Corner Booth Blog | TundraFMP Restaurant Supply, News & Equipment Blog
Concessions like peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and hot dogs are as American as baseball and apple pie. But as our diets and tastes have evolved over the decades, so too have our culinary expectations. After all, when’s the last time you actually tried a Cracker Jack?
Nevertheless, ballpark concessions are still a thriving industry. Hot dogs alone are projected to approach 20 million sales in 2022. At an average price of $5.13, that’s $102,600,000 in concessions made from hot dogs alone.
So, what is your takeaway? Are Americans still in love with concessions, or is the industry ready to evolve? Let’s take a closer look.
The Birth of Concessions
Street vendors selling sandwiches and popcorn were a common sight in cities across America, but it wasn’t until the turn of the 20th century that hot sausages were popularized, thanks in part to a new influx of German immigrants.
Finger food was highly prioritized for its convenience while watching a game or a show, but when the Great Depression struck, many street vendors went out of business. It was then that movie theaters and ballparks alike decided to sell cheap food to incentivize cash-strapped customers. Thus, the in-house popcorn, candy, and hot dog stands were born.
Concessions Today
Once Americans learned to expect tasty treats with their movies and games, profitability became the name of the game. Today, cheap foods like cotton candy, popcorn, pretzels, fries, funnel cakes, and of course, hot dogs pushed the concession stand industry over $3 billion in 2018.
Yet while success enhances profits, it also tempts stagnation. The proliferation of profitable foods has homogenized concession stands, and in the age of food science and nutritional trends, diversity is the name of the game. Just when sales started to taper, the conditions aligned for stadiums to incentivize through innovation.
New, park-specific treats like the “pierogi hoagie,” “pork belly bao buns,” and the “truffle burrata BLT” were created to attract foodies and sport fans alike.
The Future of Concessions
The concessions of tomorrow will see the further “niche-ify-ing” of trendy, exploratory food options. Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok reward picture-worthy food with free exposure, and nothing makes a good food article trend like one that introduces soon-to-be ballpark staples like an alligator corn dog, crab cake egg roll, or a spam musubi.
However, hot dogs and popcorn aren’t going anywhere. Traditional concession food now boasts levels of nostalgia that rival their levels of sodium, and to help marry the tastes of the past with the conveniences of the future, many stands are preparing to use apps and digital placements that “stand” in line for customers. After all, why should you miss the 5th inning just because of the line at Dippin’ Dots?
With a grasp on the past and knowledge of the future, you’ll be ready to enter the concessions game and offer something salty, sweet, or savory to customers old and new. All you need now are the tools to do it right.
Hot dog cookers, cotton candy machines, and popcorn poppers are your go-to products to run a concession stand of your own. To expand from profitable traditional foods into the viral potential of new culinary sensations, visit eTundra.com today and browse the equipment you’ll need to redefine what concessions can mean to your customers.
