Every NFL city has its game day rituals, but none compare to the chaotic brilliance and heartfelt community of the Red Pinto Tailgate. Nestled in the far corner of Hammer’s Lot on Abbott Road in Orchard Park, just a few booming punts away from Highmark Stadium, the tailgate led by Ken “Pinto Ron” Johnson is a pilgrimage for fans who believe football is more than just a game—it’s a reason to live large, laugh hard, and embrace the absurd.

Since the mid-1980s, this legendary gathering has transformed an aging 1980 Ford Pinto into the beating heart of Bills Mafia’s most notorious pregame celebration. Fans from around the world flock to the site to drink cherry liqueur from a bowling ball, eat pizza baked in a filing cabinet, devour bacon cooked on a saw blade, and yes—witness a grown man get blasted from head-to-toe in ketchup and mustard.

Through snow, sleet, losing streaks, and playoff droughts, the Red Pinto Tailgate has never missed a game. It’s part sideshow, part soup kitchen, and all heart—an open-air carnival of cast-iron creativity, off-the-wall culinary feats, and boundless camaraderie. What began as a few friends horsing around has grown into a full-blown institution of tailgating greatness, anchored by the unshakable spirit of Ken Johnson and his ever-growing crew.

The Pinto party isn't just about antics—it’s about family, resilience, and creating joy no matter the score. Fans, strangers, and even rival supporters are welcomed like kin. And at its core, the Red Pinto Tailgate is a living monument to the belief that gameday should be unforgettable—before the opening whistle ever blows.

Traditions at the Red Pinto Tailgate

Every game day in Buffalo, a sacred schedule unfolds behind the legendary red 1980 Ford Pinto at Hammer’s Lot. The experience isn’t just about food and drink—it’s about ritual, shared history, and embracing the beautiful absurdity that defines Buffalo Bills fandom.

At the heart of it all is Ken "Pinto Ron" Johnson, doused head to toe in ketchup and mustard by fans wielding bottles and caulking guns, surrounded by chants and laughter. The Ketchup Opening Ceremony happens roughly 90 minutes before kickoff and is the crowd’s way of giving thanks for another Sunday spent together. There’s no entry fee, no RSVP list, just an open invitation to step into something that feels more like a carnival than a cookout.

And then there’s the 16-pound shot, also known as the Bowling Ball Shot, a rite of passage for first-timers and a recurring tradition for veterans. In a strangely poetic sequence, fans sip cherry liqueur from the thumbhole of a 16-pound bowling ball, blow a victory blast on a plastic vuvuzela, and pop a maraschino cherry—all in one motion. The bowling ball might be duct-taped to a beer keg or propped up on a roll of tape, but its place in Buffalo folklore is cemented.

Rain or shine, sleet or lake-effect snow, the Pinto crew sets up shop before dawn. A weatherproof van rolls in with a sound system, tents, makeshift cooking stations, and a mobile bar stocked with generosity. Fans sign a guest book, dance to the “Shout” song, and sometimes engage in beer bottle bowling or peruse the Pinto collection of gameday artifacts. It’s not just a tailgate. It’s performance art. It's home.

Menu Highlights – Tools of the Trade and Taste

The Red Pinto Tailgate isn't powered by propane tanks or electric grills. Instead, it’s a festival of food engineering that would make MacGyver proud. Over the years, nearly every piece of discarded hardware in America has been converted into a cooking implement, giving the menu an ever-evolving, madcap flair.

Grilling on the Hood

The signature move—meats grilled directly on a saw blade or steel sheet mounted to the Pinto’s hood—remains iconic. Bacon, burgers, sausages, and wings sizzle over coals nestled in toolboxes or nestled on the hood, where decades of grease have seasoned the surface to perfection.

The Filing Cabinet Pizza

Crafted by head chef “Pizza” Pete Papagelis, a two-drawer metal filing cabinet was reborn as an oven, delivering crispy homemade pizzas with blended cheeses and from-scratch sauce. Slices are gone before the cheese has a chance to congeal.

Pulled Pork in a Buick Oil Pan

Yes, you read that right. Coals in a wheelbarrow heat a ’89 Buick oil pan to just the right temperature, transforming it into a smoker for tender, juicy pork. It’s a dish that both shocks and satisfies.

Omelets and Pancakes on a Shovel

Early arrivals can expect a full breakfast menu: eggs cracked onto shovel blades, pancakes flipped with a paint scraper, and hot coffee served with a side of bacon crisped on a rake.

Paint Roller Wings & Helmet Deep Fry

Wings are sometimes served in paint trays after being cooked in vintage Army helmets. There's stir fry in hub caps, grilled cheese on a rake, and sausages in a Craftsman toolbox.

It’s bizarre, it’s brilliant, and it’s delicious.