Buffalo, NY (WBEN) As Buffalo gets ready for the NCAA tournament's return to KeyBank Center for the first time in 5 years, restaurants are also finalizing their strategies to get people into their doors and served quickly before, during, and after the games.
At Pearl Street Grill and Brewery, it will be all hands on deck.
"We've got the deli reopening this week for the first time in two years in the cellar, main floor dining third, fourth floor at Pearl Street, we're doing a buffet all you can eat so it's quick in and out service," said Pearl Street General Manager Bill Casale.
Casale said he's been able to hire a good amount of help, but not as many people as he'd like. He's planning on bringing staff over from RiverWorks and Lafayette Brewing Company if necessary. 80 to 100 people will be working each tournament day.
At Southern Tier Brewing Company, which took over the former 716 Food and Sport connected to KeyBank Center, they're stocking up in preparation.
"Whether it's food items, fermented beverages, distilled products, we're just making sure that we have everything in house and ordered that we need and then of course, staffed up to execute for the big the big weekend ahead of us," said Southern Tier Manager Jim Austin.
Austin told WBEN he's learned from other arena events about preparing for a surge in crowds.
"Everybody comes out once because they're on a certain time schedule," said Austin. "We pivot on some of the recipes, hold some things hot when we don't normally things like that, just so that we can help get the food out quickly and promptly for the guests who really are on a time crunch."
Pizza Plant at Canalside is gearing up using the same strategy.
"We are making sure that we do have a enough quick service items available, bartenders will be there will be pouring beer and cocktails and wine," said Pizza Plant Owner Bob Syracuse.
"If I were to compare last week to this week, just in a percentage of revenue increase, we're looking at probably about a 75% uptick in revenue," said Austin.
"We're anticipating it'll be probably about a 40% boost on a typical week. So that's great, we definitely need the extra sales," said Casale.
Tournament games are set for Thursday and Saturday at Key Bank Center.
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