With Super Bowl LVII just around the corner, consumers reportedly are looking forward to not only rooting for their teams but also enjoying their favorite snacks alongside family and friends. Frito-Lay has released its latest Snack Index to ensure there are no game-day party fouls, as half of the country believes running out of snacks is worse than their team losing the Super Bowl.

"The Super Bowl is about more than just football, it's about spending time with loved ones and snacking has become a big part of that ritual," says Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of R&D for PepsiCo Foods. "That's why we invest in understanding what our consumers want, so they can have the right flavors, variety, and snack styles to make their spreads a touchdown everyone can celebrate."

When it comes to planning a Super Bowl gathering, Frito-Lay unearthed insights to help party hosts set up their get-togethers and snack spreads for a win:

  • Nearly half of guests (49%) note running out of snacks as worse than their team losing the Super Bowl, with three out of five guests (62%) preferring to make the dash for snack refills during commercials rather than miss any game time.
  • Compared to previous years, three in four (71%) say they're more excited to try new flavors or variations of their favorite snacks in 2023.
  • Millennials (61%) are the most eager to try new snack flavors, followed by Gen Z (57%) and Gen X (52%). On the other hand, baby boomers prefer to stick with tried-and-true classic flavors at 38%.
  • Though loyal to their favorites, Americans are equally open to new flavor varieties. Half (50%) like to try new flavors rather than just keeping to their classics.
  • Gen Z notes a love for flavor "dust," with nearly three in five (59%) preferring snacks that leave remnants on their fingers, compared to just 40% overall.
  • An overwhelming 95% of Americans say at least some of their Super Bowl dishes will feature snacks served with the dish or as part of the recipe.

The Snack Index survey was conducted between January 12 and January 17, 2023, among a national sample of 2,000 nationally representative U.S. adults 18 years and older. The interviews were conducted using an email invitation and an online survey. The data has been weighted to ensure an accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 years and older. 

For more about Frito-Lay, see "Innovation yesterday and today at Frito-Lay,” the cover story for September 2017, on the SF&WB website.