Former UVA stars like the idea of drive-thru window at their favorite snack place: Bodo’s Bagels

By Jerry Ratcliffe

If Bodo’s Bagels ever feels the need to advertise, it doesn’t have to search far for endorsements. The latest of those during a Virginia football webinar with the Wahoos’ two Bryce’s — Bryce Perkins and Bryce Hall — earlier this week.

One of the questions the UVA duo fielded was a light-hearted one concerning their reactions to Bodo’s now opening its drive-thru window, due to the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Salute to [Bodo’s] for making moves like that,” Hall said. “I’ll bet they get so much more production and customers. I admit that sometimes I prefer to go somewhere I can just go to a drive-thru.”

Hall has spent the last several weeks training in Pensacola, Fla., in anticipation of the NFL Draft, but is returning to Charlottesville next week and certain to check out the popular bagel restaurant.

Perkins, who has been back in town for a few days after training the past couple of months in California, welcomed the news about one of his favorite eating establishments.

“I didn’t know they have a drive-thru window,” the record-setting UVA quarterback said. “That was my first spot when I got here (in 2018). I went to Bodo’s the next morning, went straight to Bodo’s.”

Perkins and all customers had to walk in back then. Now it’s a new experience.

“Bodo’s has done changed the game with that drive-thru,” Perkins grinned.

“Every home game (the past two years), Bodo’s was my snack before I’d go to McCue (the Dr. Frank C. McCue building, which houses the football program). They have a life-long customer out of me.”

According to our friend Yoshie Perez, a local business owner and Wahoo fan who went through the drive-thru Thursday, here’s the scoop on the process:

They are only accepting credit cards (not including American Express); cash is not an option. They have an outdoor tent set up (with staff in masks and wearing gloves), taking orders and payment through a hand-held credit card runner.

“They are sweet and smiling and awesome out there,” she said. “The staff at the window handing over food were seriously so kind and cheerful — the Bodo’s we all know and love!”

She adds that in terms of card-swiping, “They hold out [the card reader] and the customer inserts their own card, so they don’t actually touch it at all.” Perez also pointed out that all of the ordering is done from a safe distance, and that the only time the staff needs to approach your car is to swipe your card.

“It was not at all the madhouse situation I’d expected — it was awesome,” said Perez.

She noticed “nice, big sanitizer pumps on their table under the tent and disinfecting wipes,” for anyone who’s considering stopping by.

“The handoff of the food at the window is as distanced as possible and super quick, since you’ve already done the ordering and paying. I’m proud of those guys!”