Stay at home Super Bowl Sunday: what’s for dinner?

Super Bowl Weekend is one of the largest events of the year for  restaurants and bars, but this year, the province-wide stay at home order will have a large impact on profit. Instead of drawing in the usual crowds, restaurants and bar owners have shifted to promoting take-out and delivery services with special offers to fit the event. 

Rob Rosati is the co-owner of the Dominion House Tavern in Windsor, a local hotspot for the big game. Changes have already been made to day-to-day operations, with this event only adding to it. 

“Like every day right now, it’s just kind of a struggle and a ‘wait and hope and see’,” said Rosati. “It definitely hurts as a business that we don’t have it (Super Bowl) this year.” 

Take-out has become a primary choice for meals since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In Technomic’s 2020 Canadian Pizza Consumer Trend Report, it was found that 81 per cent of consumers eat pizza at least once a month. However, a different unscientific poll  revealed that the more popular game day go-to for Ontario residents, with a majority of 38.8 per cent, is chicken wings. 

The Dominion House has promoted Super Bowl specials in hopes of turning a profit. Three separate combos are offered ranging from 2 burgers, 2 hot dogs, a large salad, and large fries, to nachos, pizza, 4 hotdogs, deep fried pickles and large fries. Unfortunately, not all businesses have this luxury. 

MD Sports Bar & Grill has been closed since the beginning of lockdown in December, with no options for take-out or delivery. As a result, Super Bowl weekend will have no effect on profit. 

“I will not make anything as we are forced to be closed,” said owner Mark Durocher. 

This weekend while rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, make sure to root for local businesses.