When Concessions Hit a Slump: Are 10-Minute Wait Times a Good Thing?!

In my 2+ years working with checkout-free technology I’ve seen firsthand how it improves the fan experience is paramount at live sporting events. This is especially true in minor league baseball where local teams try to deliver fun and engaging entertainment on and off the field. The overall enjoyment of a minor league game relies heavily on the convenience and efficiency of the amenities, including concessions. In recently attending the minor league baseball game pictured below, I saw firsthand how long lines can significantly affect the experience for fans and potentially hurt the stadium’s bottom line. 

Fans attend minor league games for the love of sport, family fun, and an all-around enjoyable outing. Standing in long lines for food and beverages can detract from this experience. When fans spend excessive time waiting, they miss out on the action they came to enjoy. This leads to frustration and dissatisfaction, which can discourage them from attending future games. A recent study showed 42% of fans say wait times are the most frustrating part of the food and beverage experience.

Long wait times at concessions directly impact revenue. Fans who see long lines may decide against purchasing food or drinks altogether, leading to a significant loss in potential sales. Studies show that 45% of fans have abandoned concession stands due to long lines. This represents not just a lost immediate revenue opportunity but potentially future lost revenue as a fan may choose to avoid concessions altogether during their next visit. 

Long lines indicate inefficiencies in the service process, which is clear with traditional concession stand operations. At this game, the staff simply had too many customers for the level of throughput they could provide. They have to take orders, type the orders into a POS, collect payment, pour drinks, and serve food to fans. A fan wanting to buy a beer who is behind someone with a large food order must wait for that order’s completion before even asking for their beer. Waits can be exasperated by inadequate staffing, poor layout of concession stands, or slower point-of-sale systems. Even with extra staff, solving all the bottlenecks inherent in the traditional concessions stand is difficult.

Advertising a 10-minute wait time might seem like a positive transparency effort, but it’s actually an admission of inefficiency. The  2019 Stadium of the Future report surveyed fans who indicated 10 minutes was the maximum acceptable time they would wait for food and drink. Today, an an age where convenience is king and the pace of everything is faster, a 10-minute wait is too long. This is especially true when you consider a typical inning is just 20 minutes long. Fans paying to see a one-in-a-lifetime events expect faster, more efficient service.

Switching to Zippin's checkout-free technology can transform the concession experience. With Zippin, fans simply enter with a credit card, grab what they want and zip out, eliminating the need to wait in line altogether. The technology uses camera vision (and sometimes sensors) to accurately track purchases and automatically bills customers upon exiting, providing a seamless experience. Venues deploying Zippin Walk-Ups, which are ideal for converting traditional hot food stands, have seen shopping times cut to just 27 seconds! 

Implementing Zippin not only improves customer satisfaction but can significantly increase sales. Fans are more likely to make impulse purchases when they don’t have to wait and more guests can be served at once. The technology eliminates the need to take or ring up orders, reducing staffing needs and allowing venues to reallocate resources more efficiently. Embracing checkout-free technology like Zippin offers a modern, efficient alternative that enhances the fan experience and boosts the bottom line. For baseball specifically, we have seen Zippin stores drive 25% increases in repeat customer rates during games and 131% higher sales than the next best traditional grab & go bar sales. 

We’re looking forward to when we see “No Waiting” signs appear at minor league parks everywhere. For more information on how you can get started with Zippin, contact us today.

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Anthony Mitchell is Zippin's Senior Program Manager of Solutions where he evaluates the checkout-free retail landscape, shopper needs, and partner integrations to best serve Zippin's customers and prospects. Anthony can be reached via his LinkedIn profile or via email if you have any questions about checkout-free or about Zippin.