XXL Tournament: Football World Cup: Restaurateurs hope for revenue despite hurdles

Restaurateurs in the German state of Hesse are looking forward to the FIFA World Cup in North America, hoping for a significant boost in business. Despite potential hurdles, the overall sentiment among hospitality providers is one of anticipation for the major sporting event.

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Certainly, the anticipation for the major football event outweighs concerns among Hessian hosts, and special menus and offers will be available for fans during the World Cup.

Gisbert Kern, CEO of the industry association Dehoga Hessen, stated that restaurateurs are excited about the football spectacle and will offer special menus and promotions during the tournament. Establishments that have previously hosted public screenings are planning to do so again. However, Kern noted a degree of caution among some businesses.

The late kick-off times for many matches pose a challenge, making it difficult to predict guest attendance, especially for games not involving the German national team. Additionally, restaurateurs face increased GEMA (performance rights) fees and the complexities of adhering to copyright regulations for broadcasting the World Cup.

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Many are still somewhat reserved, as the World Cup kick-off times are very late and it is currently impossible to estimate how the offerings will be received by guests, especially for games without German participation.

Despite these concerns, Kern expressed optimism that the generally positive atmosphere surrounding football matches will generate additional revenue and attract new regular customers. The World Cup, where the German national team aims for its fifth title, begins on June 11. The tournament, hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, features many games scheduled for late evening hours, with 17 different kick-off times. Germany's opening match against Curaçao starts at 7:00 PM, while subsequent games against Ivory Coast and Ecuador are scheduled for 10:00 PM.

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The establishments hope to generate additional revenue due to the generally good atmosphere during football matches and also to win new regular customers.