(Toronto) The eclipse was lucrative for restaurateurs. Businesses located in the area of totality of the eclipse saw a surge in sales Monday as people gathered to witness the celestial event.
“The eclipse was truly a unique celestial event, but also a unique event for retailers,” commented Ara Kharazian, head of research and data at Square.
Payments company Square reported Tuesday that restaurants using its technology in Montreal saw sales increase 55% compared to the average Monday in 2024.
Niagara Falls, Ontario, which saw a massive influx of visitors, saw 404% higher sales.
The increases reflect a similar trend in the United States, where some counties saw restaurant sales increase by more than 500%.
This type of spending surge is almost as rare as an eclipse, Mr. Kharazian noted, as several places in North America have seen sales soar. “It’s both expected and quite surprising. »
“It’s really rare to see this level of very localized and over-the-top spending,” he added.
The increase gave a welcome boost to restaurants, which are very seasonal, he noted. “These excess sales can be very helpful to a business… We often hear from restaurant owners that one of their biggest challenges is related to access to cash flow. »
Municipalities across central and eastern Canada have spent months preparing for the brief window of time when the Sun, Earth and Moon aligned Monday afternoon.
Demand for hotels and short-term rentals surged during the weekend before the eclipse, as municipalities organized events around the phenomenon.
An Airbnb report from February indicated that Montreal and the Niagara region were among the most popular cities on its platform in the totality zone.
Municipalities like Hamilton and Niagara Falls have urged visitors to plan ahead, in anticipation of heavy traffic and high demand. The mayor of Niagara Falls said about a million people are expected to fill the city, the largest crowd in its history.
“It wasn’t a typical Monday in April, that’s for sure,” said Janice Thomson, president and CEO of Niagara Falls Tourism.
Although Niagara Falls is a year-round tourist destination, Mme Thomson said she had never experienced anything like what happened Monday, with huge crowds of people cheering every time the clouds parted.
For their part, Canadian telecommunications companies have deployed additional infrastructure in anticipation of large gatherings. In a statement, Rogers said its network was handling more than six times the volume of traffic it normally handles in Niagara Falls, thanks in part to portable mobile towers.