Super Bowl Cost Inflation: 44% Price Increase Since 2020 - FinanceBuzz

Recent inflation has had an outsized impact on a number of beloved holiday snacks. It has rapidly raised prices on everything from Halloween candy to Thanksgiving turkeys to Christmas cookies.

To see if that trend holds true for America's favorite unofficial holiday, the Super Bowl, the FinanceBuzz research team used government and grocery store data to track how prices have changed over the last few years for a number of beloved game-day essentials.

Key findings

• The cost of hosting a Super Bowl party for 10 people this year ($167) is 7.2% more expensive than last year ($155). That is more than double the 2.7% national inflation rate over the last year.
• Prices for chicken wings have gone up almost 25% in the last year and nearly 60% since 2020.
• Super Bowl party costs are 43.9% higher than in 2020, outpacing the overall inflation rate during that time (25.6%).
• Costs for chicken wings, potato chips, beer, and soda have all risen faster than inflation since 2020.

The cost of hosting a Super Bowl party in 2026

To calculate the cost of our Super Bowl party, we put together a sample menu for a party of 10-20 that included:

• Potato Chips (Party-sized bags)
• Chicken wings (uncooked)
• A veggie tray (1 large tray made using store-bought veggies)
• Soda (12 packs)
• Beer (12 packs)

For each item on our list, we collected current and historical price data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Weekly Retail Activity Reports, and archived circulars published by major national retail chains.

When it comes to quintessential Super Bowl party foods, nothing is as iconic as wings. Unfortunately, for hosts, the costs are also up in 2026. The cost for enough fresh chicken wings to feed 10 people is $39 in 2026, an increase of nearly 25% from February 2025. That is nearly 10 times the national rate of inflation (2.7%) in the last 12 months.

Wings are not the only Super Bowl snack with costs that have outpaced inflation this year, however. Prices for two popular appetizers and side items (veggie trays and potato chips) have also gone up by more than 2.7% since 2025. Veggie tray costs increased by 19.1%, and chips rose by 5%.

While costs for beer and soda have risen more slowly than inflation, the cost increases for the rest of the menu mean that overall party prices have increased by 7.2% since the last Super Bowl, which is nearly 2.5 times the overall rate of inflation in that time.

Pigskin price hikes: The cost of a Super Bowl party, 2020-2026

The Super Bowl has been one of the biggest social events in the United States for decades, but how much more expensive is it to host a party now than it was just a few years ago?

In 2020, a 10-person Super Bowl party with a veggie tray, chips, chicken wings, soda, and beer cost a little under $116, or $11.60 per person. That same spread is more than $50 more expensive in 2026, with a total price tag of nearly $167, an increase of more than $5 per person.

The cost of a Super Bowl party rose every single year from 2020 to 2026, including three times when prices rose by more than $10 year-over-year (2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022, and 2025 to 2026). The smallest one-year increase saw total costs rise by just $1.53 from 2022 to 2023.

What rising Super Bowl costs mean for your budget

A $51 increase for a single party might not seem like a huge deal, but if party food has gotten 44% more expensive since 2020, so has everything else.

That adds up fast. If you're social and host just one gathering per month, you're potentially looking at an extra $600+ per year compared to what you were spending a few years ago.

So what can you do about it?

• Get serious about tracking your spending. It's very easy to overspend on food and entertainment when prices keep going up. If you don't have a budget yet, now's a good time to start one. Budgeting apps are a good place to start.
• Rethink your emergency fund. If your monthly expenses have jumped 25%-40%, the emergency fund you built in 2020 probably isn't big enough anymore. Find ways for your savings to earn more, such as using a high-yield savings account.
• Make your grocery spending work harder. Since food costs are rising, using a card that earns solid rewards on groceries can make a big difference.

Costs for Super Bowl essentials over time

In addition to calculating total party costs, we also charted how specific prices have changed for popular Super Bowl party snacks in recent years.

Soda price increases, 2020-2026

Consumers have noticed the sharp increase in soda prices recently, especially drinks produced by major brands such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. The average cost for 12-packs of soda has increased more than prices for any other Super Bowl staple, rising by 89% since 2020, more than triple the national rate of inflation in that time.

Chicken wing price increases, 2020-2026

Chicken wings are a quintessential party food, but chowing down on the football favorite has gotten much more expensive recently. Wing prices can be particularly volatile because of things like bird flu and seasonal fluctuations in demand.

Wing prices increased by more than 36% in a single year between 2020 and 2021 and rose even higher in 2022 before dropping in 2023. After that, costs increased for the next three years. Chicken wings now cost 60% more in 2026 than they did in 2020.

Potato chip price increases, 2020-2026

Costs for the pantry staple have steadily increased since 2020, including four different years when prices rose by more than 5% year-over-year. All told, costs for potato chips have gone up by 48% from 2020 to 2026, nearly double the rate of inflation in that time.

Beer price increases, 2020-2026

Beer is generally considered to be an "inflation-proof" product, with prices tending to remain more stable than other products. While the data says that isn't strictly true, it is close enough, as beer costs have risen by 27% since 2020, just a single point higher than the national inflation rate of 26%.

Our full Super Bowl party menu

Menu item Quantity 2020 Cost 2026 Cost Change Soda (cans) 3 12-packs $15.54 $29.37 +89% Store-bought chicken wings (fresh) 10 pounds $24.40 $39.00 +60% Potato chips (family-size bag) 3 bags $13.78 $20.36 +48% Beer (cans) 3 12-packs $52.09 $66.06 +27% Veggie tray 1 large tray $9.96 $11.79 +18%

Budget for your Super Bowl party

Even though some party foods have risen above the rate of inflation, there are still plenty of ways to save money when planning your Super Bowl party.

• Earn cash back for your party. Maximize your savings when stocking up for your party with a high-earning cash back card.
• Get groceries delivered for less. Whether you're ordering ingredients ahead or some last-minute party additions, the right card can make every purchase more rewarding. For example, many Chase credit cards offer DoorDash benefits that could lower delivery and service fees.
• Deliver Super Bowl foods and get paid. Uber Eats now offers delivery services from grocery, convenience, and liquor stores. Signing up to deliver with Uber Eats can be a fruitful side hustle for extra money in your budget.

Ask the experts

With Super Bowl party costs climbing, even familiar game-day traditions now come with a bigger price tag. We asked a panel of experts to explain what's behind the increases and what it means for hosts.

How are rising ingredient costs affecting affordable store-bought options for The Big Game?

Although grocery and supermarket prices are rising at about the same rate as the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) on average, certain grocery items are seeing steeper price increases. The prices of restaurant food and partially-prepared food has also increased significantly compared to grocery prices in the last year. Therefore, if consumers do not strategize their shopping for The Big Game, they risk spending significantly more than the last year.

Food-at-home inflation has been running below restaurant inflation, so hosting at home remains the more predictable option for most households. BLS reports food at home up 2.4% year over year in December 2025, versus food away from home up 4.1%.

On affordable store bought options, the biggest drivers are not just ingredients. Packaging, refrigerated transport, labor, and spoilage risk shape shelf prices. Around game day, retailer promotions and loss leaders often matter more than spot ingredient costs.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, January 13). Consumer Price Index, December 2025 (News Release).

As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, which strategies can help shoppers manage their grocery spending?

Shoppers can manage their grocery spending to some extent by combining more expensive items with more affordable items. It may also be worthwhile to visit another grocery store in addition to their usual store and engage in some comparison shopping. Shoppers may also take advantage of deals and promotions that manufacturers and retailers offer to attract consumers to buy their products. It would also help to plan ahead in order to avoid spending too much on ready-made and partially-prepared food at the last minute.

To save money, shoppers may have to change what they eat. In particular, beef has substantially increased in price as a result of droughts limiting water in beef-raising states, hence reducing the supply of beef which has prompted higher beef prices. Veal is also in this category. Coffee lovers may want to switch to other beverages as tariffs have increased the price of coffee. So fans can still party without breaking the bank, as long as they shop carefully and perhaps make substitutions away from some favorite foods and drinks.

For shopper strategies, I would focus on building the menu around promotion anchors, comparing unit prices, using smart substitutions like frozen options where quality holds, and limiting convenience markups such as pre-cut trays.

Are imports like avocados and beer playing a key role in food and beverage pricing this year?

Avocado and imported beer prices have steadily increased in recent years. Consumers have chosen to spend more on these items instead of significantly reducing their consumption. One reason is that these items are increasingly perceived as somewhat premium products. Given that Super Bowl parties must contain some level of affordable "show off" items on the menu, in my opinion, consumers will choose to spend on these items instead of switching to more affordable items in the same product category.

It is also noteworthy that guacamole and beer are seen as staples for these parties. Avocados and beer are usually bought in larger quantities as opposed to buying a couple of avocados or just one case of beer. Therefore, imports like avocados and beer will likely play an important role in increasing consumer spending on the Superbowl parties.

On imports, avocados are a concentrated import category, with Mexico supplying the vast majority of U.S. imports, so prices are sensitive to cross border logistics and weather. Recent reporting suggests strong supply in late 2025 and early 2026, which can ease pressure, though retail prices still depend on contracts and promotion cycles. Beer is typically more promotion driven, with packaging and distribution costs playing a major role.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2026, January 23). Food Price Outlook: Summary Findings.

Zansler, M. L., & Evans, E. A. (2024, August 15). An overview of the avocado market in the United States. University of Florida IFAS Extension.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service. (2025, April 1). Avocado Annual: Mexico.

Some responses may have been edited for punctuation, clarity, and brevity.

Methodology

FinanceBuzz collected price data on the following quantities of Super Bowl party foods from the following sources:

• Fresh chicken wings — per pound cost — USDA's Weekly Retail Chicken Feature Activity Report
• Potato chips — per 16-ounce ("family size") bag - BLS Consumer Price Index
• Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green, red, and yellow bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes — approximately ½ pound of each to be made into a veggie tray - USDA Specialty Crops National Retail Report
• Beer — per 16-ounce can - BLS Consumer Price Index
• Soda — per 12-pack of name-brand cans - Internal data pulled from websites and archived circulars of national grocery retailers

Data from government reports for 2020-2025 were pulled from reports covering the specific week of the Super Bowl whenever possible. 2026 data came from the most recently published reports at the time of publication (January 2026).

Some responses may have been edited for punctuation, clarity, and brevity.