Rachael Warecki/Daily Journal Mounted policemen attract fans and beef up security around AT&T Park in preparation for the All-Star Game.

“We’ve had a year to plan,” said Senior Retail Buyer Dave Martinez, who works at the Giants Dugout Team Shop adjacent to the ballpark.

The planning is evident in the way things have been set up around the stadium. Large sections of King Street, Third Street and Interstate 280 North are blockaded so pedestrians have safe, easy access to AT&T Park. Once fans reach Willie Mays Plaza, police officers and event planners steer them in the right direction, whether it be Will Call or the shortest line into the stadium.

Despite the throngs of people milling in the plaza, the longest wait was to get into the ballpark. For those looking to purchase All-Star memorabilia or grab a bite to eat, service was almost immediate.

“Staffing was our main concern,” said Martinez. The Giants Dugout Team Shop brought in extra help to make sure things ran smoothly and efficiently. “Recovery is also a challenge. After a day like this, we need extra people to restock because the store is depleted.”

John Epperheimer, the general manager of Acme Chophouse, has the opposite problem. “Today we’re actually overstaffed,” he said. “During the event we’ll probably be understaffed, but now we have more than enough people.”

The biggest challenge for San Francisco restaurants like Acme was making sure they had enough food to serve the influx of fans.

“We didn’t know what to expect; we’ve never hosted an All-Star Game before,” said Epperheimer. “There were a lot of security restrictions. The vendors are all screened while they’re delivering product, so we try to bring in more product on each delivery.”

The tighter security isn’t just for the restaurants — police officers and even members of the San Francisco FBI SWAT team have been stationed at every corner and the screening to get into the stadium is thorough. But out-of-towners don’t seem to mind the inconvenience.

“Everything’s great,” said Virginia Jauregui, a Southern California resident who has tickets to both the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game and has been in San Francisco since Friday morning. “It’s really nice.”

“I’ve felt extremely welcomed,” said Zack Hample, who has attended games at 42 different stadiums. “There are volunteers everywhere and it’s very festive.”

The one downside is the available parking: Since so many of the streets near the ballpark have been blocked off, fans must take taxis or public transportation to avoid paying up to $40 for parking privileges.

“We’ve been taking taxis,” said Jauregui, “although the taxi drivers have been very rude. Yesterday we definitely had to do some walking.”