The outstanding performance of the national football team in the Arab Cup currently being held in Qatar has contributed to an increase in demand for restaurants and cafes, as the public is keen to follow the matches amidst an enthusiastic and interactive atmosphere.
The revenues of cafes and restaurants rose significantly, witnessing a great recovery as a result of the influx of crowds of both sexes, which contributed to increasing financial returns and enhancing the enjoyment of watching matches in a lively group atmosphere.
Cafe owners confirmed that the national team's brilliance contributed to an increase in the number of followers who prefer to watch the matches in enthusiastic gatherings, which added more enjoyment and increased excitement to the competitive atmosphere.
The speakers pointed out that the first match of the Jordanian national team against the UAE did not witness a large turnout in restaurants and cafes, but the victory in that match encouraged the fans to come in greater numbers, before the numbers doubled during the team’s match against Egypt at the end of the group stage, and in the quarter-final match against Iraq.
Cafe owners are expecting a large influx of fans today, Monday, to watch the semi-final match against the brotherly Saudi national team.
Ahmed Saud, the owner of a restaurant in the capital Amman, confirmed that he resorted to installing display screens inside the restaurant to meet the customers’ desire to follow the matches of the Jordanian national team, noting that this step contributed to increasing the turnout of fans, which contributed to achieving a greater financial income for the restaurant.
He said: “On normal days, customers visit the restaurant just to eat and leave quickly, but during the Arab Cup, customers come to enjoy the food and watch the match, and they stay longer, which doubles the orders and raises the financial income unusually.”
For his part, Ahmed Al-Assi, the owner of a cafe in Ajloun, wished that every day of the year would be filled with matches of the national team, so that cafes would receive large numbers of fans, thus ensuring a doubling of the financial return.
He said that since the start of the Arab Cup, the cafe has witnessed a continuous increase in the number of fans to follow the matches, especially with the brilliance of the Jordanian national team, which has clearly contributed to the rise in revenues of cafes and restaurants.
For his part, national team supporter Khaldoun Al-Saoudi confirmed that the team’s outstanding performance in the Arab Cup prompted him to respond to his friends’ invitation to gather and watch the matches in cafes, noting the interactive and exciting atmosphere that the match witnessed.
He added that the team’s progress in performance and results has increased the enthusiasm of the fans, who have begun to follow the smallest details of the matches, noting that the public now enjoys attending the crowded cafes, where everyone shares moments of excitement and enthusiasm.
For his part, Mohammed Kanaan admitted that he failed to get a reservation for himself and his children at a restaurant to watch the national team’s match against Saudi Arabia today, explaining that the restaurants told him there were no empty seats due to the large turnout of fans.