UMVA has learned that as the FIFA World Cup fever sets in across North America, businesses in host cities are gearing up for a massive influx of international customers, and one iconic barbecue joint is ready to take center stage.
In Kansas City, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, a legendary eatery located inside a former gas station, is bracing for a stampede of fans from around the globe, all clamoring for a taste of its mouth-watering burnt ends, brisket, and the famous Z Man sandwich between matches.
The restaurant's leaders say that many visitors traveling from far and wide are making Joe's a "must-stop" on their trip, with some even arriving by Uber, dumping their bags behind the counter, and diving straight into the barbecue experience.
Victor Brummel, general manager at Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, revealed that the restaurant is already preparing for one of its busiest periods in history, with the FIFA World Cup expected to draw millions of visitors across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and Kansas City hosting six matches, including a quarterfinal.
To meet the anticipated demand, Joe's is ramping up production, with a staff member revealing that the restaurant is preparing 185 slabs of ribs on a typical day, but plans to increase that to around 400 slabs at each location during the World Cup.
The restaurant will also defy its usual Sunday closure and open its doors to fans during World Cup games, a move that Brummel attributes to the extraordinary events, noting that the only other times they've opened on Sundays was for major events like the Super Bowl with Patrick Mahomes.
Alongside increasing staff and food production, Joe's is also launching another similar restaurant across the street in anticipation of the tournament, a strategic move aimed at catering to the expected surge in demand.
Early visitors to the restaurant have already spread the word, touting Joe's as a can't-miss destination for anyone coming to Kansas City, further fuelling the excitement ahead of the tournament, which kicks off in Mexico City on June 11 and features matches across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
This year's World Cup promises to be the largest ever, with 48 teams and 104 matches on the schedule, and Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que is clearly poised to be one of the top culinary destinations for fans flocking to Kansas City.
