As the World Cup returns, pubs and bars have a prime opportunity to turn matchdays into major revenue drivers. With expert insight, we reveal how operators can maximise footfall, increase spend and deliver seamless, high-energy experiences that keep fans coming back.

As the summer of sport approaches, pubs and bars across the country prepare for one of the busiest trading periods of the year. With global tournaments like the FIFA World Cup drawing huge crowds, venues face the challenge of serving hundreds of excited fans quickly while maintaining quality, consistency and a great atmosphere.

For operators, success during this high-pressure period hinges on more than simply putting matches on screen. It requires careful planning across food, drink, marketing and operations — all working in sync to deliver a seamless experience. Done right, the rewards are significant: increased footfall, higher spend per head and stronger long-term customer loyalty.

When it comes to managing high volumes, simplicity is key — particularly in the kitchen. Overcomplicated menus can quickly derail service during peak periods.

“If the menu is too broad, requires too many components or heavy customisation, it can be time-consuming for chefs to get orders out to customers. This can result in service delays, mistakes, extra pressure on the kitchen and front-of-house teams, and, sadly, complaints, which can lead to reputational damage for the venue.

“High-performing venues use ‘hero items’ and simple builds that meet the need for speed of service, accuracy, correct temperature and can be made en masse for group orders,”

Operators should focus on streamlined menus built around versatile, crowd-pleasing dishes. Handheld options such as burritos, wraps and tacos are ideal for matchdays, offering quick preparation and easy consumption for standing crowds.

“Preparing a kitchen for the World Cup tournament and sporting season can be straightforward if you invest in items that serve multiple purposes, can be used over different dishes, deliver value and can be prepared with ease,”

Street food concepts, such as Greek gyros or Americana-style sharing platters, are particularly effective. These formats not only speed up service but also encourage group ordering, increasing overall spend.

“Quality frozen foods can be easily stored, fried in batches and served up hot. Sandwiches can be made in advance and bought out at half time, and Americana foods such as hotdogs, burgers, wings, and ribs can be served on large platters for groups.

“Booker stocks an extensive range of high-quality meat products under its Blackgate butchery range, including Wagyu and Aberdeen Angus beef burgers, and jumbo pork sausages, both made using prime cuts. For larger scale catering, a fantastic product is the premium gourmet burger, which can be cooked from frozen and served, avoiding food wastage and bringing flexibility to fast-paced kitchens,” she adds.

Forecasting demand accurately is a critical factor for success; operators who rely on guesswork risk running out of key items or over-ordering and increasing waste.

Leigh advises venues to “look at historical data, previous sporting events you have hosted and replicate successful formulas that are guaranteed to work.

“Keep it streamlined and organised with pre-orders, set menus and bundle deals for food and drinks to allow a steady flow of stock in and orders out, giving you a clear picture of supplies required and approximate customers to be served,”

“Customers will fall into two camps – those who are organised and pre-order, and those who are more spontaneous and come into the pub as a last-minute decision. The way to avoid running out of items is to establish par levels to determine the minimum quantities of stock required to meet demand in between deliveries and trips to the wholesalers.”

By combining historical data with pre-booking insights, venues can strike the right balance between organisation and flexibility.

While operational efficiency is crucial, filling the venue in the first place is just as important –and marketing plays a central role in ensuring matchdays reach full capacity.

Katie Kirwan, Head of Brand & B2C at DesignMyNight, highlights the importance of early visibility, “We think the biggest opportunity is early commitment: venues that get ticketed events live on platforms like Tonic Ticketing and venues listed on discovery sites like DesignMyNight before the tournament draws attention will capture the audience that’s actively planning.

“Our data shows 47% of hospitality bookings are 4-7 days out so last-minute visibility matters, but we’ve seen a 98% increase in searches for World Cup experiences on DesignMyNight in the last few weeks alone, proving that venues or events wanting to appear in ‘where to watch the World Cup in London’ searches need to be set up weeks – if not months – before anyone starts searching.”

Social media remains one of the most powerful tools for engagement — but consistency is critical. In a crowded digital space where audiences are constantly scrolling, regular and reliable posting helps venues stay visible, relevant and top-of-mind.

“Consistency will be massively important,” Katie explains. “Venues should post confirmed fixture dates, kick-off times and any ticket or booking links as soon as they’re available, in a format people can save and share. Short video content showing the actual screen setup, the atmosphere and the crowd performs significantly better than static graphics in our opinion, as they showcase the actual experience guests will be booking in to.”

By showcasing the atmosphere in advance, venues can build anticipation and secure bookings before the first whistle blows.

Encouraging customers to stay longer — and spend more — is another key objective during major tournaments. Structured matchday packages are an effective way to achieve this.

“A pre-booked matchday package gives the customer a reason to arrive early and commit to staying. Venues that package their England match nights with a clear offer and a booking mechanic will always outperform those relying on walk-ins,” says Katie. “We’ve also seen hospitality operators use the upsell tool on Tonic Ticketing and boost their match-day revenue with additional product sales and improved guest time on site.”

Tiered ticketing and bundled offers provide further opportunities to increase revenue by catering to different customer preferences and spending levels, while subtly encouraging upsell. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, venues can create a more flexible and appealing offer structure that allows guests to choose the experience that suits them – whether that’s a low-cost entry option or a more premium, curated package.

“Tiered ticketing is creative and effective, offering a standard entry ticket, a mid-tier with a drink included, and a premium package with a reserved table and food creates upsell opportunities. Some venues have offered ‘money back if England score first’ or similar risk-free entry hooks that can help with social sharing or press hooks. Themed drinks menus tied to England’s opponents each game are also low-cost, and could give the social team fresh content for every match,”

These tactics not only drive sales but also enhance the overall experience, making matchdays feel like special events rather than standard service periods.

While front-of-house elements drive customer satisfaction, efficiency behind the bar is what keeps service flowing during peak moments.

Ice, for example, is often overlooked — yet it plays a crucial role in both presentation and speed of service.

Roz Scourfield, National Sales Manager at Hoshizaki UK, highlights the value of quality ice. He explains, “Behind the bar, few appliances are as important as an ice machine. In an industry that places so much emphasis on presentation, high-quality ice which complements a drinks’ aesthetic is essential. Cubed ice is particularly versatile, and can be used across iced coffees, soft drinks, mocktails, and cocktails. However, bars looking to stand out from the crowd could consider more complex ice shapes to premiumise their offering.”

Innovations in ice production are enabling operators to elevate their drinks while improving efficiency too.

Experienced Bar Owner, Nick Robinson, shares, “The Hoshizaki sphere ice has been a fantastic addition to our brand. It has really opened up our scope of cocktails and has allowed us to wow our customers in ways not possible previously. We can now produce a near on unlimited supply of fantastically clear ice spheres, extremely fast.”

Automation is also playing an increasing role in helping bars manage high demand without compromising quality. Beyond Hoshizaki’s ice solutions, the cold-solution experts are also constantly innovating convenience-led solutions such as their Beermatic Dual Tap.

“Bartenders simply need to slot a glass into place and press a button, and the Beermatic takes care of the rest. The appliance gently tilts the glass as chilled beer pouts, slowly returning it upright to result in the perfect pint-to-head ratio every time. As the drinks pour, staff can focus on processing the rest of the order for speedy service,”

The impact on efficiency — and profitability — can be significant. “With up to 15% of beer typically wasted during the manual pouring process, the Beermatic is also sure to appeal to cost- and environmentally-savvy operators,”

By reducing waste and freeing up staff time, such solutions allow teams to handle larger volumes with greater consistency.

Ultimately, the summer of sport represents both a challenge and an opportunity for pubs and bars. High customer expectations, increased footfall and fast-paced service create pressure — but with the right approach, they also unlock significant rewards.

From simplifying menus and forecasting demand to investing in equipment and building strong marketing campaigns, success lies in preparation and execution. Operators who take a strategic approach — combining efficiency behind the bar with a compelling customer experience — will be best placed to capitalise.