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Top 10 sports/recreation food service stories of 2021

The year’s top sports/recreation foodservice stories include innovations operators are undertaking to meet challenges posed by the emerging concessions and venue catering environment in entertainment facilities.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

December 8, 2021

10 Slides
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For a while there in 2020, the entertainment venue market was at a standstill with facilities closed, sports leagues suspending seasons and performers hunkering down. Limitations slowly began to lift toward the latter part of that year and continued to loosen as 2021 progressed. Crowds began returning to pre-pandemic levels, major sports leagues launched full schedules and performers began returning to live concerts.

However, this steady return to “normal” did not mean a return to pre-pandemic business operations for food & beverage service providers at entertainment venues because of a number of factors ranging from changed customer preferences as to how they accessed F&B and continued limitations on some modes of service such as self-serve to—not least—a severe staffing shortage combined with the growth of automation solutions ranging from mobile order to unmanned retail outlets that have ideal application in sports and entertainment venue environments.

FM followed these trends over the course of the year, highlighting innovations, adjusted practices, new menu developments and out-of-the-box initiatives that are changing the way sports/entertainment catering and concessions are offered. Here are 10 stories from the past year focused on these developments…

Related:What’s new at NBA and NHL arenas for the 2021-22 season

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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