I own a Turkish Restaurant in San Francisco. Turkey's World Cup match here has changed my business.

Aziz Aslan owns Turquaz, a Turkish restaurant in San Francisco.

Gabriela Hasbun for BI

This as-told-to essay is based on an interview with Aziz Aslan, 45, the owner of Turquaz, a Turkish restaurant on Mission Street in San Francisco. It has been edited for length and clarity.I opened my Turkish restaurant, Turquaz, in San Francisco in February 2025. Typically, most of our customers are locals, and Turkish diners make up a small minority.But Turkey's World Cup appearance in San Francisco has brought a different type of customer through our doors.Over the past week, we've had far more Turkish customers dine with us. Reservations are up, walk-in traffic has increased, and we've hired additional staff to keep up with demand.

Turquaz's owner says reservations to the restaurant are up.

Gabriela Hasbun for BI