A signed photo of former Raiders player Mike Davis hangs on the wall at Benchwarmers Pub & Grill, La Grande, on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. The pub, with its multiple TVs, anticipates a bump in sales as the Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.

LA GRANDE — The Los Angeles Rams are a 4-1/2 point favorite to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in this weekend’s Super Bowl, which means experts believe the outcome of the game is anything but a certainty.

This much is certain, though — the contest, which starts at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, in Los Angeles, will again give many grocery stores in Union County a chance to score big. Store owners anticipate being blitzed by waves of customers buying snacks, soft drinks, beer and condiments as fans prepare for the big game.

“The day before the Super Bowl is crazy. It is our most busy day of the year, even busier than New Year’s Eve,” said Fred Bell Jr., who owns La Grande’s Short Stop Xtreme Froyo and Espresso with his wife, Tara.

Bell said chips, beer and soft drinks are his best-selling items on Super Bowl weekend.

Randy Willson, who is co-owner of Grocery Outlet, Island City, with his wife, Michelle, said his store annually experiences a boost in sales for the week leading up to the Super Bowl as people stock up for parties.

“We probably see a 20% bump,” he said. “It has quite an impact.”

Willson compares the boost in sales to what Grocery Outlet experiences on Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July and Memorial Day.

He said sales of chips, chicken wings, soft drinks, beer, dips, beef and items for outdoor barbecue jump during Super Bowl week. To accommodate the added demand, Willson said that an extra truckload of inventory is always ordered for Super Bowl week.

“We try to stay overstocked,” he said.

Once the Super Bowl starts, activity slows down, but Willson said that at halftime many people will hurry in to buy items.

“We always make sure we are ready for people rushing in at halftime,” he said.

Mike Colkitt, owner of the Union Market, also said Super Bowl-related sales traditionally peak the Saturday before the game.

“It is our biggest snack day of the year,” he said.

La Grande’s Safeway and those throughout the United States also experience a boost in sales during Super Bowl weekend, according to Jill McGinnis, director of communications and public affairs for Safeway.

“It is considered the second biggest food holiday of the year next to Thanksgiving,” said McGinnis, who is based in Clackamas.

McGinnis said many of Safeway’s most popular items sold on Super Bowl Sunday are from its delicatessens and include chicken wings.

Restaurants that will likely be busy on Feb. 13 include Benchwarmers Pub and Grill, La Grande, where six large and three flat-screen televisions are available for diners to watch the game.

Justin Marler, the manager of Benchwarmers, said normally Super Bowl Sunday is not one of the biggest days of the year at the restaurant and bar. However, he believes attendance might be higher this year. One reason is NFL playoffs leading to the Super Bowl game were exceptional and drew larger than normal crowds at Benchwarmers.

Misty Cottingham, a bartender at Benchwarmers, is looking forward to working there during the Super Bowl.

“Because it is a football game a lot of people will be here to have a good time,” she said.

Marieta Gallagher, a cashier at One Stop Mart, La Grande, said that business is exceptionally busy in the hours leading up to the game. Hot pizza slices and jojos are among the best-selling items at the store on Super Bowl weekend. Gallagher said the late-afternoon start helps business on game day because it gives people more time to pick up items before kickoff.

Marco Rennie, co-owner of Market Place Fresh Foods, La Grande, said Super Bowl weekend is a busy time at his store, so his staff takes time to get prepared.

“We definitely gear up for it,” he said.

Items that are big sellers include salsa, guacamole and jerky, all made in house.

“They are all made from scratch,” Rennie said, adding that Super Bowl Sunday impacts more than just on the economy — it also is important because it bridges gulfs in society during a time when political divisions are widening.

“It brings family and friends together to celebrate,” he said.