Text size:

Caterer picks up tab for 150 Super Bowl parties

BY MARSHALL LUBIN | marshall.lubin@newsday.com

February 5, 2008

When Plaxico Burress caught the winning touchdown pass Sunday, Al Horowitz lost between $15,000 and $20,000 and couldn't have been happier. The owner of Smokin' Al's Famous BBQ Joint in Bay Shore took a huge gamble and wound up picking up the tab for more than 150 Super Bowl parties he catered.

"I would have been unhappy if the Patriots won," Horowitz said. "My customers' winning is winning for me. As soon as I did this, people thought I was a Patriots' fan."

Horowitz offer was simple: order between $200 to $500 from the catering menu by Thursday and put it on a credit card. If the Giants win, the charge is not processed. He said the response was so overwhelming that if he didn't have the deadline, he would have had 250 orders.

"The advertising and word-of-mouth he's gotten is worth every penny," said Mary Louise Cohen of Bay Shore, who had 40 people at her Super Bowl party. "You really can't buy this kind of advertising. People feel good. The bottom line is that it was nice that I got it for free but it was great that the Giants won."

Burt Venendaal of West Babylon had 10 people at his party and saved $230 with the Giants' victory. He found out about the offer while having lunch at Smokin' Al's earlier in the week.

"I asked if they had takeout and they told me they had a pool going on for the Super Bowl," Venendaal said. "It was a double win."

Steve Fisher drove all the way from Middle Village in Queens for his $222 order and was pleasantly surprised. "I'm a greater fan of ribs than football," he said. "I was willing to pay the price, I didn't expect the Giants to win. I thanked them for being such good sports. Now the leftovers will taste even sweeter, too."