RIVERDALE — Buffalo Wild Wings opened in Riverdale Monday morning; and, as the doors swung open a journey, of sorts, was finally over for four Weber State University students.
Dominic Welch, Greg Bean, Cullen Wondra and Luke Waldrop camped outside of the restaurant for three nights and parts of four days in order to be first in line for the restaurant’s grand opening promotional giveaway.
As a way to celebrate the opening, Buffalo Wild Wings gave the first 100 customers to enter the restaurant a year’s supply of free wings.
On Monday, a large line of customers snaked around the building, hoping to be among the first 100.
Jim Crisp, manager of the Riverdale restaurant, said the scene looked more like something you would see on Black Friday.
The WSU group arrived at the restaurant Friday evening to set up camp.
In addition to tents, sleeping bags, blankets and air mattresses, the group even had TVs, DVDs and video games. Buffalo Wild Wings even fed the students as they camped out.
“We were able to plug into their power outlets outside of the restaurant,” Bean said. “It’s been a pretty interesting experience. We like to call it urban camping.”
Welch said he was actually putting off one of his finals to get his free supply of wings.
The group said that after they ate and received their vouchers for the year’s supply of wings, they all planned to eventually get some much needed rest. Sunday evening’s rain storm made for a rough night’s sleep.
“With all that rain last night, I don’t think I sleep at all,” Welch said Monday. “But it’s been fun. It’s definitely been an experience that I’ll always remember.”
Riverdale Mayor Bruce Burrows was on hand for the grand opening celebration, as were several members of the Weber Chamber of Commerce and other public officials.
The opening of the restaurant resembled something like a pep rally before a big college football game, something Crisp said the restaurant chain actively promotes.
“We want the atmosphere to be like a big game,” he said. “If we walk into the restaurant, you kind of feel like you’re in a big football stadium. That’s the atmosphere we want to have.”
Located at 700 West Riverdale Road, the restaurant is now open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
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