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SALT LAKE CITY -- Making a last minute run to the store on Super Sunday can be a very unpleasant experience. A Denver Broncos fan in Salt Lake City says she made that mistake once.
She said, "It's just very busy and it's very hard to get what you need in the store and everybody is shopping last minute."
Most men wait until the last minute when they buy stuff and that's kind of how it works [Super Sunday].
–Bart Hoerner
So what can shoppers do to avoid the hassle? Some savvy customers told KSL their strategies. One shopper says her family has a tradition of watching the game together and splitting the expenses for all the food. That way, one person isn't stuck going into a busy store with a long list of items.
She said, "I'm assigned chips and dip. So, I'm just bringing certain dips like salsa and French onion dip."
One man who is hosting about 30 people, said his strategy is to work ahead.
He said, "We organize what the food and the menu is. Then Saturday I will actually start to put everything together."
This year's menu includes barbecued chicken and short ribs. He says he loves cooking and especially grilling, so he'll be preparing the whole day on Saturday to be ready on Sunday.
But West Jordan Smith's Marketplace Store Director Bart Hoerner says the best thing to do is to have a specific list written down. That way you're not wandering around looking for whatever looks good. He sees plenty of guys shop during the game because they ran out of what they need.
Plus, try to shop early. He's seen many guys miss parts of the game because they had to go shopping.
"I guess you might call it a ‘man-holiday.' Most men wait until the last minute when they buy stuff and that's kind of how it works [Super Sunday]," Hoerner said.
He adds that while customers are stocking up on goodies, the stores are, too. He says having extra staffing at the stations where food is prepared is a must for that day. Stores need to have extra avocados, chicken wings, beef jerky, veggie plates, shrimp for shrimp cocktail and beer. Plus, they have to stock up on big-screen TVs.
"Last year we had a guy that came in and bought a 50-inch flat screen along with a surround-sound system and a blu-ray, just getting ready for the game. He bought it specifically for that reason," he said.
Hoerner says the trick is to make all of the Super Bowl munchies visible once someone walks through the doors, and have them placed in a way that lets traffic flow clearly through the store.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
