Toronto is hungry for a World Series title — and a bite to eat in the city between root, root, rooting for the home team.
New data from restaurant platformOpenTablerevealed that, just like the enthusiasm for the Blue Jays, dining is on the rise in Toronto, by more than 32% daily on average in Toronto, based on online reservations compared to the same period in 2024.
The dining spike has been tracked over the past four post-season games in Toronto — Oct. 4, 5, 12 and 13 — ahead of Sunday’s critical Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners back in the Big Smoke.
“Our dining data suggests cultural moments like major sporting events can have an incredible way of bringing people together to dine out, as they gather to celebrate, watch the game and share the excitement at local restaurants and bars,” says Matt Davis, senior country director for OpenTable Canada.
Lots of downtown restaurant options for Jays fans
Restaurant options are aplenty for Jays fans around the downtown core and the Rogers Centre, including Score on Queen, Sportsnet Grill and the Loose Moose to name a few.
OpenTable allows folks to secure a table at a restaurant ahead of time while also filtering based on restaurant style such as pubs. Diners can also explore options on OpenTable Icons, which showcases the city’s hottest restaurants in one place.
This fall marks the first time the Blue Jays have advanced to the ALCS since 2016, having captured the American League East division regular-season title and then sending the New York Yankees packing in the American League Division Series earlier this month.
“We’ve got TVs on the patio, and even on the cold nights, people are out there watching. So, it’s nice to keep people excited about something in this transitional time of the season,” Cameron Sokalski, general manager of Score on Queen,toldNow Toronto. “Everybody’s really excited. A lot of blue, a lot of jerseys. We always have the sound on for the game, so it’s really loud here. A lot of TVs, so we got people screaming at the TVs for good and bad reasons.”
The increase in restaurant patrons during the Jays’ post-season run is not limited to Toronto, of course.
A bartender at Firth’s Celtic Pub in Hamilton estimated that establishment has enjoyed a 25% increase in patrons with October baseball in full swing.
“The energy is more vibrant, electric in here,” Malgorzata Kowalewska toldCHCH TVin Hamilton. “People stay longer and spend more money — of course they are doing a shot or two for the win.”
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The boom in business has not been unexpected.
The further the Blue Jays go in MLB’s post-season, the bigger the benefit to local businesses, according to pastspending data provided by Moneris, a company that specializes in payment processing.
“With the Jays entering the playoffs as the top seed in the American League, this means one extra home game in the ALDS and ALCS if the series goes the distance,” Vice President of Business Development Sean McCormick said in a news release.
“Our data shows that when the stakes are high, fans step up to the plate, not just for their team but also for local businesses.”
During Game 1 of the Maple Leafs’ second-round playoff matchup with the Florida Panthers last spring, the company said restaurant spending in the city increased by 13% when compared to a non-game day.
By Game 7 of the series, spending volume increased again, up 18% downtown as fans packed local restaurants before the Leafs exited the post-season.
The company said spending at restaurants during Game 4, while the Leafs were on the road in Florida, increased by 25%, showing fans were intent on dining out to cheer from afar.
“Looking back at the Leafs’ playoff run earlier this year, we saw double-digit increases in restaurant spending on game days,” McCormick said.
