As sports fans across Rhode Island finalize their plans for Super Bowl LI on Feb 5., local businesses prepare to host a viewing party – or at least provide the pizza.

“Is it a crazy day from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.? Absolutely,” said Ray Brooks, owner of Picasso’s Pizza and Pub, 2323 Warwick Ave. Though the pub at Picasso’s is busy for any sporting event, a New England Patriots Super Bowl means house parties, according to Brooks. “Our deliveries are really crazy; they go through the roof.”

Though a Patriots Super Bowl may seem to imply a busy day in Rhode Island’s food industry, Brooks said there are other sporting events that tend to have a larger impact on business.

“I’d take the Red Sox in the World Series, the Bruins in the Stanley Cup or the Celtics in the MBA Championship all day.” Because these sporting finals are played in series, they draw fans to Picasso’s several times a week for games. 

In preparation for game day, Brooks has scheduled five delivery drivers rather than the usual four. Brooks also has a contingency plan he can implement to boost morale if the game turns into a Patriots loss: it involves throwing hats and t-shirts into the crowd.

“We try to make it as fun as possible,” Brooks said. “If [the Patriots are] losing, everybody gets so somber, so I got to get on the microphone and liven everybody up.”

David Ohanesian, owner of Cosmic Pizza at 1141 Post Road, said he anticipates a good push of business an hour or two before the game starts. However, he said the increase in businesses is not outstanding, perhaps a 10 to 20 percent increase from a normal Sunday.

“My business here is kind of just consistent,” he said.

Pier Pizza Company owner Kevin Gill estimates that on a typical Sunday his restaurant at 2763 Post Road delivers around 100 pizzas. Contrary to Brooks and Ohanesian, he said his business usually is slower if the Patriots are in the Super Bowl, which he attributes to house parties.

“We’ll get a few big orders, but we won’t get the random orders for one or two pizzas,” he said. Still, he anticipates Pier Pizza could see a 50 percent increase in sales. 

Both Ohanesian and Gill said that the biggest night of the year for their businesses is Halloween.