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For many proprietors of family entertainment centers, food is an afterthought.

“That's one of the biggest mistakes some of my colleagues make,” said Glenn Gable, owner of Rollhouse Entertainment, who operates six centers in Ohio. “For us, food is at the heart of our business — and it's something we don't take lightly. Customers want great food, and we make it our mission to offer that.”

From Pizza to Profits

Gable began his career running pizza operations out of bowling centers. Since taking over some of those centers, Gable has expanded their food offerings — and, in turn, he has seen profits rise.

“Everybody is hungry at one point or another when they visit your center,” Gable said. “That's why food is so important. You don't want people leaving to go get lunch or dinner. If all they have to do is walk down the hall or order while bowling on your lanes, you'll keep customers in your center longer and make more money off of everyone who comes in.”

In the end, as Rollhouse has grown its food operations, it has seen related gains in bowling, cosmic bowling, league bowling, and various other profit centers.

“The profit you make may not come directly from the food itself, which has pretty small margins. But you'll definitely see it elsewhere in your center,” Gable said.

Making the Changes

So, how can you improve the food offerings your center provides?
First is to make sure you have the necessary equipment for a professional kitchen.“A snack bar doesn't typically have the equipment you need to make delicious food from scratch, so you'll likely need to commit to a restaurant-style kitchen,” Gable said.

Next is finding the perfect space for your food offerings. Experts, like Dynamic Designs, Inc., helped Gable create those unique spaces for each of his Rollhouse centers. “We will work with you to redesign your space and allow you to grow your operations,” said Howard Ellman, president and principal architect of Dynamic Designs. Ellman and his company have been designing restaurants for FECs for decades.

New Trends

Howard elaborates, “We have found recently that customers prefer the convenience of having food options at their fingertips. So, we have been designing a number of more intimate spaces sprinkled throughout the center as opposed to one large restaurant-style area that tends to be bigger than it needs to be. By doing that — and distributing seating and tables across the FEC, including at the bowling lanes themselves — your entire center becomes a restaurant, giving you a chance to collect revenue in various places and spaces. When customers leave the restaurant or bar, they'll be more likely to go bowl or find your arcade and other attractions,” Ellman said. “Our entire purpose is to help you reap the most rewards from your facility.”

Investing is Key

In the end, Gable said it's vital to invest the proper amount of time, money, and effort into food operations.  “We have kitchen managers, a mixologist for drinks, and unique specialty items on our menus,” Gable said, pointing out that his centers offer wraps, burgers, smoked meats, and more. “And I spend more time in the kitchen than almost anywhere else in my centers.”  That kind of devotion is important to making your food operations a major key to your success.  “It's easy to clean your laser tag area or make sure your arcade games are working properly,” Gable said. “But those don't lure people in the way great food and great service does.”

In fact, food may even draw people in who aren't interested in bowling, arcades, or other entertainment options. “And once they're here,” Gable said, “your entire center can shine and keep them coming back for more.”