures and videos that you want to share with your customers.
New menu items or limited time offers
Staff spotlights that add personality
Specials that excite
Reviews that improve trust
They are looking up at the screens for the big plays and once it goes to commercial break, their gaze drifts to something else. This could be their phone, another tv screen, or back to their food and drinks. Being able to throw up something on the tv screen that promotes you while not disrupting the game stealthy improves the experience and keeps you on their radar.
Whenever you are ready to start working on your promotions, Explore loop.tv if you want a simpler way to keep specials, menu items, and brand messages visible throughout the game-day rush.