FOOD SERVICE MATTERS
Mike Plutino, founder and CEO
The sports and entertainment
foodservice industry has been slowly
evolving with each new venue
opening or renovation, and with
each foodservice partner came a
new point of difference that
generated buzz and aspired to
improve the game-day experience.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic,
foodservice was taking the latest
trends into consideration with
effi ciency, technology, sustainability,
workplace conditions and the fan
experience all included in
programming decisions.
Now, however, the industry will
have to become more innovative than
ever as it adapts to an uncertain, yet
likely radically different business
model. Now is the time to think
bigger, bolder, and more creatively
to shift the paradigm and implement
impactful changes that will reshape
how fans experience hospitality at
their favorite venues. We know fans
will be hyper-sensitive to health and
wellness practices, along with how
their food is being served, but we
also see that the foodservice
companies will need to transform our
industry well beyond enhanced
health and wellness initiatives. This
will be a time for architectural and
kitchen equipment design fi rms,
consultants, and foodservice
providers working on new projects
and large-scale renovations to think
outside the box and re-imagine a
new level of functionality for
concession and premium spaces.
In the suite and VIP club areas,
premium service will be changing
dramatically from self-service, allyou
can-eat family style portions and
intentional social spaces to
individualized portions and smaller
groups being together. Given the
social- distancing restrictions, suites
will likely be limited to a smaller
number of people and shared selfserve
buffet style menus items will
be replaced with attendant- based
offerings or individual portions.
In VIP club environments, all-youcan
enjoy chef’s tables will be
replaced by à la carte menus and
restaurant-style service. Again, the
use of technology will aid in the
transition of service styles via
e-menus and the ability to pre-order
suite packages with ease.
These actions are not only the
responsible way to reopen a facility
but will be the most effi cient way
to serve guests with a limited
workforce. For the time being,
implementing these precautions
and operational changes will support
the overall safety initiatives at each
venue and provide the best fan
experience in our new world.
When fans return to the stands,
team ownership will be working
closely with their foodservice
partners to change products being
served to become more effi cient,
as well as increase in the value
perception of the offerings to show
appreciation for the fans, revise
staffi ng and labor models to account
for the initial decreased capacity
issues, enhance the service style in
concessions and premium areas to
be more secure, use technology to
provide peace of mind during the
transaction process, and examine
the fi nancial partnership with their
food service providers.
VIP HOSPITALITY
In the short term, more than
anything else, technology will play
a super-sized role in the re-shaping
of the food and beverage program.
We’re confi dent that teams and
venues will, almost overnight, focus
on the transition to a high-tech, lowtouch,
cash-free, venue-wide model.
They will seize the opportunity to
leverage a wide range of available
software and hardware technologies
to collect actionable customer data,
improve the speed of service,
optimize revenue, improve safety
(though the elimination of large
amounts of cash on-site), and
ultimately reduce operating costs
to create a more effi cient and
profi table business model.
In the long term, fi nancial
partnerships that encourage
collaboration and shared risk and
reward will replace the short-sighted,
high-commission deals of the past.
These and the other operational
changes mentioned will be the
biggest differences between
a pre-Covid industry and the new
set of priorities that will emerge
when fans return.
We are incredibly optimistic that
the future of food and beverage in
sports and entertainment has never
been brighter as new systems are
created. Fans in the new era will be
enjoying re-engineered, fi ne-tuned
experiences that will be the result
of transformative
work from the
food and
beverage
industry
and sports
team owners.
Chase Center club suite,
www.stadia-magazine.com June 2020 35
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