It’s being called the “Portnoy Effect” — a viral boost that can turn a quiet local eatery into a must-visit destination overnight. That’s exactly what happened in Provo, when Barstool Sports founder and Big Noon Kickoff host Dave Portnoy stopped by Nico’s Pizza ahead of the highly anticipated BYU–Utah rivalry game at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
The unplanned visit from the internet personality, who has more than 13 million followers across social media, caused such a frenzy that Nico’s ran out of pizza dough within hours.
“Dave Portnoy definitely brings eyeballs and appetites to pizza, and we’re grateful for that,” said Nate Bertasso, owner of Nico’s Pizza.
Originally founded as Nico’s Italia more than 20 years ago by a Boston native, the restaurant has remained a family-run establishment focused on perfecting its pizza craft. “We’ve been making pizza for our customers forever,” Bertasso said. “It was great to share it with Dave and see him appreciate the time and effort that goes into every slice.”
Portnoy rated Nico’s a 7.4 in his signature One Bite Pizza Review — a score Bertasso said the team is “very happy” with. The attention, however, brought overwhelming demand.
“By Monday, people who had never even been to Nico’s were coming in because they heard Dave might visit,” Bertasso said. “By Friday, we were completely sold out of dough.”
The restaurant posted a message to customers: “Due to the tremendous response, Nico’s sold out of dough Friday night and will be closed Saturday, Oct. 18. We’ll reopen Monday at 11 a.m.”
The ‘Portnoy Effect’ Spreads Across Utah
Portnoy’s visit to Provo followed several earlier Utah stops, including The Pie and Villagio Pizzeria in Salt Lake City, both of which reported noticeable spikes in sales. Villagio’s owner told FOX 13 they were “selling 300 to 400 pies a day” following the review.
Even the BYU Creamery on Ninth saw a flood of customers after Portnoy gave it his most glowing review yet — a 9.4 rating, calling it “spectacular ice cream” and “the best campus ice cream I’ve had — ever!”
For local restaurants, a few minutes of attention from Portnoy translates into a massive wave of visibility — and revenue. Bertasso calls it “Hurricane Dave.”
“Any review from Dave is a good review,” said an employee at The Pie. “Even if it’s average, people come just to try what he tried.”
As Utah’s food scene continues to grow, Portnoy’s impromptu reviews are proving to be a modern-day marketing miracle — one bite at a time.
