WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The line at Tony's Delicatessen in Williamsport stretched out the door, but customers didn't seem to mind. They came to the shop on Washington Boulevard for their holiday favorites.
"Ham spread, cheese spread, cookies—this is our favorite place to get the goodies. We love it at Christmas," Maureen Taylor said.
This is one of the busiest days of the year at Tony's Delicatessen. Employees prepare for weeks.
"It's such a high demand for the rib roast, cookies, the hams. We're such a specialty store that a lot of hands and a lot of love go into making everything," said manager Alanna Bastian.
Bastian says it's all hands on deck. There are around three dozen employees helping out this weekend.
"We come in at 4 a.m. We start to do all of the preorders. We have a lot of family that comes in, a lot of college students come back from school."
It's the same situation at Helmrich's Seafood on Fifth Street in Williamsport. Employees are busy, and the place is packed.
"It's the place to come for seafood. I've been coming here for almost 40 years," John Kurtz said.
"Long-standing tradition, best place in town for seafood," Rick Lundy said.
If you plan to stop by Helmrich's Seafood, join the club.
"I was really surprised today. Usually, it's about five deep the day before Christmas. We're a couple of days before, and there's still a big line," Lundy said.
If you haven't gotten your Christmas goodies yet, don't worry. Both Helmrich's Seafood and Tony's Delicatessen are open on Saturday.