In less than two weeks, the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played in Houston, and restaurateur Mazen Baltagi is betting big on the event. Baltagi is already dressing up his businesses—including the bar-and-grill chain Christian’s Tailgate and gastropub Chapman & Kirby—in soccer trappings and creating promotions to lure in the projected 500,000-person crowd that will partake in the festivities.
But the Baltagis of the world don’t make up the entirety of the restaurant scene. Elsewhere, Rafael “Raffi” Nasr, owner of popular Houston fast-casual Lebanese restaurant Craft Pita, has stayed his hand when it comes to scaling up for the World Cup. Instead, he’s expecting the gargantuan and historic event to just be a regular summer for his two locations.
A rendering of the upcoming Chapman & Kirby transformation ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Houston, Texas.
Chapman & Kirby/Handout
Restaurants and bars across Houston have been advertising promotions, events and watch parties ahead of the World Cup matches that start on June 11. Projections for the event have included some seriously head-turning numbers: more than 30,000 new jobs, more than 500,000 visitors and around $1.5 billion in business activity. Baltagi, and presumably others like him, see the event as a major windfall for businesses that can take advantage of the crowds. Meanwhile, Nasr and others still aren’t sure the impact of the event will spread beyond the limits of Downtown Houston and East Downtown.
Article continues below this ad
Reasons for optimism
Baltagi recently expressed to Chron bullishness about the crowds he expects will be around the area during the FIFA event. “The Houston Sports Authority and management district have been really supportive in supplying analytics to the operators,” he said. “144,000 will be in the area for an Astros game, a concert, a Dynamo game, and FIFA Fan Fest. That’s a lot of people, and there are a number of days that is happening.”
A rendering of the upcoming Chapman & Kirby transformation ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Houston, Texas.
Chapman & Kirby/Handout
Baltagi has added a World Cup-themed drink to locations of his coffee chain Slowpokes, and he’s throwing gameday specials at his three Christian’s Tailgate sports bars. But the real gold mine for his portfolio will be at Chapman and Kirby, located at 2118 Lamar St., just a block away from FIFA Fan Fest (and the Uber drop off). He’s transforming the business with large TVs, coffee and breakfast service for morning crowds, and branded entertainment experiences.
Article continues below this ad
The icing on the cake is Baltagi has leased the old True Anomaly Brewing space across the street with the intention of transforming it into a food truck park. He said Coca-Cola will operate a grab-and-go store on the premises. Various pop-up vendors also reached out to him to put up stalls for their merchandise at the site.
“For the coffee shop, I’d like to see, for the month, an uptick of 20 percent in sales, the sports bar 35 to 40 percent,” Baltagi said. “Chapman, where it’s positioned, it could be 30 percent to 400 percent.”
Away from the crowds, different approaches
Nasr is not expecting that kind of business for Craft Pita, whose closest location to East Downtown is six miles and a highway drive away. While he’s doing a few things at his Fondren and Westpark locations, like decorating, dine-in deals and watch parties, Nasr also knows his restaurant isn’t exactly the kind of place people think of when it comes to sports. The effort, he told Chron, is inspired by his trips to Lebanon to watch the games with his grandmother.
Article continues below this ad
It’s also geared toward not missing out on any potential customers who might be lured away by another restaurant or bar’s World Cup promotions.
“How do you get that in front of an international tourist? I’m not going to staff up for international tourists … after the game,” Nasr said. “I’m trying to get the person who is looking at their ESPN app to see what the games are that day, and thinking, ‘Where are we going to get lunch or dinner today to watch the game?'”
A takeout mezze platter at Craft Pita in Houston, Texas. The restaurant is offering 25 percent off all platters during the FIFA World Cup games.
Craft Pita/Handout
Another factor in Nasr’s outlook on the coming weeks is the distance of his restaurants from the action. Jonathan Horowitz of Convive Hospitality Consulting, who has spent years in the Houston restaurant industry, said the same, and anticipated the World Cup will likely be similar to other major events that have happened in Houston in recent years, including the NCAA Final Four and Super Bowl LI. The businesses that do well will be in and around key areas, like downtown and EaDo. But there are opportunities.
Article continues below this ad
“Ones that have unique appeal for those looking to watch games—Kirby Ice House for example—or ones that are super well-known or highly rated, like any Michelin-recognized spots that have become destinations for visitors,” Horowitz said.
While Baltagi and Nasr’s enthusiasm for how the World Cup will impact their business differs, there’s some common ground between the two operators just miles away from one another: No one knows what will happen.
“We’re cutting checks and spending money. The biggest risk is to never risk it all,” Baltagi said. “The beauty of it is that it’s 40 days. We can adapt from the first week into the second and the third.”
Article continues below this ad