This year’s Super Bowl the matchup between the Chiefs and Buccaneers may look a little different for restaurants and bars as they deal with limited crowds and a set 10 pm closing time.
“In years past, we’ve had parties here where we do hors d’oeuvres and that kind of thing,” said Sunny’s Bar and Grill owner Jesse Kailing. “I’m curious to see what the turnout will be on Sunday.”
Kailing’s parties, however, have seen a drop in people coming in to watch the biggest game of the year.
“The very first year I owned the bar here, we had a big event, and we were probably half full,” said Kailing. “Then the next year it kind of went down a little bit from there.”
But with indoor dining allowed again, that may change.
“This year with the changes that have been made, the amount of time [customers] haven’t been able to come out and eat out, I think it could be a little busier this year than what it has been in the past,” said Kailing.
While the 25% capacity will leave less people in the dining room, the 10 pm curfew could also have a huge impact.
“At halftime, people probably have to make a decision whether they want to stay until 10:00 and maybe miss that last four or five minutes of the game, or go home at halftime,” said Kailing.
However, he’s hoping Super Bowl Sunday could be his first “touchdown” since reopening.
“With the Super Bowl coming up, I can see a lot of people kinda waiting to go out for the first time,” said Kailing. “We’ll see what happens.”
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