2025 NHL Playoffs: Fans Fueled Spikes in Restaurant Spending Across Canada, with one Spike as High as +125 Per cent Based on Moneris Data

The 2025 NHL Playoffs brought more than heart-pounding hockey to Canadian cities. They also delivered serious economic wins, especially for local restaurants. From pre-game bites to post-game celebrations, fans turned their team spirit into spending power, driving up restaurant sales by as much as +125 per cent in some cities, based on Moneris data.

Here’s how cities across Canada scored big, both on the scoreboard and at the till:

Toronto: Scotiabank Arena Area Surges 30 Per cent in Round One

Round One:

Toronto hockey fans know where the heart of the action is—Maple Leaf Square and the Scotiabank Arena area were buzzing whether the Leafs were at home or not. Restaurant spend near the arena climbed steadily from +5 per cent in game one to +30 per cent by game four.

Across the rest of the city, the story was a bit more uneven. Things started with a -6 per cent dip, likely due to Easter closures, but climbed to an +18 per cent increase by game four. When the series stretched to game six, enthusiasm waned slightly, and citywide restaurant growth settled at just +1 per cent.

Round Two:

The Leafs’ momentum carried into round two, especially near the arena. Game one brought a +13 per cent increase in restaurant spend, and the peak came in game seven with an +18 per cent jump as fans packed bars for a final push.

Even during a road game (game four), citywide restaurant spend spiked +25 per cent, showing just how strong the playoff pulse was throughout Toronto. The Maple Leafs’ run clearly brought a boost to the city’s dining scene.

Winnipeg: Jets Fans Drove Up to 125 Per cent Spend Near Canada Life Centre

Round One:

During their three home games, restaurants near Canada Life Centre saw major gains—starting at +11 per cent and soaring to +125 per cent in game seven.

Away games were quieter downtown, but the rest of Winnipeg stepped up. In fact, during game four, spend outside the core rose by +22 per cent, showing that Jets fans were still very much engaged—just closer to home.

Round Two:

Restaurant spend near the arena jumped +50 per cent in game one and held strong, up +48 per cent in game two. Even an away game in game three sparked +46 per cent growth downtown, with citywide spend jumping +67 per cent.

Edmonton: Rogers Place Area Spikes 89 Per cent in Round One

Round One:

Oilers fans turned up early and often. The first home game of the playoffs saw a +82 per cent lift in restaurant spend near Rogers Place, climbing even higher to +89 per cent in game four—one of the biggest jumps across the country.

The series opener, played on the road, still delivered a +25 per cent rise in spend near the arena, and game two followed with a solid +22 per cent lift.

Round Two:

The trend continued into Round Two. In game three of this series, a home loss still sparked a +60 per cent surge in restaurant spend near Rogers Place, with citywide growth at +13 per cent. A game four win only added fuel to the fire, driving spend up +69 per cent near the arena.

With the Oilers advancing to the Conference Finals, there could be more big nights ahead for the city’s restaurants.

Montreal: Citywide Restaurant Spend Up 45 Per cent in Game Four

Round One:

By game three, restaurant spend near the arena had jumped +33 per cent, with citywide growth hitting +41 per cent.

The momentum continued in game four, where arena-area spending rose +35 per cent and the rest of the city led the entire country with a +45 per cent increase.

Ottawa: Citywide Spend Up 21 Per cent During Away Games

Round One:

Ottawa’s restaurant scene thrived regardless of where the Senators played. Near Canadian Tire Centre, spend climbed steadily from an +18 per cent increase in games two through four to a +26 per cent boost by game five.

Away games prompted fans to gather at bars and restaurants, with spending starting at +12 per cent in game one and rising to +21 per cent by game five. Whether fans were at the arena or in their own neighbourhood, playoff energy spread across the capital.

Final Buzzer: A Win for Restaurants, No Matter the Score

The impact of the 2025 NHL Playoffs reached far beyond the rink. Whether it was +125 per cent downtown growth in Winnipeg, +89 per cent spending spikes in Edmonton, or citywide surges in Montreal, fans showed up to cheer for their favourite teams in a packed sports bar or sharing wings at the local pub. These playoffs proved that win or lose on the ice, the spirit of the game fuels real wins for the businesses at the heart of Canadian cities.

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