TORONTO – Payments company Square says restaurants on the eclipse’s path of totality saw a jump in sales on Monday as people flocked to find the best spots to see the celestial event.
Square says restaurants that use its technology in Niagara Falls, Ont., which saw a huge influx of visitors for the eclipse, saw 404 per cent higher sales than the average Monday in 2024.
Hamilton, Ont., saw a 67 per cent jump, while Montreal restaurants saw sales rise 55 per cent.
The increases mirror a similar pattern in the U.S., where some counties saw restaurant sales rise by more than 500 per cent.
Municipalities across Central and Eastern Canada spent months preparing for the brief window of time in which the sun, Earth and moon aligned on Monday afternoon.
Demand for hotels and short-term rentals surged for the weekends ahead of the eclipse, while municipalities planned events centred around the phenomenon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2024.
