Crunchtime Blog

Forecasting Beyond the World Cup: Prevent Event-Driven Demand from Skewing Your Data

Written by Crunchtime Team | Jul 2, 2026 3:15:01 PM

Protecting Your Profit Margins Amidst Unprecedented Global Demand

With the World Cup in full swing and traveling fans driving massive, unprecedented surges in restaurant and bar sales (and drinking local beer supplies dry!), your recent inventory data is bound to look a little skewed. While these peaks are great for the bottom line today, they can skew your future projections if left unaddressed.

The Challenge of Skewed Data

Accurate forecasting relies on high-quality historical data. When a massive global event causes a spike that is unlikely to repeat in a typical week, your future projections for labor and prep may become inflated. This leads to:

  • Over-staffing: Scheduling too many labor hours based on "ghost" surges.
  • Excess Waste: Prepping fresh ingredients for crowds that aren't coming back next week.
  • Inventory Bloat: Ordering based on peak consumption that doesn't reflect your baseline.

The Solution: Excluded Consumption

To keep your future projections accurate, Crunchtime’s Excluded Consumption feature allows you to flag and remove these anomalous, event-driven sales days from your historical data.

By flagging these specific dates, you ensure that next year’s forecast is based on your true operational baseline rather than a one-time global tournament.

Don't let a temporary win cause a long-term planning headache. Reach out to your system admin or check out the new Quick Start Guide to keep your forecasting perfectly on track.

Not a Crunchtime customer? Click here to get in touch.