Zavala's Barbecue in Grand Prairie, Texas, remained open for 30 consecutive days [1] to serve visitors during the FIFA World Cup.

The operation highlights the economic and logistical impact of hosting a global sporting event, as local businesses scaled production to meet a surge in tourism.

Located near the AT&T Stadium in the Dallas area, the restaurant and its team, led by owner Joe Zavala, prepared vast quantities of meat to accommodate the influx of guests. The establishment processed more than 20,000 pounds of brisket [1] and 10,000 pounds of pork butt [1] throughout the event.

In addition to the brisket and pork, the kitchen produced thousands of links of house-made sausage [1]. The team maintained this schedule to keep pace with the millions of soccer fans [2] who traveled to North Texas for the tournament in June and July 2024 [2].

Operating a barbecue business at this scale requires constant pit management and staffing. The decision to forego traditional closing days allowed the restaurant to maximize its output during the peak of the international crowds.

This level of production is atypical for small-scale barbecue operations, which often close once daily specials are sold out. By remaining open for a full month, Zavala's Barbecue transformed its business model into a high-volume operation to support the regional infrastructure during the World Cup.

“Zavala's Barbecue in Grand Prairie, Texas, remained open for 30 consecutive days”

The ability of a local business to scale its operations to this degree demonstrates the significant 'multiplier effect' of mega-events like the FIFA World Cup. By shifting from a boutique model to a high-volume industrial output, local vendors can capture substantial revenue from international tourism, though it requires significant labor and resource commitments.