By Tyler Rizzo, Storyland Studios

In the themed leisure trade, arguably crucial driver of profitability is the venue’s meals & beverage division. Typically, F&B represents the most important driver of on-premise spend. It is commonly 2-3x the per capita spend of different particular person classes like retail, video games, or different ancillary departments. All of that to say, this can be very essential that an operator will get their providing proper.

I’m lucky sufficient to regularly go to a number of the best-themed leisure operators on the planet. Whether it’s a skilled web site go to or a private outing with my household, I can’t assist however take note of how these main corporations are bettering and adapting their F&B for a post-pandemic world. Here are the F&B traits I feel are crucial to take the subsequent step in 2024.

It begins with funding

This could also be apparent, however the greatest F&B development has been significant funding within the division. For a long time, services have rested on getting access to a captive viewers. This depends on the age-old philosophy of “you’ve got to eat”.

But the shoppers of 2024 expect higher than frozen hen tenders and french fries. And they need that high quality sooner than earlier than. Successful venues are investing in each bodily and human capital, and the outcomes are clear. There is not any higher instance of this than Cedar Fair.

Over the final 10 years, “FUN” has invested over $160 million in capital to create incremental services, enhance the front-of-house effectivity, and replace back-of-house capabilities to create an all-new F&B providing. This has included new mega feeders like BackBeatQue and the Grand Pavilion at Cedar Point, in addition to the refurbishment of current services just like the Blue Ridge Country Kitchen and Terminal A at Carowinds.

In addition to the development for F&B upgrades, the company management workforce is dedicated to investing in its folks. It has employed devoted F&B specialists at a company degree and introduced govt cooks to each park to supervise the bettering high quality.

The outcomes?

F&B income has grown by over $200 million, or a 7% CAGR. Considering that FUN’s whole per cap grew by a 3.5% CAGR over the identical interval, it’s clear the outcomes out-paced different inside departments. It ought to be thought-about an enormous success and a blueprint for future operators.

There are loads of different big-name gamers placing robust capital behind rising F&B. At United Parks & Resorts (formerly SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment), Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando, and SeaWorld San Antonio have all introduced refurbished services through their social media channels.

Also, at Universal Orlando Resort, Mel’s Diner has been beneath refurbishment for a number of months. After a size of closure, Circus McGurkus Café Stoopendous reopened in time for Spring crowds.

Find methods to boost the expertise

Speaking of the Universal Resort, this workforce has been essentially the most aggressive in embracing the post-COVID shopper traits and discovering service strategies to hurry up F&B wait occasions, or no less than modify the perceptions of lengthy traces.

Over the previous few years, Universal has dialled up and down the aggressiveness of forcing Mobile Orders. However, it additionally appears to have discovered a candy spot that encourages a shift to digital whereas eliminating the normal ache level of lengthy traces of individuals ready to order at a register.

Many of the short service services on the resort have switched from a conventional “pay-first” queue to a modified desk service via cellular ordering. Instead of queuing to order and pay, after which queuing to select up the meals, after which discovering a desk, visitors can discover a seat, order on the app, and have the meals delivered to the desk by a runner.

This service type was examined at a number of places final yr, together with Café La Bamba. It is slowly being included into all venues, based mostly on my observations.

The aforementioned Circus McGurkus was previously a multi-line cafeteria-style restaurant. It has now fully walled off the outdated traces and switched to a desk order system. Clearly, Universal’s knowledge is displaying a optimistic reception of this F&B development by visitors, both via larger checks, elevated satisfaction, or each.

It doesn’t require thousands and thousands of {dollars} or a sturdy cellular funding to seek out new methods to boost the expertise. At SeaWorld San Antonio, the Great White Grill just lately opened. This serves elevated burgers and french fries for individuals who have an urge for food after conquering the Bolliger & Mabillard basic.

This location was formulation a snack cart, promoting an eclectic mixture of what was finest described as carnival meals. With minor modifications to the queue line and point-of-sale placement and a bit of work on the kitchen, SeaWorld was in a position to deliver a brand new lunch choice to visitors, elevating examine sizes and growing penetration for lunch gadgets, whereas filling a necessity for brand spanking new choices in an space of the park that’s certain to be busy with the launch of its new log flume, Catapult Falls.

Elevate the staples

The ultimate trend that brings these ideas collectively is elevating the F&B high quality to fulfill the calls for of immediately’s visitors. I’m certain most operators have run into the “chicken tender paradox”. In different phrases, “Our guests ask for variety, but our #1 seller is always chicken tenders!”.

While that’s probably the case, and visitors of themed leisure services usually tend to skip the salad whereas on trip, discovering methods to raise the fundamentals and mixing in some secure selection will improve worth notion and enhance menu penetration.

After testing a mixture of Latin and Mexican menus at SeaWorld Orlando, the park went all in on tacos, changing the Lakeside Grill from Greek to Mexican. The menu options the standard beats of basic Mexican meals, together with road tacos and rice bowls. But it additionally contains loaded fries and a bacon queso burger. This continues the theme of offering the staples with a twist.

Just down the halfway on the Dockside Pizza Co, what as soon as was an arcade now serves additional giant flatbread pizzas. This features a speciality Bianca pizza that may maintain the “foodie” blissful, alongside the normal cheese and pepperoni choices.

As somebody who has been across the themed meals world, I can’t wait to see how these F&B traits proceed to evolve. I stay up for seeing the way it elevates the expertise for thousands and thousands of visitors.

F&B is commonly the most important ache level for services. Let’s be trustworthy, it’s a tricky competitors with the improbable rides our trade pumps out. However, with the proper focus and technique, this vital space is usually a driver of each revenue and satisfaction.

Top picture: Terminal A – Carowinds (picture courtesy of Carowinds)