Athletes who compete in contact sports have notoriously large appetites, and the Texas Christian University (TCU) football team is no different. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, TCU is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes at the highest level of NCAA Division I. In 2023, it garnered national attention when it became the first Texas team to make it to the playoffs — an impressive feat made possible by hard work, perseverance, and a hunger for success. But fueling a team with a ravenous appetite is no easy task.

Playing hard, winning big, and eating well

Providing food options that generate excitement is a top priority for the TCU athletic department. It boosts players’ morale to share a meal they look forward to with teammates. And when those meals are filling and balanced, athletes are well prepared for intense practice sessions, challenging recovery periods, and demanding games.

That’s why the department provides two to five catered meals a day for all 130 players throughout the season. When the team hits the road, that number jumps to 250 to include coaches, student workers, and support staff.

If that sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. Just ask Sarah Woodruff, Director of Football Operations, who is in charge of ordering and coordinating every single one of those meals — no matter if the team is on campus in Texas or across the country.

“It’s important for these student athletes to always be eating and to make sure that they’re always fueled,” said Woodruff.

The challenges of ordering for a voracious team

Feeding the TCU team can feel like a job in itself. Before partnering with ezCater, Woodruff spent at least 20 hours every week handling food orders.

“I would go on Google Maps to search for something like ‘Pizza near Boston College’ and 20 different pizza restaurants would show up,” said Woodruff. “I didn’t know which ones were good or which ones offered delivery.”

To find out, Woodruff had to email and call dozens of restaurants and catering companies in the area — often having to wait hours for a response — just to secure one meal for her team. She had to manually put in high-volume orders, explain TCU’s tax-exempt status, and cross her fingers the food was delivered on time and to the correct location.

But the challenges didn’t end there. Coordinating meals for a football team proved to be harder than expected.

Catering to personalized appetites

For starters, Woodruff had to customize each player’s meal so it met their unique dietary plan. Where non-athletes are likely to feel satisfied after a few slices of pizza, many of TCU’s football players can eat an entire pie in one sitting. Because players who under-eat are more likely to under-perform, Sarah was under a lot of pressure to ensure she ordered enough food to sustain the entire team. Finding restaurants that could accommodate such a large volume of food was challenging.

Keeping meals interesting

Woodruff also worried about her players’ diet. The athletes rely on the convenience of on-campus dining when at TCU, but the options start to get repetitive (and boring) after a while. No one likes to eat the same meal days in a row, and football players with a voracious appetite are no exception.

Thus, it was imperative to switch things up by changing the menu every so often. But in a city like Fort Worth, where not many restaurants are able to fulfill football team–sized orders, that was easier said than done.

“The biggest challenge is finding a caterer that has enough variation or enough variety,” said Woodruff.

How ezCater upped TCU’s food game

All those responsibilities were stacked on top of an already demanding job as Director of Football Operations. It was easy to see: Woodruff needed a winning food solution. So she reached out to ezCater.

Added more variety

With the help of ezCater, meals are no longer repetitive. All Woodruff has to do is enter the delivery location and the time and day she needs the food, and hundreds of restaurant options appear for her to choose from.

Now, players get to enjoy meals from their favorite restaurants, including Panda Express, Auntie Anne’s, and Hawaiian Bros Island Grill. It’s the diversity of food options — and the convenient access to food no matter the time of day — that set ezCater apart from other catering partners.

Made memorable meals on the way

Being on the road can be tiring, but it’s a great opportunity to make lasting memories. Woodruff knows this, which is why she sources meals a bit differently.

“I want to give them something more unique to the area and not generic,” said Woodruff. She uses ezCater to search for local eateries, such as the most popular pizza place in Boulder, Colorado, or the best sandwich shop in New Orleans. The athletes have a chance to eat food from a place they’ve never heard of before.

Eased the ordering process

The day-to-day of a TCU football star is fast-paced. There isn’t always time to sit down and enjoy a meal. Players often need snacks on the go. ezCater’s filtering feature makes sourcing individually packaged meals a breeze.

“If you look through my orders, I never order buffet-style food,” said Woodruff. “I need something they can give me in a bag or a box to try and make pickup as quick as possible to get them in and get them out. So being able to click a box and eliminate caterers that aren’t going to provide that option to me saves time.”

Reduced receipt headaches

Tracking down receipts and managing invoices for so many catered meals was a hassle. But that was before partnering with ezCater. Now, all expenses are centralized on the online platform, accessible at any time with just a few clicks.

“Any time I’m ordering in Texas, my tax-exempt form is automatically pulled,” said Woodruff. “And then when we go to other states again, once I place that first order and tell them that we’re tax-exempt… [My form is] already there for me.”

Food that scores big

The partnership with ezCater has been a success. TCU has joined the ranks of Jacksonville State University and the San Francisco Giants in trusting us with food services at home and on the road. Now, Woodruff and her team can just focus on what they do best: winning. If your athletic department is struggling to meet the demands of a high-performing team with an unquenchable appetite, let us take the burden off your plate. Learn more about how ezCater’s sports solutions can take your athletes’ meals to the next level.