In Euless, a small suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth, the restaurant Argentina 163 put its menu on tournament time for the World Cup. Its owner, Christian Franco, created a special dish called “The Messi Plate” in honor of the Argentine national team’s captain, designed to welcome fans who came to follow the team during its run in the United States.
The initiative illustrates a pattern seen in several cities across the country: restaurants run by communities from qualifying countries are using the World Cup to draw in both their regulars and a passing crowd of fans, often looking for a meal that reminds them of home between matches.
For these often modest-sized establishments, the World Cup effect can mean several weeks of exceptional business — provided they’re ready for the day their team, like Argentina this year, is still deep in the competition.