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Tell me what you like and dislike about concession stands--update


plansrme
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A necessary evil, I know, but I am in charge of one this weekend and am looking for tips.  I don't know why I didn't ask here before, but now I am, so tell me what you, as a consumer, like or do not like about concession stands.  We are limited, as everyone in the history of concession stands always is, by space, facilities, what we have left over from the last one and need to get rid of, etc.  Leftovers from the first one, of which I was not in charge, have been stored in my basement for months, and one of my primary goals is to get rid of all of the old leftovers without muttering too many times, "I TOLD them that was too much food."   Another goal is to have no new leftovers.   

 

This is an indoor event; competitors and spectators will be there probably no more than 3 hours.  I do not have a kitchen but do have electrical outlets.

 

So, what have you liked and not liked about concession stands?

 

Thanks!

 

UPDATE, 'cause I know y'all are dying to know how it went:  It went really well.  The Publix subs sold out super-early both days.  The Keurig was a hit, though we have to raise our price next time, not to accommodate the price of the pod but the price of the cups.  (I offered the Keurig to the previous organizers; they turned it down in favor of two boxes of coffee from Dunkin Donuts, of which they sold maybe two cups; I sold 37 cups of coffee, with zero waste.)  We used the pods my husband uses, so the club just bought the number of pods we sold from him, at cost--look, no waste!  We did not sell out of all of our drinks, but we sold a lot.  My goal this time was to get rid of as many leftovers as possible and to keep meticulous records so the next crew will know better than to ask for donations of 400 bottles of soft drinks for a meet with 64 competitors.  TRUE STORY, people.  Thank goodness this meet was bigger, but we still have drinks and chips that are going to have to be thrown out because they're getting stale.  I  had 30 full-sized Starbursts, M&Ms and Snickers bars left over from the first meet at the end of this one.  And I pushed them--we sold a lot.  We just had way too many to start.  I sold the lot of them for 25 cents each to a mom who has a vending machine in her office.  It bugs me that organizers think that items donated by parents as having no cost.  It also bugged me that they scooted out at the end of the meet and left me to deal with their mistake, but perhaps I mentioned that already.  

 

We were super-scrupulous about using disposable gloves to handle food, so thanks for the reminders there.  If I took money with one hand and had a glove on the other, I conspicuously kept the gloved hand away from the money.   The other workers seemed to do the same.

 

So, to summarize, the only new things we bought were fruit (bananas and cuties--we sold out of bananas both days; I bought the 6 or 7 cuties that were left), subs, pizza and half-and-half for the coffee.  We sold all of that, leaving no new leftovers.   We still have a few packages of Gatorade left, but they fit in a small locked space we have at the gym, so there are currently no leftovers in my basement.  Wahoo!  

 

Thanks for the tips, everyone!  

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When I used to use cream in my coffee, I hated that there was only the awful powder stuff available.

 

 

This is a big one.  You will never, ever, ever sell me a cup of coffee if there is only powder stuff.  No matter how cold it is.  And probably you won't sell me anything then, because I'll say forget it, we are going to Starbucks, you can have whatever you want there or somewhere else on the way.  So not only do you lose my coffee sale, but probably my entire order.

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When I used to use cream in my coffee, I hated that there was only the awful powder stuff available.

 

I have cream or milk on my list to buy tonight, and the real stuff; what should I get?  half-and-half?  whole milk?  I don't drink coffee, but we will have a Keurig and the kind of pods my husband uses (just one type; I am not willing to risk leftover pods; he will  buy whatever we don't use).  

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My kids love those that sell hot dogs with a side table of self-serve condiments and sell soda in cans/bottles.

 

What leftovers do you have?

We are not doing hot dogs because, last time, no one stuck around to clean up the hot dog roaster; admittedly, it was a pain to clean in the little sink we have available, but it had to be cleaned.  No popcorn for the same reason--I did not enjoy the organizers zipping out and leaving me to clean the popcorn machine.  See why I fired my original organizers?  If you're going to run it, RUN IT.

 

This is the menu we have so far:

 

Homemade cinnamon rolls (I made them last time; splitting with another mom this time.  Sold out last time.)

Bagels and cream cheese

Brownies (homemade--only the homemade baked goods sold last time)

Coffee (Keurig--see above)

Hot chocolate with marshmallows 

Soft drinks and bottled water

Pizza (delivered from a local pizza place)

Publix subs, cut into fourths and sold with chips because I have a thousand little bags of chips left over

Chips (tons left)

Snickers, M&Ms, Starbursts and Skittles left from last time--tons

Granola bars--again, I have about a hundred left over

Ring pops--anyone need a deal on ring pops?  'Cause I can fix you up. . ..

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Well I'm weird, but I'd just love it if some fruit and veggie selections were available. Even hard boiled eggs. When I'm at a game I can't wat the junk but still often get munch and hungry. Some sugar snap peas, grapes, and in shell roasted peanuts would go a long way.

 

 

Maybe I'm the only one?

 

I've also appreciated this before.  Maybe I can get some bananas ripe enough to sell this weekend.  Grapes also.  I'm trying to limit my running-around to one trip per day, which is why I want everything to come from Publix.  Except bagels--another mom is picking those up.

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My first thought was coffee and creamer!  Please, a decent cup of coffee.  I don't expect great coffee.  And  I hate the powdered creamer though I know it is convenient.  Love the little mini half-and-halfs. I'm sure that is more expensive though.

 

I've worked at a few concession stands.  It bothered me when people didn't think twice about handling both food and money.  There should be one food handler who does nothing else.  Gloves are good but still the person touching food shouldn't touch money. 

 

Around here soft pretzels are popular.  But people keep them wrapped up tightly when they are hot, so then they get damp.  Yuck.

 

Hot dogs to me work better in a concession stand than hamburgers or really any other kind of sandwich.   A mix of candy and chips (sweet and savory) offerings is nice.    Bottled water! 

 

ETA:  I typed too slowly and didn't see the update.  Your concession stand sounds great! 

 

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I have cream or milk on my list to buy tonight, and the real stuff; what should I get?  half-and-half?  whole milk?  I don't drink coffee, but we will have a Keurig and the kind of pods my husband uses (just one type; I am not willing to risk leftover pods; he will  buy whatever we don't use).  

 

 

Half and half.  Most coffee shops have that out all the time.  If they put the others out, (2%, skim) it is less often, implying less use.  

 

And half and half is just better than regular milk.  You can always use less half and half if you are a milk person.  You can never get it quite right with just milk if you are a half and halfer.

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I always appreciate if there are a few apples/ cuties/ bananas available. I prefer not to feed the kids junk after they tear through what I thought was more than enough snacks from home. Is it morning? Otherwise I think you have a nice mix of junk and fairly healthy options. Have a micro available? Our BB team make popcorn by the microwave bag so we don't have cleanup/leftovers.

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I've also appreciated this before.  Maybe I can get some bananas ripe enough to sell this weekend.  Grapes also.  I'm trying to limit my running-around to one trip per day, which is why I want everything to come from Publix.  Except bagels--another mom is picking those up.

 

How about "Cuties"?

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Wow! Here is TX we have to attend food handling certification training before we worked at the concession stand. We had to maintain proper temperature for all heated foods (yes, the inspectors would stop by to check once/weekend). I don't remember all the requirements for sinks/washing - bleach mixture, water temperature, etc. No food cooked at home. Being able to bring home cooked food sounds so wonderful!

 

I'd like to see healthier options at concession stands - apples, grapes, cheese sticks, guacamole & chips vs. nachos, hummus & chips, pocket pita sandwiches...

 

 

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Cuties or even those applesauce pouches would be great.

 

Are the chips still in date after months?

The chips are so chock-full of preservatives that they will be good forever. I am actually more worried about the soft drinks going flat. It has only been since October, but I need to check them.

 

Cuties and hand sanitizer--excellent. Will add them to the list.

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The junk food. 😣 I know it's traditional to have chips, candy, soda, and hot dogs, but I don't want my kids to be eating that stuff ESPECIALLY at a sporting event, where they need GOOD, HEALTHY fuel for their bodies. It makes me insane that during our gymnastics/basketball (we share a facility) meets/games, all they have for sale is garbage. What message is that sending the kids who are there competing??? Would it be so hard to have a selection of whole fruit? Mixed nuts? Or a cooler with cheese sticks, small containers of yogurt, or even wrap style sandwiches? I usually bring our own cooler with snacks, but it still makes me shake my head to see a little girl eating a bag of cotton candy and drinking a coke right after she used that same body to compete in gymnastics. ðŸ˜

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The chips are so chock-full of preservatives that they will be good forever. I am actually more worried about the soft drinks going flat. It has only been since October, but I need to check them.

 

Cuties and hand sanitizer--excellent. Will add them to the list.

What brand did they buy? Lays and Kettle and typical grocery store brands seem to be about two months? We don't often buy chips, but I seem to have to toss them before the next event.

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My dd has worked the local park district concession stand the past two summers, and the horror stories abound.  Frozen hot dogs dropped on the floor, then still used after heating.  No gloves provided, the kids handle money and food willy-nilly.  My now 18-yr-old left in charge and the teen underlings do not care about sanitation - when it is really busy the crowds want their food NOW, and don't care if the person waiting on them is handling their money and food.

 

Hand sanitizer, and try to have whomever handles the money NOT be the same person who gets and handles the food.  If it is a one-person stand, stick to prepackaged snacks!

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The junk food. 😣 I know it's traditional to have chips, candy, soda, and hot dogs, but I don't want my kids to be eating that stuff ESPECIALLY at a sporting event, where they need GOOD, HEALTHY fuel for their bodies. It makes me insane that during our gymnastics/basketball (we share a facility) meets/games, all they have for sale is garbage. What message is that sending the kids who are there competing??? Would it be so hard to have a selection of whole fruit? Mixed nuts? Or a cooler with cheese sticks, small containers of yogurt, or even wrap style sandwiches? I usually bring our own cooler with snacks, but it still makes me shake my head to see a little girl eating a bag of cotton candy and drinking a coke right after she used that same body to compete in gymnastics. ðŸ˜

 

Agree in principle but cheese, yogurt, fruit, etc. have short shelf lives!  There is a high potential for waste  (food and $$) when buying fresh foods for something like this.   It's always seemed to me that people who want healthy options bring them along from home.  I suppose they do that because they can't be sure the concession stand will have them.  But I understand why those things are not stocked.

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Okay, I am now completely paranoid about my thousand bags of chips.  I will check on them ASAP.  What a waste that would be, and if I had had any idea they could go stale, I would certainly not have devoted storage spaces in my basement to them.  Ugh.  But this is why I took this project back--the organizers solicited donations of way too much food, and they kept no records or notes.  I may screw it up as well, but at least my successor will have records of what worked and didn't work.

 

And I will definitely add instructions on not handling food and money.  You would think moms would know such things.

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My kid learned long ago not to even ask for anything at the concession stand.  Especially at sporting events that SHE is participating in.  Her sports require a lot of energy and junk is just a really bad thing to feed someone while they are competing and/or recovering from competing.  So, we always pack fruit and veggies for recovery time, almonds and hard boiled eggs for pre-competition, etc....  She has competed in some meets in which there are "no outside food" rules.....mostly so the club in question can make money off their concession stand.  We ignore those rules.  I would be happy to follow them if they offered anything healthy at all.  Some do not even have water!  I double-dog-dare a club to call me on it:)  There was one blessed meet in which the organizers had baggies of pre-cut veggies and little containers of hummus and ranch.  I don't call ranch "healthy" but at least they tried.  I bought a few bags even though we brought our own just to show my support.  They sold out by the end so it must have been a success.

 

But I feel your pain.  Most people don't want healthy options and most of these stands are supposed to be fund raisers.

 

I think cuties, apples, and bananas are likely to be hits.  You can feed the leftovers to the athletes at the end of the event.  Tea bags (caffeine-free) with hot water and water bottles are good alternatives for parents who don't want to pump their kids up with hot chocolate or soda.  Both have a long shelf-life too.  I have seen some clubs buy a huge vat of big pickles and sell them individually for a HUGE mark-up.  For some reasons the kids get a kick out of them and they are pretty nutritionally harmless.  

 

Good luck!

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If you can possibly avoid selling things like peanuts and other nuts - that would be appreciated deeply by those of us with kids who have life threatening allergies.  Like, I'd like to give you a hug kind of appreciation!

 

Nothing ruins a good time like the sight of something deadly, littered on the floor.  Peanut shells [shudder], sure sign that there is something floating in the air or on a chair or table.  All it takes is a touch, and then a kiddo touches his mouth and ... trip to the ER.  Been there, done that.  Not fun.  There's nothing like having to leave an event because of the potential for a reaction.  It's disappointing.

 

I know it's not an issue for everyone.  I know people love high protein snacks.  I used to as well.  Of course we train our kids to stay safe despite the realities that these things are out there.  But things that leave residue, or potentially get into the air can kill some people.  I'd never suggest avoiding all allergens (impossible) but the obvious easy ones, especially the ones that have a tendency to go airborne... It would be great if those could be avoided.  (There's a reason places like Five Guys and that other steakhouse, I can't recall the name, have a warning on the door that people who have peanut allergies shouldn't come in - because they serve peanuts in the shell, and the stuff is *everywhere.*)

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We are not doing hot dogs because, last time, no one stuck around to clean up the hot dog roaster; admittedly, it was a pain to clean in the little sink we have available, but it had to be cleaned.  No popcorn for the same reason--I did not enjoy the organizers zipping out and leaving me to clean the popcorn machine.  See why I fired my original organizers?  If you're going to run it, RUN IT.

 

This is the menu we have so far:

 

Homemade cinnamon rolls (I made them last time; splitting with another mom this time.  Sold out last time.)

Bagels and cream cheese

Brownies (homemade--only the homemade baked goods sold last time)

Coffee (Keurig--see above)

Hot chocolate with marshmallows 

Soft drinks and bottled water

Pizza (delivered from a local pizza place)

Publix subs, cut into fourths and sold with chips because I have a thousand little bags of chips left over

Chips (tons left)

Snickers, M&Ms, Starbursts and Skittles left from last time--tons

Granola bars--again, I have about a hundred left over

Ring pops--anyone need a deal on ring pops?  'Cause I can fix you up. . ..

 

Check the dates on the chips to make sure they aren;t expired.

 

What ages do you expect?  Many little siblings?  Consider juice boxes or at least lemonade in the canned soda section. Have some caffeine-free options that are NOT diet.

 

Consider carrot sticks w ranch dressing.

 

Live near a Chick-fil-A? Our local ones have sandwich fundraisers- buy the sandwiches (which come with a great heating unit that has to be returned, but it is AWESOME!) for $3, sell them for whatever you want (usually $5), and each sandwich comes with a coupon for a FREE sandwich at that particular store. I saw the studio director rolling in a stack of Chick-fil-A sandwiches at one recital and I chased him down asking if they were for sale or just for staff. They were for sale! :drool:

 

 

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Dislike--working at them on cold soccer nights when the girls game gets mercy ruled, although it was fun seeing Parker score from above the 40 yard line. (Our turf is permanently painted as a football field with the soccer goals at the back of the end zone. So scoring from above the 39 as a high school freshman was amazing!)

 

Like-pizza, Biscuits and More biscuits and hamburgers, nachos with chili

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But I feel your pain.  Most people don't want healthy options and most of these stands are supposed to be fund raisers.

 

I don't know if that's the case. I think it's more that healthy options don't keep indefinitely, so whatever isn't moved has to be tossed or donated.

 

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The lines are my number one complaint. Sometimes it's just unavoidable, but I hate if I'm stuck at an event and there's really only one or two options for food and we need to eat and I end up in line for half a freaking hour.

 

And for junk food. Like, nasty junk food most of the time. When it's home grown concessions I find it tends to be stuff I could have just brought from home or badly done burgers/dogs. When it's a vendor, it's usually a little better, but it's still usually pretty mediocre.

 

I would just like to see more healthy options. I mean, veggie chili or pulled slow cooker bbq are really, really easy if you have a bunch of slow cookers or a heat source. Subs are okay, but often they're really crummy.

 

 

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Subs are okay, but often they're really crummy.

 

Ha.  You say this because you've never had a Publix sub.  I don't even like subs, and I like theirs.

 

As for lines--I WISH we would have lines; that would mean we are making lots of money.  Somehow, though, I think lines will not be our problem.

 

Thanks for the input, everyone.  It has been very helpful.

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I have worked at and bought from concession stands at swim meets, dive meets, track meets. Swim meet is reasonably priced breakfast food -- bagels, fruit, candy, chips. I buy and give my kids $$ to spend because it is a good fundraiser for the clubs and convenient as our meets usually start at 8 am. Coffee and milk (various types) in a cooler, not getting warm on a counter. Sometimes people forget a basket or place for used coffee stirrers. Keep the coffee area to the side, because the coffee people take time to add sugar, milk, lid,mand they can block others from buying.

 

Dive meets are pizza by the slice and soda - neither dd nor I like, so we do not buy. No healthy choice and no WATER. Junk food is fine, as long as there is a non junk option, imo. Your selection sounds great!

 

At track meets, there is a kitchen with hot food service. People have to wait a few minutes for the food to be heated up, so here are lines. Lines are never good, imo, because there always seems to be a line cutter. I find volunteering at track meets to be very stressful, because everyone wants stuff instantly. I think you are wise to avoid hot food.

 

Don't forget garbage cans, extra can liners, dustpan, paper towels and spray cleaner. A small first aid kit or at least a few band aids is a plus. Hand cleaner visible so people know you are clean.

 

Good signs with clear prices, so people on a budget can find out cost without having to ask.

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We are not doing hot dogs because, last time, no one stuck around to clean up the hot dog roaster; admittedly, it was a pain to clean in the little sink we have available, but it had to be cleaned.

I know you already have a menu - and it sounds great! - but I'll tell you how we've done hot dogs for concession stand selling.

 

Cook the dogs at home, put them into buns (no condiments) and individually wrap in a square of foil (buy these deli foils at SAMs or Costco). Then load up your roasting pan liner with foil-wrapped dogs. Refrigerate til time to take to the sale. Then plug in the roaster and reheat. No dirty roasting pan to clean.

 

Speaking of clean, that's how I like to see a concession stand - CLEAN! I am willing to buy more than a can of soda if the place looks clean and bright.

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They cook with peanut oil. I remember reading about the peanut oil on a sign inside. Didn't realize they had peanuts (I've only gone there a couple of times). I'm sure it's for both reasons.

Yes, 5 Guys cooks with peanut oil, but that doesn't worry our allergist as much. It's the shelling of the peanuts that becomes aerosolized and easily inhaled. We can go in ChickFilA, who cook with peanut oil, but not 5 Guys. :)

 

Oops, editing to say that DS wouldn't eat the food in ChikFilA, but he can sit at a table and eat his own safe food while other people eat ChikFilA food. We can't do that at 5 Guys or ... That steakhouse. Maybe it's Logan's? Not sure. :)

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Yes, 5 Guys cooks with peanut oil, but that doesn't worry our allergist as much. It's the shelling of the peanuts that becomes aerosolized and easily inhaled. We can go in ChickFilA, who cook with peanut oil, but not 5 Guys. :)

 

Oops, editing to say that DS wouldn't eat the food in ChikFilA, but he can sit at a table and eat his own safe food while other people eat ChikFilA food. We can't do that at 5 Guys or ... That steakhouse. Maybe it's Logan's? Not sure. :)

 

Do you mean Texas Roadhouse?  They have the barrels of shelled peanuts out on the floor and bowls of those peanuts on every table.

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Do you mean Texas Roadhouse? They have the barrels of shelled peanuts out on the floor and bowls of those peanuts on every table.

That might be the one. It's been so long, I can't remember. They had a warning on the door, for people with peanut allergies not to come in. But it was before our family was affected by life threatening allergies, so it was a long time ago!

 

ETA: I looked it up. Yes, this is the one. And they still put warnings on the door for people with peanut allergies.

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