Why Concessions Matter
Concessions are not a tournament afterthought. For full-day tournaments, food and beverage availability directly affects participant experience and satisfaction. They're also a significant revenue source — often 10–20% of total tournament revenue for well-run operations.
Poor concessions planning means hungry athletes, frustrated families, long lines, and a revenue opportunity wasted.
Start With Venue Requirements
Before planning any concession setup, confirm with your venue:
- Exclusive vendor rights? Many venues require you to use their concessions or catering partner. Know this before signing the venue contract.
- Kitchen access? If you're operating your own concessions, what facilities are available?
- Health permits? Most municipalities require health department permits for commercial food service at events.
- Cooking restrictions? Open flame, propane, and generator restrictions vary by venue.
Estimating Demand
Rule of thumb: Expect each adult attendee to spend $8–15 on concessions over a full-day event. Youth athletes spend less; family spectators spend more.
For 500 total participants and spectators: Budget for $4,000–7,500 in concession revenue if you price and staff appropriately.
Menu design for demand:
- High-volume, low-complexity items sell fastest and reduce wait times
- Every item should be preparable in under 3 minutes
- Keep the menu to 8–12 items maximum
Menu Recommendations
High-performing concession items:
- Hot dogs / hamburgers (universal, fast)
- Pizza by the slice (if oven available)
- Nachos
- Pretzels
- Fresh fruit / granola bars (athlete-appropriate)
- Water, sports drinks, soda
- Coffee / hot chocolate (weather-dependent)
Athlete nutrition considerations: Stock water and sports drinks prominently. Offer at least 2–3 options appropriate for active athletes (not just candy and fried food). Communicate this to parents, who will appreciate it.
Staffing Concessions
Minimum staffing by volume:
- Under 200 attendees: 2 concession workers
- 200–500 attendees: 3–4 workers
- 500+ attendees: 5+ workers with dedicated cashier
Understaffed concessions create long lines that discourage purchases and frustrate participants. Slightly overstaffing costs more in labor but significantly improves experience and revenue.
Pricing Strategy
Price for the environment. Tournament concessions are convenience purchases — participants expect to pay slightly above grocery store prices. Price too low and you leave revenue on the table; price too high and you get complaints.
Approach: Check comparable event pricing in your area and match or slightly undercut. $3–4 hot dogs, $2–3 drinks, $5–7 meal combinations.
Accept multiple payment forms: Cash + card is minimum. Mobile payments (Apple Pay, Tap to Pay) reduce transaction time significantly.
Inventory Management
Order conservatively for your first tournament and track actual usage. Better to run slightly short than to waste significant inventory.
Track: Items sold per category by time of day. Your morning rush and halftime rush are predictable; plan inventory accordingly.
Minimize waste: Uncooked inventory has longer shelf life. Cook in small batches and restock rather than bulk-cooking all at once.
Health and Safety
- Proper food temperature controls (hot food hot, cold food cold)
- Gloves and hair restraints for all food handlers
- Clean water source for handwashing
- Allergen information available on request
- First aid kit accessible from concessions area
Non-compliance with health regulations can result in your concessions being shut down mid-event. Assign a concessions supervisor responsible for compliance.