BOZEMAN, Mont. – As the Montana State University Bobcat football team heads down the Road to Frisco, fans and players are making a pit stop at The Western Cafe in Bozeman. The cafe is a favorite spot for pre-game meals.
The football season provides revenue for businesses across the Gallatin Valley. According to the Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce, a regular game can generate $1.5 million in local spending, but a Brawl of the Wild matchup or a playoff game can double that. That money goes to things like lodging and shopping, and a significant portion goes to food and dining.
One of their most popular items at the cafe is the Bobcat Breakfast, which features cinnamon roll French toast, eggs, meat and hashbrowns made from Manhattan, Montana potatoes.
“We sell an awful lot of them, it’s super popular, but it ties us into the University. And we have an awful lot of students that come in. It’s our opportunity to be a part of that,” Sebena said.
Manager Julie Gandulla, an MSU alum, said the dish offers everything you could want (the sweet, salty and savory), like how MSU provides so much for the community (research, education and Bobcat Athletics).
The cafe has a lot of local Bozeman memorabilia from farmers, fishers and hunters, but also from MSU. Pendants, championship trucker hats and signs decorate the walls and Bobcat rugs are laid across the floor.
Sebena said she expects this weekend to be busy, with lots of fans coming in during the tailgate. The football players are also known to come in and enjoy breakfast on occasion, she said.
“I love it. We love them. They’re awesome. Very wonderful kids who are very team spirited,” Sebena said. “Just really nice young men, very well behaved, very well mannered.”
