Boston bars and restaurants see biggest spending jump among World Cup host cities, report finds

Boston scored big time during the first two weeks of the World Cup.

As residents and visitors gathered to watch the games, consumer spending at bars and restaurants here increased more than any other host city during the group stage matches, a new report found.

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Transaction volume at bars and restaurants in Boston jumped 28 percent between June 11 and June 27 compared to baseline periods, according to the report from the payment platform Square.

“We definitely saw a spike,” said Nicholas Dixon, chef-owner of several restaurants in Boston, including Hunter’s Kitchen & Bar and Dalia, and a managing partner and culinary director at Lincoln Tavern and Capo.

Other host cities also experienced a major uptick in spending, with Philadelphia coming in second at 23 percent, Seattle at 21.8 percent, and New York/New Jersey at 18.5 percent, the report found.

On average, revenue climbed 8 percent at bars and restaurants nationwide, according to the report.

Last month, Boston extended operating hours for some bars and restaurants following the passage of a state law allowing last call for alcohol sales as late as 3 a.m. through the end of July.

The city also opened designated areas known as“social districts” for outdoor alcohol and food consumption to accommodate the crush of visitors coming for the World Cup and other summer festivities.

Meanwhile, Fan Festival, whichrecentlyended a 16-day run, drew thousands to City Hall Plaza during games.

Several bars and restaurants in Boston said they had reaped the rewards of World Cup excitement.

Located in the heart of South Boston, Lincoln Tavern is an established place to watch a game and eat comfort food like wood-fired pizza and hearty sandwiches. But the lunch crowd can be “hit or miss,” Dixon said.

Not during the soccer tournament. The afternoons have been consistently busy — driven in part, Dixon speculated, to hotel concierges directing international visitors to the tavern and posts on social media.

To keep up with demand, kitchen staff had to increase the amount of pizza dough they were making and boost their orders of chicken wings, he said. Overall, weekday lunch sales jumped around 40 percent, Dixon added.

“It was really cool to see and it kept the energy buzzing,” he said.

In the Back Bay, a tourist haven, Avra Estiatorio had only been open for a month when the World Cup kicked off, said Jeff Rosenthal, general manager of the upscale Greek seafood restaurant.

The tournament has “definitely helped” business, he said.

Both locals and customers from all over — Scotland, England, France, Morocco, and Mexico, to name a few — have come in eager to support their team and watch games at the bar, he said. Avra already had a strong base of international clientele who live in the nearby brownstones and luxury residences before the World Cup, and Rosenthal said he’s enjoyed seeing them interact with visitors from their home countries.

“We’ve been very, very busy every day,” he said. “We’re very central to everyone.”

While the Newbury Street destination is a far cry from a sports bar, the fervor is just as palpable during matches, Rosenthal said. Avra also offers a large selection of wines, cocktails, and spirits from around the globe, he added.

“We’ve been airing all the different games, and it’s been fun to chat with all the guests,” Rosenthal said. “You can feel the excitement. People are cheering for their teams. You can hear when there’s a goal. It’s a fun place to be.”

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Although downtown served as the hub for World Cup events,the surge in business extended to other neighborhoods. Take Marcelino’s, a cocktail bar and Mediterranean restaurant in the Seaport.

With live music and an expansive patio overlooking the harbor, the tapas spot offered a unique experience to tourists, said cofounder Marcelino Abou Ali, who added that it’s been “really busy” throughout the competition.

“Everybody wants to come to the Seaport because this is where you walk and see beautiful views,” he said.

Fans haven’t gone to Marcelino’s to cheer on their team, since there are no televisions. Instead, Abou Ali said, they have seen an uptick in patrons stopping for a couple of drinks or a meal before and after matches.

Revenue has increased about 15 percentover normal, he added.

“It doesn’t matter if the team won or lost, everybody here was happy,” he said.

Abou Ali wasn’t sure what to expect during the World Cup. But the experience has only been positive, he said.

“I’m a big fan. I travel to watch games, too,” he said. “I really enjoyed having people from all over the world.”

That sentiment was shared by several chefs and restaurant owners. Some went all in on the World Cup.

Amid the Tartan Army invasion, Lincoln Tavern offered a one-day promotion where diners got a free pizza if they were wearing a kilt or Scotland jersey, Dixon said. Staff also hung up flags representing various countries.

Thenight scene has only gotten livelier now that the World Cup is in the knockout stage, Dixon said.

And the soccer-fueled spending boom comes at an opportune time. Although Lincoln and Hunter’s — a nearby restaurant known for its Southern-inspired dishes, like brisket sliders — are generallypacked during the football season, the stretch of late June through October is generally “our slowest time of the year,” he said.

Both locations received approval to sell alcohol for an extra hour, which Dixon said he supports making permanent.

“If you have the staff that want to work it, then you should be able to do that,” he said. “This is America.”

Nationally, transactions at bars and restaurants between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. jumped 20.2 percent during the first couple weeks of the World Cup, according to Square, which analyzed millions of transactions across the time period. The data includes all posted and pending credit and debit card transactions through the platform.

“The world’s biggest football tournament coming to North America is more than a global sporting event, it’s a meaningful economic moment for local businesses,” Alex Fisher, global head of revenue at Block, the parent company of Square, said in a statement. “The data shows the impact extends well beyond the host cities.”

Dixon said it’s been exciting to see more Americans become soccer fans.

While in town, members of the France national team dined at Prima, his Italian restaurant in Charlestown, and Scottish players and their partners ate at Capri, another Italian restaurant of his in the South End, he added.

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The World Cup has “made our bars have more energy and feel lively,” he said.