Students aren’t the only ones expecting a good time on Dillo Day. In the rush to stock the fridge with cold beverages and fill the grill with burgers, local businesses are enjoying a spike in sales.

The hottest item? Kegs.

Hiren Patel, the manager at Evanston First Liquors, 1019 Davis St., said he has seen sales increase by 50 percent before Dillo Day.

“(Sales are) higher and it’s a lot better than other days,” he said. “It’s a good day, and it’s definitely good business.”

Patel listed kegs and Everclear as the top sellers. Cheap vodka, whiskey and rum are also popular, he said.

But Dillo Day isn’t just good for alcohol sales. Evanston grocers said food business is also picking up.

D & D Finer Foods Inc, 825 Noyes St., receives increased activity in all areas. D&D manager Billy Dovikas said the restaurant in particular has seen more business.

“Kids just hang out and want to eat,” he said.

Dovikas said the restaurant’s chili cheese fries, hot dogs, gyros, hamburgers and pizza sell quickly. Other Dillo Day staples include beer, soft drinks and water.

Representatives from Jewel-Osco, 1128 Chicago Ave., were unable to speak on the record but a store manager said, “Armadillo Day is a successful event for us.”

To prepare for the annual rush, stores buy extra stock in advance.

“We start one month before so we don’t have to buy everything in the last week,” Patel said.

Evanston First purchases more kegs in particular because they are popular Dillo Day items, he said.

Major holidays – such as the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas – are other times when sales swell. Evanston First also sees an increase in September, when students return to school.

D&D starts preparing at least a week in advance by stocking more items in both their store and restaurant, Dovikas said.

But he was reluctant to attribute the sales increase solely to Dillo Day. The upswing happens every time the weather improves, Dovikas said.

“We do get an increase in every category, but it’s not overblown,” he said.

“Whenever the sun’s out, when it gets closer to May or June, it gets a lot better because more kids are out and walking.”

Even so, Dovikas said he hopes the weather is nice on Dillo Day and that he expects good business.

Reach Angela Chang at [email protected].