TCU’s Family Weekend brought families to Fort Worth Sept. 18-20 as parents and relatives visited students, attended campus events and watched the Horned Frogs take on Arkansas State at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The weekend also brought increased demand for Fort Worth restaurants and hotels as families made reservations, booked rooms and explored the city.

At Quince Riverside, a restaurant near TCU, shift lead Selena Perez said the restaurant had been preparing for Family Weekend by taking reservations as early as February and March. The restaurant was fully booked for the weekend.

Perez said Quince expected to operate at about 110% of its usual seating capacity by adding tables and chairs to accommodate as many customers as possible.

The restaurant also added staff and began ordering additional food, beverages, glassware and plates about a month before Family Weekend. Food preparation began about a week before the weekend, Perez said.

Hotels near campus were also preparing for the influx of visitors.

At Hyatt Place Fort Worth/TCU, front office supervisor Desh Dekes said Family Weekend reservations typically begin 10 to 12 months in advance. The hotel sells out every year, she said, and most of its weekend business comes from TCU families.

“All hands are on deck,” Dekes said.

Dekes said Family Weekend also introduces new guests to the hotel, some of whom return or recommend it to others.

The hotel’s rooftop bar, Lot 12, was particularly busy during Family Weekend last year. Dekes said the bar made about $20,000 in two hours and eventually ran out of ice because the machines could not keep up with demand.

Residence Inn by Marriott Fort Worth Southwest showed no rooms available online for Sept. 18-20 when checked online.

For some TCU families, the weekend means spending money at businesses throughout the city.

Sloane Longaker, a sophomore strategic communication major from Portland, Oregon, said her parents flew to Fort Worth to visit her. They planned to stay at The Nobleman, visit restaurants, shop, explore Fort Worth, spend time with friends and attend the football game.

Longaker estimated her family would spend more than $2,500 during the weekend, with food and drinks making up the largest expense.

She said they typically spend more during Family Weekend than during a normal visit because the weekend centers on group outings, and activities are a part of her family’s experience when visiting her.

“It is difficult to do things around here that don’t require spending a lot of money, especially when they’re in town and I want to show them my favorite restaurants and shops,” Longaker said.

She said she especially looks forward to her parents meeting her friends’ families, exploring new places and seeing the community she has built at TCU.

“My parents love making this weekend about me, and that includes covering the expenses for the weekend,” Longaker said.