Concession Stand Planning: 7 Ways to Prepare for Next Season
As another busy season winds down, it can be tempting to simply pack everything up and move on. Yet, this is a valuable time to look back and reflect on your concession stand performance. What worked? What didn’t? And what could make next season even better?
What you learn can help you make smarter decisions about your menu, equipment, workflow, and priorities—so you’re better prepared when next season begins.
How to Review Your Concession Stand at the End of the Season
A concession stand year-end review should evaluate:
- Sales and profitability
- Menu performance
- Speed of service
- Equipment
- Staffing and workflow
- Customer experience
Look for what performed well, where problems occurred, and which changes could have the greatest impact. Then use those findings to prioritize changes for next season.
Start with the Concession Stand Scorecard as a great way to determine what areas to focus on first.
1. Start with the Numbers
Looking at your overall sales is a good start but it only tells part of the story. Digging deeper into the stand’s performance will give you data you can use for planning.
Some important questions include:
- What were your best-selling items?
- Which products generated the strongest margins?
- Which items consistently underperformed?
- What did you frequently run out of?
- Which products resulted in the most waste?
- Did average sales increase or decrease compared to previous seasons?
Also, carefully consider the amount of labor, preparation, equipment, and inventory required to sell each item. A product that generates plenty of sales but requires significant preparation may not contribute as much to your bottom line.
Takeaway: Make a chart and identify your products in categories such as keep, reconsider, or opportunity. This will help you determine what deserves a place on next season’s menu.
2. Evaluate Your Menu
Look at your menu as a whole. More options don’t necessarily mean more sales. A simplified menu focused on popular, profitable products can make purchasing, preparation, training, and service easier.
- Were there items that rarely sold?
- Did customers frequently ask for something you didn’t offer?
- Did certain items slow down service or require more prep than the sales justified?
- Are there products you would like to add as seasonal or limited-time offerings?
- If you had to remove three items, which would you choose and would customers miss them?
This is also a good time to think about your menu structure. Could you create simple combos to encourage more sales? Would different portion sizes create additional sales opportunities? Could a grab-and-go product bring value without increasing labor? These types of adjustments can help boost sales while keeping labor manageable.
Takeaway: Identify your core items then look for strategic additions that can add value without complicating your operation.
3. Find the Bottlenecks
Think back to your busiest moments. Where did things slow down?
Maybe prepping or assembling orders was too time-consuming. Perhaps the payment station became congested, or workers had to leave their stations to restock.
Opportunities to improve your workflow can include:
- Preparing or packaging more products before peak periods.
- Staging popular items so they’re ready for the rush.
- Rearranging workstations so employees can be more efficient.
- Incorporating grab-and-go or self-service options.
- Ensuring equipment capacity matches peak demand.
Small operational changes can make a big difference in managing high-demand periods.
Takeaway: Find the point where the process slows down, then work backward to address the issue. Determine where time is being lost and focus your improvements on that point in the process.
4. Take Stock of Your Equipment
Your equipment should help your concession stand keep up with demand, not hold it back.
At the end of the season, review each major piece of equipment.
- Did it perform reliably?
- Was its capacity sufficient during your busiest periods?
- Was it easy for staff or volunteers to operate?
- Did you experience any recurring maintenance problems?
Also keep in mind that your operation may have changed since the equipment was originally purchased. An older popcorn machine may not have the capacity your growing crowds require.
Is it time to maintain or replace your popcorn machine? If you’re considering an upgrade, don’t wait. Plan ahead to give yourself the time to evaluate your needs and select equipment that’s right for your operation.
Takeaway: Create a list of equipment that needs to be cleaned, serviced, repaired, or replaced. The off-season gives you time to address those needs.
5. Talk with Your Team
Don’t rely on the numbers alone. Your employees or volunteers are a valuable resource that can give you a fresh perspective on your operation. Sales reports can tell you what happened but it’s the people who can provide insight into why.
Ask them:
- What slowed you down?
- Which menu items were easiest or most difficult to prepare and serve?
- What did customers ask for most often?
- Which menu items regularly ran out?
- What would make your job easier?
Use those conversations to examine everything from supply storage and food preparation to staffing, equipment, and order assembly. Look for patterns in the responses. If several people identify the same challenge, it’s probably worth investigating.
Takeaway: Your frontline team knows your concession operation in action. While you want to identify what needs to improve, be sure to also ask what worked well. Then turn that positive feedback into a documented repeatable process.
6. Take a Look from the Customer’s Side
Think about the customer journey from deciding to visit the concession stand to walking away with an order. Each step in the process matters.
- Could they quickly understand the menu?
- Were prices easy to find?
- Did long lines discourage purchases?
- Were the most appealing items prominently displayed?
- Did you make it easy for customers to buy?
Ultimately, the experience is about convenience. How easy was it to place an order, pay, receive food, and get back to the event? Menu boards, waiting times, and ordering processes are all factors that influence buying behavior.
Presentation is important too. Consider whether displays made products easy to see and whether merchandising encourage impulse buys. Something as simple as better product visibility, clearer signage, or placing complementary items together could create additional sales opportunities.
Takeaway: Experience your concession stand like a customer. Look for anything that makes it harder to see the options, make a decision, or receive a purchase. Consider how to make the process simpler, faster, or more inviting.
7. Choose Your Priorities for Next Season
A year-end review doesn’t mean a complete overhaul of your concession stand. In fact, trying to change everything at once can make planning more difficult. Instead, identify three to five key improvements that could have the greatest impact on your operation.
Some common recommendations are:
- Simplify the menu.
- Replace or upgrade equipment.
- Increase production capacity for a bestseller.
- Introduce a new high-margin product.
- Develop combo options.
- Improve signage and merchandising.
- Prepackage more items before peak periods.
- Rearrange the stand for a more efficient workflow.
- Improve inventory planning to reduce shortages and waste.
Some changes may require budgeting while others could be implemented with little or no additional investment. The important thing is to turn what you learned this season into action.
To help you analyze what areas need the most attention, download the Concession Stand Scorecard. This quick assessment will guide you through evaluating your concession stand operation in six key areas.
Takeaway: Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to address everything at once. Choose the priorities that make the greatest difference in profitability, efficiency, or customer experience. Then, create a plan to address them before next season.
Make Next Season Better Before It Begins
A successful concession season doesn’t start with the first customer—it starts with the planning you do now. Use what you learned this year to build on what’s working, address what’s not, and make intentional improvements before the next rush begins.
Ready to start planning for next season? Gold Medal can help you evaluate your concession needs, from equipment and supplies to menu ideas and operational strategies.