In F&B service, stadiums are taking their offerings to the next level. Fans are flowing into stadiums and participating in their customary sports rituals. However, new traditions are stirring in the form of more imaginative concessions. What was once a normal part of the game experience, stadium concessions primarily existed to dispense popcorn and peanuts to the crowd. Game-day fare has long been a secondary consideration to the competitive action. Those days are fading, and a new era of concessions is poised to be as exciting as the arrival of the instant replay.

Stadium foodservice has become something far more inventive. They’re bringing in first-rate chefs and roaming mixologists; relying on new technologies to drive kitchen workflows and provide in-seat food (and merchandise) delivery; creating stadiums designed around fan convenience rather than merely appeasing crowds.

While technology is making its mark on stadium foodservice with concessions receiving orders through in-seat ordering, sports venues are getting closer to their fans. An easy QR code scan lets a fan place an order on their mobile phone. Geolocation-based tech directs food runners to deliver fare wherever the fan is seated.

Now that technology is finding stable footing in stadium foodservice, self-ordering kiosks are also looking to ride the wave. Strategically placed near concession areas, fans walk up, order, and wait for their number. Once they collect their purchase, they head back to their ticketed seats to enjoy a more integrated game-day experience. And the fans love it.

Stadiums Rise to The Occasion