The Philadelphia Eagles won’t be the only Philly fan favorite in Minneapolis this weekend.
During Sunday’s match-up against the New England Patriots, U.S. Bank Stadium will be serving Chickie’s & Pete’s famous Crabfries. It’s a move owner Pete Ciarrocchi hopes will give the Birds and their fans the feeling of a home-field advantage.
“For lots of Philly fans, getting Crabfries at Eagles games is a ritual,” he says. “So we hope having them there will make it feel like a home game.”
Transporting the fries 1,000-plus miles was easy, says Ciarrocchi, because they’ve been a staple for years at Valleyfair, a nearby amusement park in the Twin Cities. It’s just one of the many locations Chickie’s & Pete’s has expanded to over the years (the newest location in Marlton is expected to open in late February or early March).
Ciarrocchi says the real work came when deciding how many fries to send this weekend. The final number was decided by using sales of the most popular stand at Lincoln Financial (stand 102) and adding a couple hundred orders.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Minnesota for the game and get a Crabfries craving, head to section 118 in U.S. Bank Stadium, right behind the end zone. Be sure to keep an eye out for Ciarrocchi too– he’s been a regular at championship games ever since the Eagles faced the New England Saints in 1980.
“I’ve probably been to about 33. If you think about it, it’s such a great way to see the country. There are 31 other cities with NFL teams, and you get to see them through the eyes of football.”
But when asked for a favorite memory, his answer was not surprising. “I expect this one to be my favorite.”