Cost-conscious Melbourne Cup office parties and post-race celebrations are expected to drive pizza sales by up to 30% on Tuesday 3 November as punters gather for the race that stops the nation. 

As Australia’s second largest pizza maker, Eagle Boys is expecting to sell more than 140,000 pizzas this Melbourne Cup Day, up 30% compared to an ordinary Tuesday.

Eagle Boys Managing Director Todd Clayton said this Melbourne Cup Day was expected to be one of the biggest pizza-eating days of the year, along with State of Origin nights and school holidays.

He said the current economic climate had curtailed many of the usual extravagant Melbourne Cup office parties.