Businesses in North Texas are preparing for a busy Super Bowl weekend with many bars and restaurants hosting watch parties for fans.
Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will be played on Sunday, Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. At The Social House in Arlington, server Jacob Brockett said they are ready to serve all of the guests expected on Sunday.
“I know we’re doing like specials, so we’re going to do our wings. We got towers for beers, mimosas,” Brockett said. “Really looking forward to engaging with more people now. It’s been so slow for so long because of everything. It’s nice to have everyone come back.”
According to the National Retail Federation, a survey found that 184.5 million U.S. adults said they planned to tune into the big game this year. Despite ongoing impacts from the pandemic, the NRF reports consumers are feeling more comfortable bringing back some game-day traditions.
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“This year, 90 million people are planning to throw or attend a party, up from 62.8 million last year, and another 13.7 million adults plan to watch the game at a bar or restaurant. Total spending on food, drinks, apparel, decorations and other purchases for the day is expected to reach $14.6 billion,” according to the federation.
Melissa Stewart, Senior Executive Director of the Texas Restaurant Association, said rising cases of the omicron variant over the past few months have been one setback experienced by the restaurant industry already challenged by ongoing supply chain issues and a labor shortage. While sports bars are traditionally busier than restaurants on Super Bowl weekends, Stewart said restaurants in Texas offering alcohol-to-go and catering options may also see a boost.
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“We know consumer demand is there. It’s just really a matter of what they’re able to do, what they’re interested in doing,” she said. “Just throughout the pandemic, we really have seen a lot more of those home parties. We think we’ll see a lot of that.”
Poppy’s Wings based in McKinney is owned by the family of Louis Chapman. They opened in December 2020 and business growth has exceeded their expectations, Chapman said. They’re preparing to sell about 2,000 wings on Sunday through pick-up and delivery orders.
“We have a large family, so we’re used to cooking a lot of food. It’s kind of second nature. We all love to cook. We all pitch in,” he said. “As long as we’re doing better today than we were yesterday. That’s pretty much the family motto.”
According to the National Retail Federation, the total spending on food, drinks, apparel, decorations and other purchases for Super Bowl Sunday is expected to reach $14.6 billion.
Super Bowl LVI kicks off on Sunday, February 13 at 5:30 on NBC.
