Bars and restaurants should have an increase of at least 30% in demand with the World Cup games, according to an estimate by the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (Abrasel). The entity assessed that some factors contribute to the movement, such as warmer temperatures than in July, the release of the 13th salary and the times of games in the afternoon.
Abrasel’s intelligence and content leader, José Eduardo Camargo, believes that everyone will benefit from this period. “The bar is usually already seen as a space for socializing, it is already common, for example, in Brazil, to broadcast team games, but restaurants have a lot to gain too. Some games, which are closer to lunch time, are beneficial. Not to mention that we have a very wide variety of restaurants in Brazil.”
Abrasel’s survey of around 1,700 establishments indicates that 45% of restaurants will broadcast the games and a third of them reported that they will create themed dishes. “In other words, the sector is moving a lot”, adds Camargo. According to the association, this year, unlike what happened in other editions of the competition, restaurants made reservations for November and December, the dispute period.
The executive director of the National Association of Restaurants (ANR), Fernando Blower, in turn, does not venture into predictions and stated that the climate around the World Cup still does not make clear the possibilities of additional gains. “The restaurants themselves have expectations, but not necessarily information to pass on. I think that the much more accurate data will not be the prospective one, it will be the realization one, once the Cup is over and we can really understand this impact.”
Uncertainty
For the ANR director, some factors contribute to the feeling of uncertainty. One of them is holding the games right after the elections. In addition, the end of the year usually has more demands on companies, which makes it difficult to release workers. “We are here vying for attention with the end of year festivities and, as the World Cup starts moving towards December, in the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals, you will already be there in that final stretch in which companies are planning, are doing the closings.” Blower also added the fact that it is not a school holiday period.
Blower drew attention to the opportunities that may arise for restaurants with the delivery?? “It grew a lot in the pandemic period and continues to be very relevant for restaurants, it more than doubled in size, in importance, for our sector and the customer got used to it a lot too”, he highlighted.
hiring
Abrasel’s analyzes show a good perspective for hiring in bars and restaurants at the end of the year. “In the survey we carried out in September, for example, almost half said they would still hire by the end of the year and 25% had already hired employees to increase the team. There is this prospect of increased demand. The sector is reacting”, he said.
For the ANR, on the other hand, the expectation is that there is no significant growth in hiring at this time. “First, that the thing [a Copa] it is not as hot as it was on other occasions and also because companies still carry a significant pandemic liability. They are avoiding a lot of cost increases right now.” The director believes that the sector should make temporary hires, “but nothing very expressive”.
