Halloween is one of the few nights a year when dinner takes a back seat to candy and costumes. Most dinner delivery orders drop off, but pizza orders go against the trend.
DoorDash’s annual Halloween trends report shows pizza orders jumping 20% on Halloween night while most other dinner categories decline.
Pizza Is the Halloween Exception
“Halloween is one of the only nights all year when dinner takes a back seat,” said Cristen Milliner, DoorDash’s consumer trends expert, in the company’s report. “Pizza is the exception.”
The report, based on U.S. orders from October 2025, found that candy orders peaked around 6 p.m., right before trick-or-treating gets going. Alcohol orders peaked an hour later, at 7 p.m., in markets where delivery is available.
Restaurant data points the same way. Payment platform Toast compared Halloween 2024 with an average Thursday that year and found pizza sales up 50% at pizzerias and 37% across all restaurants. Pizzeria transactions at 11 p.m. jumped 90%, a sign of the late-night slice after the parties wind down.
What Halloween Crowds Drink
The Toast data also shows what Halloween crowds are drinking at pizzerias: tequila sales rose about 39%, rum 33%, vodka 26% and whiskey 12%. Beer slipped 3%, and wine fell 16%.
Halloween Food Deals Worth Knowing This Saturday
With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, several chains are running holiday deals:
- Chipotle: Rewards members who show up in costume get one entree for $6 on Oct. 31, from 3 p.m. to close, in participating restaurants, according to Chipotle. The deal is in restaurant only, one per costumed guest, and excludes items like quesadillas and kids’ meals. Chipotle is also waiving delivery fees on its own app and website on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 for orders of $10 or more.
- 7-Eleven: Whole pizzas cost $7.11 for rewards members on Oct. 30 and 31, Newsweek reports.
- Papa Murphy’s: Its $10 Jack-O Pizza is available through Oct. 31.
- Shake Shack: A free Single ShackBurger comes with orders of $10 or more through Oct. 31 using the code SCARYGOOD in the app, at kiosks or online.
- Krispy Kreme: Customers in costume get a free Original Glazed or Classic Ring doughnut on Oct. 30 and 31, no purchase needed.
Details can vary by location, so check the chain’s app before you head out.
The Smart Move for Saturday Night
If you are hosting, handing out candy or heading to a party, ordering pizza before trick-or-treating starts makes sense. Dietitians also suggest eating a real meal before the candy comes out, which can make it easier not to graze on fun-size bars all night.
