![[US] World Cup Seattle Hero](http://images.ctfassets.net/rric2f17v78a/2w5JsTdSmIyssXkzw9obmR/8ff8ddf1029265a75d34976cc0836de2/AdobeStock_531289601.jpeg)
By now we’ve all seen the viral videos of jubilant soccer fans taking to the streets. Americans and visitors alike are hitting the bars and restaurants to celebrate the quadrennial arrival of the World Cup.
The 2026 tournament is being hosted by the North American triumvirate of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The U.S. team is two games into its tournament, winning its first match before dispatching Australia, 2-0, in Seattle on June 19.
To get a snapshot of the effect the World Cup is having on local bars and restaurants, we took a look at the gameday data on Friday, June 19, in Seattle from restaurants and bars using the Toast platform within a five-mile radius of Seattle’s stadium. We then compared those figures to the average of the preceding eight Fridays to get a look at a “regular” day. It’s worth noting that June 19 was also Juneteenth, a federal holiday, which meant many people in Seattle weren’t working and were free to go out near the stadium. In other words, the World Cup game and holiday combined for an exceptionally busy day.
A clear picture emerged: Soccer fans are spending freely, and they’re ordering a lot of beer and hot dogs.
Key Takeaways
How much are soccer fans spending at restaurants during the World Cup?
Compared to your typical Friday, spending was up pretty much across the board in Seattle in the area surrounding the USA vs. Australia matchup. GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) was up 51%, and there were 56% more transactions. While overall spending was significantly higher, the average check size actually fell a skosh, down 3.5%. That might indicate more folks went out for casual drinks or bites, or buying single drinks, rather than a more expensive dinner you might typically see on a regular Friday night.
Soccer fans appeared to lean toward purchasing in the areas you’d might expect — beer sales were up 212% while more casual, handheld foods like hot dogs (+228%), nachos (+87%), and wings (+64%) all saw big bumps.
Soccer fans are buying up beers
Despite battling on the pitch, perhaps USMNT fans and Socceroo supporters could agree on a couple of things: 1) enjoying beer and 2) Socceroo is a much cooler name than USMNT for your national team. Beer orders at Toast restaurants were up 212% in the Seattle area surrounding the stadium, when compared to a typical Friday, and was also far and away the top seller in terms of raw order numbers.
Every category of alcohol, in fact, saw a jump, including sizable rises for vodka (+139%), tequila (+131), and rum (+104%).
Hot dogs are the go-to order for World Cup fans
Most sports fans opt for more casual bites while taking in the game. That seemed to be the case during the USA vs. Australia fixture. (But we’re not judging all the bougie fans out there ordering sushi).
The bar food standbys all saw a significant surge in orders, including hot dogs (+228%), nachos (+87%), wings (+64%), chicken tenders (+63%), and burgers (+35%). Interestingly, omelettes saw a 74% upward tick, indicating fans were fueling up before the noon kickoff, which was also reflected in the transaction data.
World Cup games are creating big rushes
Check social media and you’ll see soccer fans are packing bars. In Seattle, specifically, transaction data showed the busiest hours were before the noon kickoff, from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. and during the match from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. The data appears to show that some fans perhaps grabbed a bite before heading to the stadium, while others packed the surrounding area during the match itself.
Tipping dropped during the World Cup
Despite an overall rise in spending, tipping declined around the World Cup in Seattle. The average tip across all restaurant types was 16.4%, down 0.8 percentage points from 17.2% on a regular Friday. There’s been a fair amount of discourse surrounding World Cup tipping. Notably, some fans may be visiting from countries where tipping is not part of the culture. In response, some restaurants serving World Cup patrons have begun adding automatic gratuities.
The data in Seattle does show a drop, though it’s difficult to pin an exact reason for the dip. Some bar-goers, for instance, might be tipping a couple bucks on a round of drinks rather than typical Friday night diners tipping 20% on a meal.
Automatic gratuities added to the bill may also bring down the average tip amount. Tipping rates from Toast are gratuities added to the total processing volume, including taxes and fees. So if a 15% automatic gratuity is added to the bill and a guest adds 5% to the total, that could reduce the overall tip average. Figures reflect aggregated transactions from applicable restaurants on the Toast platform (locations with tipping enabled) where a tip was added via card or digital payment. Cash tips are not included.
It’s also worth noting that the volume of business was much higher, meaning servers and bartenders likely still saw a pay bump, even if tip percentages fell.
The USMNT next takes the field on Thursday, June 25, against Türkiye in Los Angeles. Bars and restaurants should get ready for a rush or, at the very least, stock up on beer and hot dogs.
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