FIFA World Cup tourists in New York City are voicing frustration over promotional meal deals, advertised as the "Five Boroughs Winners Special," which they describe as overpriced and lacking the essential element of being able to watch the games. The city-sponsored initiative features special offers at hundreds of eateries, ranging from $26 beer and pretzel combos to sandwich and soda packages.
Visitors have reported that some participating establishments do not offer televisions, making it impossible to watch the matches while taking advantage of the promotions. Francesco Cernigliaro, a tourist from Venice, Italy, called the deals a "rip-off," noting that at the Central Park Boathouse, a $26 special included a sandwich and soda in a promotional cup but no screens to view the games. An employee at the boathouse mentioned that only one or two of these "specials" were sold per week since the promotion began.
Similar sentiments were echoed by other travelers. An Australian tourist, whose husband left the Central Park Boathouse to find a pub showing the matches, described the deal as "kind of like a rip-off." At Via 13 in the West Village, a $26 "Pizza d’Oro" was offered without any televisions for patrons to watch the competition. Representatives for the eatery declined to comment.
Some establishments were not even aware of the promotion. Bartenders at Blue Haven East in Kips Bay reportedly did not know their bar was part of the World Cup special and had to check their ordering systems. A bartender at Kurant Wine Bar noted that while their $26 beer and burger deal was popular during happy hour, sales were not as high as anticipated. At Barfly Bar in Gramercy Park, a bartender stated they only learned about the deal hours before being asked and had not seen any customer interest since its June 11 launch.
Tourists suggested that the promotions felt like "cash grabs" rather than genuine celebrations of the sport. Lendell Parker, 29, of New Jersey, commented that bars need to offer more to attract FIFA supporters, including "put[ting] on a show for the actual supporters and fans." Midtown tourist Nicole, 43, agreed, stating, "It definitely is a rip-off to promote a deal like that but not have anything for the fans to watch the game on."
At Three Diamond Door, a $26 special included a 24oz piña colada in a souvenir cup with a floater shot. This deal offered a larger size and additional alcohol compared to their regular $12, 12oz piña colada. Luis Mota, owner and chef of La Contenta Oeste, expressed disappointment with the sales of the city-provided cups, having purchased 500 for $1.80 each, and lamented the lack of a larger-scale World Cup event compared to what he observed during Knicks games.