Whether or not the Patriots find a way to knock off the vaunted Seattle Seahawks, Sunday night’s Super Bowl will be big business for local restaurants, stores and pubs.
“We’re all booked out,” said Coby Thibeau, who with her daughter Deanna Thibeau owns The Maine House on Water Street in Hallowell. “It will be a party. We will have the TVs on and the volume up.”
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Businesses across the region have stocked up to meet the anticipated demand of thousands of hungry Patriot fans who will congregate in front of televisions to watch the big game, or at least the commercials.
“We’re super-busy as it is,” said Lou Craig, owner of College Carryout on Mount Vernon Avenue in Augusta. “It’s always been a big bump when the Pats are in it. New England being in it is a good thing. That’s the gravy on the potato, right there.”
Carrier will have eight people working, including two delivery drivers, to keep up with the demand, which he expects will be a little heavier than a busy Friday night. Craig said heavy snow delayed deliveries last Friday night, but Sunday’s forecast is for a clear sky.
“I’m so happy it’s going to be a nice night,” Craig said. “There will be quit a few deliveries, that’s for sure.”
Craig expects to cook more than 200 16-inch pizzas in addition to the sandwiches and 10- and 12-inch pizzas.
“I had to have my baker do a special delivery for more dough,” Craig said.
Orders already have started coming in, including a tray that is headed to Performance Foodservice — Northcenter.
“They feel bad because their guys are working,” Craig said.
Coby Thibeau prepared specialty items just for the game, including Southwest cheesecake and taco dip, and was preparing beer can chicken wings to satisfy those who watch the game at the restaurant and those who come in for a take-out order. She expects the wings to be gone quickly.
“I bought almost 100 pounds of wings for the last three days,” she said.
“That’s four times what we usually order,” Deanna Thibeau added.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. College Carryout usually closes at 8 on Sunday, but Craig said the store will stay open an hour later so people can get pizza for much of the game. Orders will be begin picking up a few hours before the game.
“It’s almost like they’re tailgating,” Craig said.
The Maine House, too, is changing its hours to accommodate the game scheduled. The restaurant will open at 3 p.m.
“We’ll be here until the crowd leaves,” Coby Thibeau said.
The Thibeaus opened the restaurant in July, just before the NFL began its regular season. The restaurant quickly attracted a gathering of fans who made it their weekly place to watch. The restaurant typically draws customers looking for a cozy, quiet place to eat, but Sundays are different.
“It’s pretty crazy in here,” Coby Thibeau said. “It’s not a place for the customer who doesn’t like football.”
Rita Menoudarakos, owner of The End Zone on Elm Street in Waterville, said all 16 of its televisions will be tuned to the game.
“We’ll have it blasting on the surround sound,” she said. “It should be packed. It’s a great day for football.”
Menoudarakos has stocked up on chicken wings and prizes to give away.
This is the fourth Super Bowl since Menoudarakos opened the bar and the second time the Patriots have played. The last time, 2012, there were lines at the door and people stood two or three deep at the bar.
“Last year it was busy, but it wasn’t like when the Pats were in,” Menoudarakos said. “It was gangbusters.”
Of course, many people will stay home or attend home parties instead of going out for the game. Jack Goggin, of Goggin’s IGA on Water Street in Randolph, said business started to pick up Saturday morning in part because of people stocking up on chips, beer and other Super Bowl essentials.
“It’s starting to get busy now that the snow slowed down a bit,” he said.
Goggin, a Miami Dolphins fan, said he’ll watch the first half of the game and then go to bed so he can be ready for an early start Monday. Goggin, decked out in a Miami Dolphin sweatshirt and a Seahawks hat formed to resemble a hawk, on Saturday chatted up customers who loved to hassle him about his allegiance to the Dolphins.
“They get a kick out of it,” he said.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
Twitter: @CraigCrosby4
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