3 Lessons from La Velada del Año for Your Restaurant Menu

Foodie Tech & Marketing: What We Can Learn from La Velada del Año’s Food Sponsors

If you don’t know what La Velada del Año is, you must be living under a rock. What started as a Twitch livestream has grown into one of the platform’s biggest audience events, eventually making its way into Spain’s largest stadiums: the Metropolitano, La Cartuja… drawing peaks of more than 8 million viewers and, of course, selling out every venue it reaches in barely three hours.

The event brings together well-known influencers, creators and artists who compete for the belt. Many start from scratch in boxing and have just six months to prepare. For some, the physical transformation comes more easily; others make real sacrifices. But they all want the same thing: to win their fight.

If there’s one thing that becomes more surprising every year, it’s the number of brands looking to collaborate. Everywhere you look on the screen, there’s a sponsor and a huge percentage of them come from the food and beverage world. This year, one of the biggest global food brands has joined Ibai Llanos’ project: none other than McDonald’s.

McDonald’s, Vicio, Grefusa, ElPozo, Mahou… Some of the country’s biggest brands are competing to be part of this major event. But why are such powerful food and restaurant brands investing so heavily in a digital entertainment event? The answer is clear: the way we consume food has changed. It’s no longer just about selling flavour; it’s about visual impact, storytelling and experience. And as a business owner, you need to learn from them.

The 3 Lessons La Velada’s Sponsors Can Teach Your Restaurant

LESSON 1: BREAKING AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL APPROACHES (WE EAT WITH OUR EYES)

At La Velada, food and drink take centre stage. They’re sold through striking visuals, fast-paced videos and flawless aesthetics. Brands use guerrilla marketing to turn their products into a spectacle: Coca-Cola puts on a concert, Grefusa humanises its brand with a dance that takes it all the way to the commentators’ table… They weave their products into the story of the event, getting people to talk about them naturally and proving that a brand can still feel real and relatable while adapting to the way audiences communicate today.

How this applies to your restaurant: Customers arrive at the table already influenced by what they’ve seen from you on social media. More than 90% of people choose your restaurant after searching for it first; they fall in love with it before they even arrive. If you then hand them a static piece of paper filled with text, the experience drops: choosing what to eat becomes tiring, and they end up going for the easiest option instead of exploring everything your menu has to offer.

You need to keep that visual impact alive inside the restaurant itself. Replacing a traditional menu with a video menu keeps that stimulation going at the table, grabbing attention, sparking conversation and increasing the average spend per customer.

LESSON 2: GOING OUT TO EAT IS A SHOW (ENTERTAINMENT & INTERACTION)

People don’t watch La Velada just for the fights; they watch it because it’s a complete show. There are concerts, surprises and unforgettable moments from the moment you walk in until the moment you leave. In the same way, going out to eat is no longer just about “feeding yourself” (you can do that at home); it’s a leisure experience. The way customers experience your restaurant is what will make them come back, recommend you, and bring their family or friends.

How this applies to your restaurant: Don’t be afraid to adapt to the way people consume content today. Breaking away from traditional approaches comes with rewards. Implementing a digital video menu creates a dynamic, interactive menu that turns ordering into part of the show. Seeing the food in motion instantly sparks appetite: customers can see the steam rising from the dish, the juiciness of freshly cooked meat, or the creaminess of your cheesecake right there on the video menu. No more second guessing they decide faster and order more.

LESSON 3: SPEAK YOUR CUSTOMER’S LANGUAGE AND EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

The brands that thrive at La Velada don’t try to educate their audience or force them to consume things the old-fashioned way. They adapt to their customers’ everyday lives with video, immediacy and clarity. No friction.

How this applies to your restaurant: There’s a widespread fear that technology will create distance between the customer and the restaurant, or that a digital menu won’t work with more traditional audiences. But the reality is quite the opposite: good digitalisation isn’t about adding a screen just because it “looks modern”; it’s about solving real problems.

An intuitive video menu can help older customers understand what goes into a dish and clear up any doubts, while giving younger customers the speed and dynamism they’re looking for. The key isn’t to change the essence of your cuisine, but to make it easier for everyone to enjoy it.

From La Velada del Año to Your Restaurant Table: The Future of Video Menus Is Already Here

You don’t need McDonald’s million-dollar budget to put these lessons into practice. You don’t need a stadium either. You just need to turn your food offering into a visual experience from the very first moment.

That’s where Gourmeats’ Foodie Tech makes the difference, levelling the playing field. There’s one phrase we constantly hear from our customers when they try Gourmeats’ video menu: “This is the future.” But the reality is, the future is already here and our digital video menu works for every type of food concept:

• For traditional concepts with an older customer base (like La Española): We preserve their classic essence while removing barriers. The video menu speeds up service, answers questions for both customers and staff, and breaks down language barriers instantly.

  
  

• For mainstream, high-turnover venues (like Rosi la Loca): When customers see the incredible tableware and presentation in the video menu before ordering, they decide faster, tables turn over more quickly, and the experience becomes shareable.

  
  

• For food concepts where pairings matter (like Baldoria): The visual impact of Gourmeats’ video menu drives cocktail and dessert sales, promoting higher-margin items and encouraging customers to indulge.

With Gourmeats’ video menu, you can move beyond traditional approaches and show that doing things differently doesn’t just make an impact it sells more. Customers can see the sauce dripping from your burger or the true texture of your dish before they order, turning the ordering process into an interactive experience that whets the appetite.

Today’s restaurant industry isn’t just about serving great food. It’s about winning customers over with what they see, adapting video menu technology to every type of customer, and making every visit to your restaurant an experience they won’t forget.