The Importance of Concession Foods
Concession Food Sales Outlook Optimistic
It’s the good news that people have been waiting for. As venues and events reopen, there’s a sense of optimism and enthusiasm. People are eager to get back to the activities and entertainment they enjoy. And concession foods are playing an important role in the reopening experience.
Headlines and Statistics
At the movies, overall attendance numbers are still down. But the good news is that those who are attending movies are eating more popcorn. Food and beverage revenue per patron at AMC jumped from $4.76 in the first quarter of 2020 to a record-high $7.37 over the same period in 2021. (Source: Quartz) AMC’s CEO Adam Aron stated, “I think there will be a lot of this splurging going on. And so, I would expect that we would see elevated food and beverage spending levels for quite some time.”
The same trend is proving true in stadiums. A study by Oracle reported that a staggering 85% are nostalgic for stadium food. And an article from Athletic Business led with the headline, Fans Hungry for Concessions as Venues Reopen. It also discussed the emergence of mobile ordering capabilities, stating 47% of consumers would pay more to cut the line for food. MLB stadiums are seeing similar trends, citing peak busy times are higher and more consistent with fans buying more.
Consumers not only missed their sports, concerts, and movies, they missed their fun foods too! This is good news for those in the food and beverage business.
Recommended Foods
No matter what type of venue you are in, you can benefit from offering concession foods. But you may wonder what the best bets are for this new environment.
1. Popcorn
Not only is it a popular and profitable favorite snack, but popcorn is also versatile and now easier to serve than ever before. There’s no more scooping! With the 16-oz ReadyPop® and 8-oz ReadyPop® Jr., you can dispense popcorn with just the push of a button. It allows you to bring popcorn into stores, auto service shops, banks, and other locations, in addition to traditional concession venues. For movie theaters, stadiums, and large venues, there’s also the ReadyServe® cabinet.
2. Prepackaged Foods
Moving beyond 2020, one trend that has staying power is the move to more prepackaged items. And you have options beyond just chips and candy. Gold Medal’s Ready-to-Eat Gourmet Popcorn line allows you to serve the top flavor quality of our signature gourmet popcorn recipes. Plus, there are other prepackaged concession food favorites including cotton candy, nachos, and soft pretzels. (Shop our Prepackaged Collection here.)
3. Pizza, Pretzels, and More
Hot foods are a hot commodity! But that doesn’t mean you have to worry about labor. Keep it simple with best-in-class food warmers for items like pizza, pretzels, burritos, sandwiches, breakfast items, and more. See our Food Warming Cabinet for smaller items and for pizza, choose from a Small or Large Humidified Warming Cabinet.
Would you like low-cost ideas on how to expand your menu? We’ve got them!
For personalized assistance with food selection, calculating profitability, managing inventory, training, and more, connect with a concession pro in your area.