Concession Stand Tips

A concession stand can be a great way for a sports team or other organization to raise money during large events, but it can also be an easy way to lose money if the stand is improperly run. Consider these tips to help maximize profits of your concession stand.

  1. Leadership

    • Like any business, a concession stand needs sound leadership to operate efficiently. Assigning a volunteer parent or teacher as the leader of a concession stand is a good idea.
      Leaders should make sure the focus of the stand is on bringing in money, and should keep workers from eating concessions or handing out free concessions to friends or those involved in the event. It is also a good idea to have one person in charge of cooking any food at the stand, such as hot dogs, brats and burgers, so the food is prepared in a consistent manner.

      Leaders should also make certain proper safety and cleaning procedures are taken by the concession staff. Local health department officials should be contacted to see if special classes or safety measures are required to run a concession stand. Always keep the stand neat and tidy to attract customers and reduce the chances of spreading germs. Staff should wash hands regularly and use rubber gloves when appropriate to handle and serve food.

    Products

    • An important part of running a successful concession stand is keeping an eye on the bottom line. Your goal should be to offer concessions at a reasonable price while making as much profit as possible. Store-bought concessions like candy can be popular, but the cost may mean that you can't charge much of a markup without the price being too high. Hot Dogs and other cooked food can be more profitable, but be wary of purchasing more stock than necessary. Excess candy can easily be saved for a future event, but meat and buns will not keep indefinitely. If you have the means to make it, try serving popcorn. Popcorn is very cheap to make, and may also increase drink sales. For drinks, bottled water is a usually cheap to buy and can be resold at a nice profit.

    Marketing

    • No matter how well run your concession stand is, you won't make any money if customers are not aware of your stand or forget about it once the event begins. It is a good idea to open before the event starts and place signs around the venue to alert customers about the stand and its location. Decorate the stand with team colors to remind event goers that their money is going to a good cause. If the event has an announcer or there is a PA system available, have them advertise the stand before and during the event. It is especially important to make an announcement at the beginning of any intermissions, since this will give customers time to get up from their seats and buy food without feeling like they are missing anything. You might also want to consider announcing discounted prices on perishable foods as the event ends. Popcorn and cooked foods that have already been prepared will have to be thrown out if they go unsold; even if you have to offer these foods at prices that result in a net loss, it's better than having them go to waste.