Dave Portnoy's 'One Bite Pizza Reviews' bring spike to Central Illinois businesses

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy is continuing his pizza review tour of the Champaign-Urbana area, and some of the restaurants he reviewed last time are receiving a positive buzz from being reviewed.

Two weeks ago, during Big Noon Kickoff’s first stop in Champaign, Portnoy scored the following:

• Papa Del’s Pizza Factory: 7.1
• Monical’s Pizza: 7.4
• Old Orchard Lanes & Links: 7.6

Jordan Lutz, the general manager of Old Orchard, said he was completely surprised when he saw Portnoy walk through the door.

“I was helping a girl with the dishes, popped up and he was right there,” Lutz said.

His first thought? 

“Oh boy we better make a good pizza,” Lutz said.

He said Portnoy mentioned them during Big Noon Kickoff two weeks ago, helping business. But, since the Old Orchard’s Pizza review was released Thursday, things have gotten out of hand.

“Our social media has sort of exploded,” Lutz said. “I’m constantly responding to messages. The shirt he was wearing in the video, I’ve actually had requests from people in Boston to ship them out to them, so we’ll see what we can do.”

Papa Del’s general manager Andrea Seten said a 7.1 from Portnoy isn’t too bad.

“I’ll take a 7.1, my thing is he doesn’t like Chicago pizza, he doesn’t like tavern style, he doesn’t like square cut at all,” Seten said. “But, for him to go back and take a bite and say, you know I like it and give us a 7.1 that’s okay, I’ll take it.”

Her restaurant will be keeping busy this weekend too, because they’re feeding the entire Ohio State football team. 

“We’re actually feeding the team Friday and Saturday, feeding the enemy right,” Seten said.

It takes 210 pizzas to do that, one for each staff member and player.