Lollapalooza 2024’s Effect On Local Restaurants: Late-Night Sales Soar

The Los Angeles Times reported that 110,000 people attended Lollapalooza music festival in Grant Park in Chicago each day earlier this month. The four-day concert was quite the “Femininomenon” as Chappell Roan drew one of the largest crowds in Lollapalooza history, without even being a headliner.

“Chappell Roan’s performance was the biggest daytime set we’ve ever seen,” said Brittany L’Heureux, a spokesperson of Lolla. Although the exact number of attendees at Roan’s set is not known, sources with the festival and Roan’s team told CNN it may have been the biggest set in Lollapalooza history. With all this excitement, we wanted to see how these large crowds of visitors impacted local restaurants.

Toast analyzed Lollapalooza weekend data from August 1, 2024, to August 4, 2024, and compared it to the average of transactions made on July 11, 2024 to July 14, 2024, and July 18, 2024 to July 21, 2024. In this article, we’ll outline key findings and how restaurants can use these tips to their advantage for years to come.

Ready? It’s time for restaurants to take the main stage.

Lollapalooza 2024 local restaurant insights

As Lolla attendees flew in from all over to see artists like Blink 182, Reneé Rapp, Future x Metro Boomin, and of course the Midwest Princess herself, Chappell Roan, plenty were searching for the best restaurants nearby. Here are the top dining insights from Lolla weekend.

Morning and late-night sales increased

Festival attendees began by fueling up for the day with a hearty breakfast. Sales began to rise again at 8 a.m. (+2%) and reached a peak at 10 a.m.(+12%). Lunch sales remained steady between 12 .pm.-2 p.m. (+4%), however, dinner was not as popular with an 8% decrease in sales at 6 p.m. This isn’t surprising as the attendees were at the festival during this time.

Turns out the late-night munchies got the best of these massive crowds. Restaurants then saw sales start to pick up around midnight (+6%), as the last few sets typically ran from 9 p.m.-11 p.m. 

From midnight to 4 a.m. (+16%) sales continued to mostly increase, and then sharply declined from 5 a.m.-6 a.m. (-14%). Ah, 5 a.m., the perfect bedtime.

The sales patterns align seamlessly with the rhythm of the music festival. The data reveals clear spikes in morning and late-night sales, reflecting attendees' needs before and after the main events. This insight can help restaurants optimize their staffing, inventory, and marketing strategies to capitalize on these peak periods. By aligning your operations with festival-goers' schedules, restaurants can maximize their profits while serving the specific needs of this influx of customers.

Toast Benchmarking powers menu insights. This tool leverages an AI-based classification and allows users to compare restaurant and menu category performance against aggregated data from Toast restaurants.

Breakfast was up, chicken tenders were down

Now, what does one eat post HOT TO GO? H-O-T–D-O-G-S? According to our data, it’s most likely a burrito. Burrito sales were up 14% compared to the weekends before Lollapalooza, along with breakfast items such as breakfast platters and omelettes. Dumplings and bowl sales were also both up by 6%. Some honorable mentions were sandwiches/wraps and burgers, all with a 5% increase in sales.

It appears the guests really enjoyed breakfast pre-fest. Then the popularity of savory options like dumplings, bowls, sandwiches, and burgers indicates that attendees seek satisfying, comfort-food-style dishes to replenish their energy. 

However, chicken did not make the recap. Chicken tenders (-6%), roasted chicken (-5%), and chicken wing (-4%) sales were all down during the festival.

These insights offer valuable guidance for restaurants looking to tailor their menus to festival crowds, potentially boosting sales by focusing on these in-demand items. By aligning menu offerings with these trends, eateries can maximize their own profitability during these high-energy events.

Attendees were hydrating, not boozing

Although both breakfast and late-night sales were up, attendees were not consuming as much alcohol before and after the show compared to the weekends prior to the event. Cider sales were down by 16%, hard seltzers by 12%, and beer by 11%. This is likely due to the high alcohol sales of local vendors at the festival.

For example, CASA BACARDI was selling cocktails all weekend long.

Image source

This trend presents a unique opportunity for restaurants near the festival grounds. Instead of focusing on alcoholic beverages, which are readily available at the event, eateries may benefit from pivoting to offer a range of recovery and energy-boosting options. Hangover cure drinks, packed with electrolytes and vitamins, could be a hit with weary festival-goers. High-caffeine options like specialty coffees or energy drinks could help attendees gear up for another day of music.

Additionally, featuring a variety of hydrating options — from infused waters to fresh-pressed juices — could appeal to health-conscious customers looking to replenish after long hours in the sun.

This way, restaurants can fill the gap in the market that the festival itself might not be addressing. This strategy not only has the potential to boost sales but also positions local establishments as essential pit stops for festival attendees, enhancing their overall experience and potentially earning loyal customers for future events.

Until next year...

From sunrise breakfast rushes to midnight madness, restaurant businesses near Lollapalooza dance to a unique beat. Understanding festival-goers' eating habits is key. By adapting menus, adjusting hours, and offering the right mix of pre-event fuel and post-show comfort food, local joints can significantly boost their sales. We’ll see you next year, Chicago.

Methodology

Toast analyzed transactions at restaurants on the Toast platform in select Chicago zip codes from August 1, 2024, to August 4, 2024, during Lollapalooza, and compared it to the average of transactions made on July 11, 2024 to July 14, 2024, and July 18, 2024 to July 21, 2024. For alcohol comparisons, Toast analyzed sales data for “hard seltzer, hard cider, beer, tequila, gin, rum, vodka, wine, and whiskey.” For food comparisons, Toast analyzed food items labeled “BBQ, bowl breakfast/brunch platters, Burger, burritos, cheese, chicken tenders, curry, dessert, dumplings, enchiladas, fajitas, roasted chicken, fries, hot dogs, nachos,noodles/ramen, omelette, pastas, pies, pizzas,quesadillas, rice, salad, sandwiches/wraps, seafood, soup/stew,steak, sushi, tacos, and wings.” Toast analyzed the following zip codes: 60605, 60606, 60607 60610, 60611, 60614, 60622, 60647, 60661.