The World Cup provides a strong tailwind for restaurants so far
New data finds that transactions surged near Seattle Stadium during the USA vs. Australia match, while Chipotle’s soccer jersey BOGO also drove significant traffic.
June 24, 2026
There are still nearly four weeks left in the FIFA Men’s World Cup tournament, but early signs indicate that the event has provided a strong tailwind for restaurants, especially those in host cities.
New data from Toast, for instance, shows that total transactions within a 5-mile radius of Seattle Stadium surged 56% on June 19 during the match between the United States and Australia. The match kicked off at noon PT, and fans swarmed the area early, as evidenced by a 145% transaction increase at 10 a.m. at restaurants.
Hot dogs were particularly hot, with a 228% increase compared to a typical Friday, while nachos (+87%), wings (+64%), and chicken tenders (+63%) were also in high demand.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, beer was the top beverage seller by volume, with sales surging 212% above a typical Friday. Fans also mixed it up with spirits, with big gains for vodka (+139%), tequila (+131%), and rum (+104%).
Notably, it’s not just restaurants in host cities that are riding the tournament momentum. New data from Placer.ai shows that Chipotle’s World Cup jersey buy-one-get-one promotion on June 11 drove a nearly 60% increase in traffic compared to the chain’s year-to-date daily average and marked the chain’s busiest day of 2026 so far.
The offer’s impact was especially pronounced during the promotion window between 3 and 10 p.m., with visits 88% above average.
That said, overall economic data shows little movement since the tournament started, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics, including stalled card spending and airline passenger traffic. Growth in airline passenger traffic through TSA checkpoints, for instance, has been flat this month. In a note, Pantheon economists Samuel Tombs and Oliver Allen wrote, “This suggests that just as many foreign tourists have shelved trips to the U.S. due to the games as have been attracted by them.”
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso
About the Author
Alicia Kelso
Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News
Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com, and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America, and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.
Follow her on TikTok @aliciakelso
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