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Buffalo Wild Wings' Super Bowl game plan

Buffalo Wild Wings' Super Bowl game plan

MINNEAPOLIS When the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints kick off Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, it will be the culmination of a long season begun with two-a-days and training camp in the summer. Casual-dining chain Buffalo Wild Wings has been training just as long, working with suppliers and staff to prepare for the big game.

The chain of more than 650 locations looks forward to the National Football League’s championship game every year as its biggest sales day. Last year Minneapolis-based Buffalo Wild Wings sold more than 5 million wings on Super Bowl Sunday, and the chain has added more than 90 units in the 12 months since. Judy Shoulak, vice president of operations, spoke to Nation’s Restaurant News about the importance of customer service and operations — the blocking and tackling of the restaurant industry — to succeeding during the Super Bowl, or on any given Sunday.

So just how many wings do you plan to sell on Super Bowl Sunday?

Super Bowl Sunday is by far our biggest day of the year. Last year we sold over 5 million wings — more than 3.5 million bone-in wings and 1.5 million boneless. We definitely expect to sell more than 5 million this year because we’ve opened so many restaurants over the past year. We’re looking forward to a great Super Bowl.

How much preparation has to go into a huge effort like this?

This all starts months in advance. Years ago this was just a busy takeout day for us, with lots of orders in advance. But then we started shifting toward dine-in, challenging ourselves and thinking that people should be coming in more. We started holding a lot of events to encourage people to come in and enjoy the atmosphere.

Now Super Bowl Sunday is a busy takeout and in-restaurant time. Last year, 53 percent of our sales were dine-in. It takes a lot operationally to execute it. From a purchasing standpoint, because we have good relationships with our suppliers all year long, they make projections and commitments months in advance with us. We keep track of the teams winning in the playoffs to anticipate higher volume in certain markets, and we keep track of the weather.

We ask a lot from our purchasing department and our marketing group. By now, we have best practices and can send out a guide to our restaurants. They want to make sure they have all the details covered, from having additional projector bulbs and extra staff on, letting people know there’s going to be a lot of people working. They’ll have additional people in every position, some specifically taking just phone orders, which normally we wouldn’t do.

Unlike the other major sports, which have playoffs and tournaments that last for weeks, pro football’s championship is one game on one day. Does Buffalo Wild Wings prefer having one crazy high-volume day like the Super Bowl, or a drawn-out event like March Madness?

What we like about the Super Bowl is it’s more predictable because it’s one time. We’re looking at last year’s performance, and we’re trying to do better. If another playoff series went longer last year, it’d be harder to predict [what kind of sales we could get during that event].

What we like is a long, close game. We like the teams to be matched up well, and the closer the game, the longer people will stay in the restaurants. We’re used to it being the busiest day of the year, and everyone looks forward to it as a day that’s going to be very exciting. It’s a fun time to work and for the guest to be able to come in.

Right, because the Super Bowl seems to be about more than just the two teams playing.

The minority of people coming to our restaurants on Super Bowl Sunday have their team in the game. It’s about the event and drawing people in to come together.

Our managers all do individual things to make that happen. A manager from one restaurant or area may partner with a vendor to have giveaways that day. Some may do a “best seat in the house” promotion for the Super Bowl, where guests get recliners and private tables for their friends. There’s a lot of excitement, because all the restaurants do their own things.

Now, some customers like to watch the game in their own homes, and we’re happy to serve that guest as well [with takeout].

Contact Mark Brandau at [email protected].

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