NJ Bagel Shop Fed World Cup Champs, Business Soars

Jarrett Seltzer thought he was just making pizzas when the executive chef at a nearby Montclair hotel called with an unusual request. He had no idea he was about to feed World Cup champions.

Seltzer owns Bagels By Jarrett, a small shop in West Orange, New Jersey. Before opening in 2020, he had zero restaurant experience and used to experiment with homemade pretzels and give bagels away to neighbors for free.

During the 2026 World Cup, The MC Hotel in Montclair became a home base for international teams including England, Germany, Norway, and Spain. When Norway upset Brazil in the Round of 16 on July 5, the hotel's executive chef Dan Drohan ordered 20 pizzas from Seltzer's shop for the celebrating team.

"I screamed my head off," Seltzer said about watching Norway win as an underdog. The following Monday became the busiest Monday in his restaurant's history.

Two weeks later, Drohan called again. This time, Spain needed 46 pizzas—buffalo chicken, margherita, and pepperoni—delivered after the championship match on July 19.

Seltzer watched from home as Spain and Argentina battled through regulation into extra time. He kept getting texts from Drohan to delay the delivery as the score stayed tied.

Then Spain's Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to win the country's second World Cup title. For Seltzer, it meant his pizzas would feed actual champions.

The Ripple Effect

The attention from serving two World Cup teams has transformed the small bagel shop. Sales have jumped, and media outlets from across the country and even internationally have covered the story.

Customers now line up to order from the same place that fed elite athletes. The shop tucked into a shopping center near a local golf course has become a destination.

Beer sales in World Cup host cities rose 14% during the tournament, and while New Jersey officials predicted an economic boost for local businesses, results varied. Some owners reported normal business while others saw increases.

For Seltzer, the World Cup started as just something fun to watch with his crew on the kitchen TV. Many of his employees were born outside the United States and love football, which helped him appreciate the tournament more this year.

He never expected the orders would change his business. This summer was already shaping up to be his busiest since opening during the pandemic.

"I used to make bagels at home and give them away," Seltzer said as more customers walked through his door days after the tournament ended. "Now I've fed World Cup champions."

The reality of going from neighborhood bagel maker to feeding Spain's national team still hasn't fully hit him, but the crowd of customers proves the story resonates far beyond his small New Jersey community.