By Moses Leos III
It’s that time of the year again. Football is back.
As excitement builds, local businesses prepare for the increase in sales the game brings.
Billy Bonham, owner of Pizza Classics in Kyle, knows football drives success in the pizza delivery business.
Bonham, who has been with the company since 2003, has seen the rise and fall of business in Kyle. But he said the correlation between football and pizza sales is one that stays constant.
“Overall, it’s a trend that goes up,” Bonham said.
He estimates business increased by 20 to 30 percent during last year’s football season–more so during Saturday and Sunday nights. That number rises when local college or professional teams are on television.
As a result, the kitchen can harbor quite the frenetic pace.
“It’s crazy busy. We’ll have [delivery] drivers running in-and-out, phones ringing, the phone person bringing orders back, me in the kitchen trying to get pies out on time, customers walking in and placing orders, with the orders piling up on the make line,” Bonham said. “That can go for a good couple of hours.”
Smaller businesses like Pizza Classics must compete against larger national chains. Bonham said corporate advertising tactics sometimes draw clientele away.
Still, business continues to grow.
As the restaurant makes pizza from scratch, “the old school, hard way,” according to Bonham, wait time increases. He said the staff works hard to get pies out as quickly as possible, with little to no errors.
Even so, Bonham emphasizes safety to his delivery drivers. He discourages speeding, ensuring drivers safely deliver the pizza. He also employs experienced, older drivers, as opposed to teenagers.
He believes patience on the public’s part goes a long way, especially during football season. He also has this advice for patrons.
“If you’re ordering, please know all of Kyle is ordering before the game and at halftime,” he said. “If you want to guarantee accurate, on time delivery, order before the game or during the first or second quarter.”
Restaurants such as Chili’s in Buda also see patronage increase during the football season.
Mark Feltch, managing partner at Chili’s, enjoys the atmosphere of football weekends.
“It is a good feeling to see a guest sitting around the bar, watching the game and having a beer here or there,” Feltch said. “The staff likes it too. They keep an eye on the games; some of them are in fantasy football leagues, they are keeping track of things. They enjoy it with guests, too.”
Like Pizza Classics, Chili’s sees an increase when local teams are on television. They also gain crowds funneling back from Texas or Texas State home games. If a game is played in the mid-afternoon, many stop by the restaurant to have dinner afterwards.
Feltch noted the increase in sales during football weekends. Bar sales are equally high. Alcohol vendors notice the high volume of sales, often increasing an order when a local team is playing.
While the business sees extra clientele, employees often look past any stress.
“[Employees] enjoy it. It adds more excitement to their shift; it adds another realm to it,” Feltch said. “They are not just waiting or not just bartending. They interact with guests. They enjoy it. You can tell, there’s an excitement to it.”
Perhaps no other local business succeeds more than sports bars such as Centerfield in Kyle.
While Centerfield opened in the latter stages of the 2012 football season, they were able to cash in, according to manager James Rios.
“It was extremely busy [last year],” Rios said. “We anticipate more [people] this year.”
Rios said revenue gained from football games was at a 65 percent alcohol, 35 percent food rate, with beer the most popular libation.
With as many as eight games on eleven televisions, Rios sees the chance for fans to catch many games simultaneously at Centerfield – an intriguing prospect for fantasy football players.
He hopes a new FM receiver in the bar will allow fans to listen to specific games at their table. The bar plans to rent out radios to guests for that purpose.
Ultimately, Rios believes a sports bar represents the best chance for people to enjoy the most popular sport in the country.
“The sports bar is the perfect place for friends or family to have a beer, get some wings, and watch the game,” he said.
