Father’s Day is Sunday, and all over Central Florida, restaurants are getting ready for…well, pretty much an average day.

Mother’s Day is traditionally the busiest day for restaurants all year. But Father’s Day? Not so much. The reason is steeped in stereotype. Mom’s are thought of as the family’s cook, so on her special day it’s been the tradition to coax her to take the apron off and go out and let someone else do the cooking.

But I know plenty of men who do at least some of the cooking, if not all of it in some families. But do you hear anyone urging Dad to take his apron off? No, no you do not.

That’s not to say that no one takes their father out to eat on Father’s Day. There are plenty of restaurants that are offering specials, or at least running ads urging kids to bring pops in on Sunday. But the stereotyping continues. Steakhouses, sports bars and other manly places are the ones that usually get the business. That’s fine if that’s what your dad wants, but judging from the men I see at my Supper Club dinners I can tell you that there are plenty of guys who enjoy fine dining, too.

But here’s something that just about any dad would like. On Sunday, two of the area’s more high-profile food trucks will compete in the first Bacon Off, a competition of pork proportions.

Big Wheel Provisions and C&S Brisket Bus will contend for the prize in four categories: Best Original Bacon, Best Novelty Bacon, Best Bacon Side, Best Bacon Product, Bacon Grand Champion. Best Novelty Bacon is the only one that scares me.

The $30 ticket price includes a bacon sampler plate from each truck, with tastes of bacon in the four categories. Guests will vote on their favorite, and the winner of each category receives bacon bragging rights. Ticket price also includes access to a bacon-filled buffet, a craft beer or all-natural soda, and live music from The Mud Flappers.

They’ll start makin’ bacon at noon and fat flies until 4 p.m. The event will be at the construction site of the East End Market in Audubon Park, 3201 Corrine Dr., Orlando. Proceeds go to the nonprofit Audubon Park Garden District. You can buy tickets from the trucks or at baconofforlando.com. 

Lots and lots of bacon is a terrific way to say I love you to your dad. And, I’m hoping to get my inheritance sooner.

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