Alabama fans will have to find barbecue nachos somewhere other than the corner of the Houndstooth bar patio on the Strip this football season. Big Bad Wolves BBQ will take another year off.
Fans in town for the Crimson Tide’s home opener against Mercer two weeks ago probably noticed the absence of the seasonal gameday staple, maybe hoping that crew best known for delicious barbecue nachos and sandwiches would return for future game weekends.
Sadly, the pandemic and the price of meat will sideline the pop-up restaurant for a second straight season, according to co-owner Marcia McKinley, also known as “Mama Wolf” from August until the end of the football calendar.
“We just felt like we’re just going to have to wait and try to do it next year,” McKinley said. “We just don’t feel like it’s just a good idea with coronavirus. It’s just not going to be able to happen. We’re just really sick about it.”
The 2021 season would have marked the 22nd straight season the Tuscaloosa-based Big Bad Wolves operated on the Houndstooth patio, but the restaurant had to take the year off due to COVID restrictions that also required Bryant-Denny Stadium to reduce capacity to 20 percent. The business only opens for each of Alabama’s home games each year.
McKinley said the price of pork has skyrocketed beyond what they normally pay, meaning they’d have to charge customers inflated prices to turn a profit.
“We just can’t do that to our customers,” McKinley said. “In order for us to be out there, we’d have to charge so much. We can’t do it to our people. We just decided it’s just better to not do it this year.”
She said some health department regulations would also create too great a logistical challenge for the staff in order to keep everyone safe from the virus.
McKinley said they’ve gotten a lot of calls from customers who are disappointed to hear they won’t serve this fall but also understanding of the situation.
“It’s sad,” she said. “Two years in a row. It’s breaking our heart. It’s just what we had to do.”
Considering the long lines and how many people Big Bad Wolves typically has working under their tent, they would struggle to maintain social distancing while making and serving the food. “With coronavirus, it’s just impossible for us to feel like we can keep people safe.”
But fear not, “Mama Wolf” said they plant to return in 2022.
“We really, really hope to be back next year,” McKinley said. “It’s really sad. We miss all our customers so much. If they can just hold out one ore year, we’ll be back, lord willing.”
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