Election debates boost to-go orders, sales at restaurants with TVs

If you plan to order in for tonight's final presidential debate or want to score prime real estate at a well-TVed bar or restaurant to watch it, better get a head start and summon your patience.

Puget Sound-area restaurants say the number of to-go orders on debate nights this election season is on par with Halloween, the Super Bowl and other frantically busy occasions, stretching wait times to nearly an hour at spots like Seattle's Black Pearl Chinese restaurant and regionwide pizza kitchens like Pagliacci.

"I've been here 15 years and I don't recall it being this busy on any other election," said Roy Metzenberg, who manages a Pizza Hut location that delivers pizza and pasta in southwest Federal Way. "The very first debate, sales were way up, they skyrocketed. The vice-presidential debate was one of our busiest days of the year."

Owners of coffeehouses, sports bars and other eateries that have welcomed debate watchers, including Seattle's Café Presse, say crowds have been standing-room only and linger long after closing statements.

"The front room where we have the TV is completely shoulder to shoulder. The backroom where we have no TV, people are just listening. We put a radio on the patio. On all three nights so far there have been people who haven't been able to get in and just stand there on the sidewalk, listening to the radio," said Jim Drohman, owner of the Capitol Hill cafe, where the TV typically is tuned to soccer.

It's been a similar scene at Beacon Hill's Grown Folks Coffeehouse, where crowds of 40 or more adults swamp the cafe's 26 seats.

"That's not even including their children," said co-owner Gary Grant. The cafe extended its happy hour on debate nights after a customer suggested holding debate-watching parties for the neighborhood, he said. "A lot of the times they're staring intently at the screen because they want to hear every single detail about what the candidates say. But they're definitely cheering when the right thing is said, when something connects with them."

Food long has fostered connection, and Drohman says it makes sense people would want to gather around it as the region digests the economic crisis, the hotly contested presidential and gubernatorial elections, layoffs, the Boeing strikes and other strife-making headlines as of late. The debates, for many, have been a chance to ponder the future along with the rest of their family, their friends, their neighborhood.

"The thing that's really striking is that people seem shocked to watch the debate in a room with others, to feel that sense of community, the sense that people are really interested, that we're all in this together and that everyone is really interested to find out what's going on and what the topics are and what's being said," Drohman said.

Zeeks Pizza has received plenty of requests for timed evening orders, which is rare, said delivery operations manager Tommy Brooks. And it's been all hands on deck at Pagliacci, said marketing director Shelley McNulty. She advised customers to call ahead if they want orders by a certain time tonight or on election night. "There's only so many pizzas we can fit in an oven."

Metropolitan Market is stocking mini cheeseburgers, mini grilled-cheese sandwiches and other nibbles in its delis for election-related gatherings and expects brisk business, said spokesman Brad Halverson. Sales of turkey dinners, prime-rib sandwiches, macaroni and cheese and potpies have spiked as the stock market has faltered, he said.

"People want something to feel good about. It'll be interesting to see what happens on election night, if there's plenty of comfort food going out the door."

Karen Gaudette: 206-515-5618

or kgaudette@seattletimes.com