Providing Consistent Service at the Concession Stands: An Exploratory Study

Concession sales are a critical revenue stream for sport and entertainment venues. Most research investigating concession revenues has focused upon quality and availability of food choices as well as the servicescape (Bigelow, 2004; Zeithaml et al, 2006). Though these are important areas of concern, one area that has not been extensively researched is the appearance, speed, and efficiency of individual concession stations in relation to their in-venue counterparts. This study investigated the consistency of concession operations at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s basketball game. Results indicated that a discrepancy existed among concession outlets in regards to physical appearance and speed of customer transactions.