Jack Bardy said Boston, Massachusetts restaurants in the Wildlife Hospitality Group are seeing an incomparable World Cup surge, with business running hotter than usual in the South End and across The Seaport. He said the rush is already changing hours, inventory, and the pace inside his bars.
On Wednesday, Bardy said business at his restaurants had been "amazing" and added, "Usually, you see a dip in June, but we’ve had a real surge. The whole town is sort of on fire." He said he is opening early and closing late because of the crowd, while some venues are shifting staff and service to keep up.
Wildlife Hospitality Group venues
Bardy said Beehive, Cosmica and Spy Bar are all drawing from the World Cup crowd. Cosmica and Spy Bar are hosting watch parties for most games, while Beehive is pulling in patrons who are not as focused on the matches.
He also said, "We usually don’t get as many men in skirts this time of year, or if ever, but there is a lot of the Scottish crowd that is lighting up the city." The Tartan Army has been making its presence known in Boston as Scottish supporters fill bars and restaurants.
Omni Boston Hotel at The Seaport
The Omni Boston Hotel at The Seaport reported more than 50% year-over-year business growth, driven in large part by World Cup demand. The hotel said roughly 90% of its guests are Scottish supporters and American travelers, a concentration that has pushed activity well above its usual pace.
The hotel’s demand has also carried into beer service at The Sporting Club, where Tennent’s Lager has completely sold out. The hotel said the supplier has no additional inventory available, leaving the bar without restock for the tournament crowd.
Sullivan’s Public House
Matt Sullivan said Sullivan’s Public House saw a 20% increase in business last weekend. He compared the first week of World Cup action and festivities to when the Celtics reached the 2022 NBA Finals and the 2024 NBA Finals, saying, "Events like this, especially in the face of the Red Sox not drawing a lot of attention so far this year, or positive attention, are great."
Michael Scelfo said Alden & Harlow and Josephine have been "busier than ever" and that momentum started building over the past three months. He said the World Cup has "only brought more, which has been fantastic," as Sam Adams Taproom and Hennessy’s have run completely dry at points over the past week.
The immediate result for Boston is a narrow but intense hospitality spike: more early openings, later closings, watch parties, and beer sold out at key bars. The question for owners is how long the demand can stay at this level once the World Cup crowd moves on.
