Local restaurants prepping for Chiefs playoff run

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — While the Kansas City Chiefs have been preparing for the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, local bars and restaurants have been prepping too.

"We always have to order up for any of the major games. This one is going to be [one]. There'll be a lot of home parties for this one, so we'll sell a lot of wings to go," David Bauer, owner of Coyotes said. "We always prep up. We always take a $4,000 jump any time the Chiefs get in [the playoffs[ and we'll fill the restaurant from front to back."

"More food, more beer obviously, and then just fully staffed for the whole weekend, ready to rock and roll," Jared Stevenson, owner of Harbells said.

The two owners say they go through thousands of wings during the typical playoff game.

"On a Saturday, we sell ten cases with 2,500 to 3,000 wings and almost double it for the games, and then Super Bowl quadruple it," Bauer said.

"We're talking a couple of thousand more than usual," Stevenson said.

Bauer and Stevenson aren't competing either. In fact, the two have a mutual respect for each other after knowing each other for several years.

"I'm very proud of [Jared] and he's doing a good job with it. They're going to sell a lot of wings," Bauer said.

"We both fill up for game days, and so there's plenty of both of us to go around. No rivalry here, Dave is great," Stevenson said. "It's one big community here. So what can we do to help each other out? You know, I want to see my neighbor do just as well as me."

Both owners say they're hoping to have an atmosphere as close as they can to Arrowhead Stadium, without having to make the drive.

"We salute every touchdown. We have touchdown shots. It's more of a festive thing, not a big drinking thing. It's loud. It's fun. It's just like being it we call it Arrowhead South, and that's kind of what it is. It's excitement, volume," Bauer said. "It does get loud, but it's the staff handles it. Our customers are great. We do giveaways all the time and it's just a really fun game-time atmosphere here."

"We've got our usual like Saturday specials, game day buckets, wings and pitcher and then, of course, just a great time," Stevenson said. "Loud. It'll be loud. We'll have the game on every TV."

Fans like Casey Weathermon say they're optimistic about the Chiefs' chances.

"Historically, when you look at where the what the Chiefs have done on bye weeks, especially with Andy Reid, I think Andy Reid is going to prep them properly and get them prepared and ready to go come tomorrow," Weathermon said. "I think it's going to be a great game and hopefully the same outcome as a couple of weeks ago when they played Houston originally."

He, like others, is hoping the Chiefs can be the first team to ever win three consecutive Lombardi trophies in the Super Bowl era.

"It'd be amazing. It would be one of the best achievements in the history of the NFL," Weathermon said.

"It would be something special. Never been done before. I think we have a real chance of doing it this year. So, yeah, it'd be amazing," Stevenson said.

The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Houston Texans at 3:30 CST on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.