What does the Eagles victory parade mean for restaurants on Valentine’s Day?

A Super Bowl victory parade that coincides with Valentine’s Day — one of the busiest days of the year for dining out — might not be ideal for many Philadelphia restaurant owners.

Owners of sports bars and casual-dining options cheered Tuesday’s announcement of a Friday parade. Those with destination restaurants, mindful that hundreds of thousands of people would be on the move in the city, wondered: After spending hours partying in the cold, will customers want to head home to shower, change, and go back out for a fancy dinner? Publicist Kory Aversa issued a dire message on social media that the parade would “cost some restaurants tens of thousands of dollars” through no-shows and cancellations.

Data from OpenTable suggest that diners want to celebrate big on Friday: Valentine’s reservations in Philadelphia are trending 22% higher than last year. (OpenTable has notably beefed up the quality of its local directory since last year.)

There were few complaints around the Phillies’ World Series parade in 2008, which fell on Halloween. When the Phils were in the World Series on Halloween 2022, however, bar owners were beside themselves.

The optimists say it will all work out. “Nothing will interfere with our restaurant reservations on that evening,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said at a news conference Tuesday. “We will be done well before you are to appear for dinner.” She then directed: “Don’t you dare touch any of those reservations.”

Rob LaScala, who has been in the business for four decades and owns eight LaScala’s Fire restaurants across the region, is playing the long game. As soon as the parade was announced, people stopped booking tables for Friday. “But Valentine’s Day weekend is Thursday to Sunday,” he said. “When you average them all out, I think we’ll be fine: I feel like we’re going to be really busy Thursday night. I see a ton of reservations on Saturday and Sunday.”

Marc Vetri, who owns Vetri Cucina, Fiorella, and Pizzeria Salvy, took a similar view. “Whatever you lose Friday, you’ll pick up Saturday,” he said. “In the end, it will be an amazing parade and a crazy busy weekend for restaurants.”

Restaurateurs are accustomed to shifting reservations, after all. “Typically on days like New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s, you will see a 10% to 15% drop-off on the day of, but those typically get filled by last-minute reservations or a waiting list,” said Brad Daniels, chef and owner of Tresini in Spring House, Montgomery County, which is booked Friday and Saturday.

Teddy Sourias, who owns four bars just off Broad Street, was initially concerned with business at his splashy new restaurant, Mona, at 13th and Chestnut Streets. On Tuesday, he said 300 people were booked for dinner Friday and he feared cancellations. When his staff sent text reminders Wednesday afternoon and the list held, he said he felt more confident. It didn’t hurt that Mona required a deposit with reservations. Mona is booked Saturday night and has only a few late tables Sunday.

Asked if Friday’s parade would hurt business at La Calaca Feliz, his Mexican bar just a few blocks from the Art Museum, restaurateur Brian Sirhal quipped: “Ask me Saturday. I think we’ll make out just fine since we’re kind of at the epicenter of everything.”

But Valentine’s Day is an all-hands-on-deck day at restaurants, which creates some cause for concern. “Will employees show up to work?” Sirhal asked. “Will people be able to make it in early enough for prep? If a couple of servers or support staff don’t show up, it’s going to severely impact service.”

The parade will directly pass Avana, a new restaurant at 22nd Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway. Avana has 300 dinner patrons on the books starting at 4 p.m., said co-owner Felicia Wilson, who fears her staff will have problems getting into work as a result. And “depending on the timing of cleanup, that’s going to impact those guests,” she said. “I’m sure it will be a snowball effect, because if people are late for reservations, we are going to be backed up.”

After the 2018 Eagles parade, which followed the same route, Broad Street and other streets south of City Hall were navigable before dinnertime. But the Parkway blocks near the Art Museum did not reopen fully to traffic until midnight, according to accounts at the time.

Asked what the city could do, Wilson said: “I really don’t know what to do at this point. We could just pray for the best.”

Restaurants' suppliers won’t be able to deliver for much of Friday as streets are closed to vehicles. “We have encouraged customers in those areas to bulk up on orders the day before since we will be unable to reach them,” said Margaret Magnarelli, a vice president at Baldor Specialty Foods, a large distributor.

Such work-arounds often happen before storms and other special events. Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia in 2015 shut down deliveries for nearly a week in Center City. Some restaurants are paring down their menus to avoid certain perishables, like fresh seafood.

The restaurateurs that serve continuously throughout the afternoon seem giddy at the prospect of thousands of parade-goers. “Spirits are going to be high,” said Brett Naylor, a partner in the 150-seat Wilder, on Sansom Street near 20th. “I think it’s going to be busy — lunch, dinner, the whole way through.” Before the parade announcement, he said, dinner was full. “Lunch reservations usually only come in last-minute anyway, but we had maybe 70,” he said late Wednesday. “Now, I think it’s like 130 or 140.”

A member of the Union League, the private club on Broad Street at Sansom, said the Valentine’s dinner-dance for about 400 people was canceled in favor of an all-day open house for members, allowing them to watch the parade.

P.J. Clarke’s, a bar-restaurant across from Independence Hall, which reported having one of its busiest days ever on Sunday during the Super Bowl, is seeing a late-afternoon reservations bump after the parade, said general manager Tim Killeen. The restaurant also added an early happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m.

James Stephens at Black Sheep Pub near Rittenhouse Square is doubling down on Friday’s business, planning to open at 8 a.m. — three hours early — with a full Irish breakfast and pork roll sandwiches.

Seeing opportunity, some restaurateurs are extending their Valentine’s promotions. Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti in Society Hill will offer its “candlelight-only pop-up experience” through Sunday, for example. “We are going all out to make it a win-win for those wanting to celebrate both Valentine’s and our new Super Bowl champs,” said Rosita Lamberti, the group’s director of restaurants.

Others are avoiding the potential for conflict. The owners of Libertee Grounds in Francisville moved their four-course wine dinner (with a mini golf) from Friday to Sunday.

Looking ahead: If the Eagles win the NFC championship in the 2026 season, punching their ticket to the Super Bowl, check the calendar. The game is scheduled for Valentine’s Day 2027.