BK settles suit, agrees to ordering device for hearing impaired

Nation's Restaurant News, April 11, 1994 by Theresa Howard

As batters belted their first home runs of the season, concessionaries across the country responded to changing fan demographics by serving up everything from dim som to micro-brewed beer.

Menu items at a new breed of ballparks and old stadiums alike reflected a continued slide in alcohol consumption and the fact that some 30 percent of baseball fans are female, making it the professional sport most watched by women. Such companies as Sportservice Corp., Host Marriott, ARA Services and Volume Services, a divisions of Canteen Corp., also are focusing on providing better service, offering more healthful menu options and marketing to kids.

"There are more families attending games," explained Micahel F. Thompson, Sportservice's president. "We've had to respond to that. We've had reduced alcohol consumption, and we have to make up those sales in concessions." He added that consumers are demanding healthful alternatives, such as yogurt and chicken sandwiches.

Based in Buffalo, N.Y., Sportservice operates Busch Stadium, St. Louis; Comiskey Park, Chicago; Milwaukee Stadium, Milwaukee; Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati; and Tiger STadium, Detroit. The company also handles concessions at two parks debuting this year, The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, and Indians Park in Cleveland.

The Ballpark in Arlington the new home of the Texas Rangers, features 52 concession stands, more than 50 portable stands, 118 private suites, wait-service in preferred seating sections and a stadium club.

The Diamond Club, which is a private restaurant for season ticket-holders, tops the list. Without missing a play, fans can dine on avocado shrimp in pastry with sauce bearnaise; Roursin carpaccio or crab; or artichoke, bechamel and garlic pizza. Tiered seating with an uninterrupted view of the playing field accommodates 350 season-ticket-holders, while 200 additional seats are set father back.

Spectators can eat their fill and watch the game at four club-level grilles offering Texas barbecue, brisket of beef sandwiches, grilled Cajun chicken sandwiches, bratwurst, chicken fingers and Texas-size burgers.

Fans who purchase tickets in the 5,000-set preferred area don't have to leave their seats to satisfy their cravings. Servers in this section transmit orders to centralized commissaries via hand-held computers. Such items as pizza focaccia, grilled chicken Caesar salad and TexMex burritos are delivered to the seatss by food runners. Order time varies from 45 seconds to four minutes.

Strategically placd concessions tout such themes as Pinic Junction, which features hot and cold chicken plates; Tex-Mex Express, which offers spicy taco salads, burritos and churros; Home Run Bakery, which supplies fresh-baked brownies and cinnamon rolls.

When the Cleveland Indians took the field of their new stadium, Indian Park, on April 4, fans packed the bleachers, eating everything from teriyaki shish kebab to steak sandwiches.

A combination of 23 concession stands, 20 portable stands and one picnic area served Mexican delights, such as jalapeno poppers, soft-shell tacos and chicken fajitas; barbecue specialities, such as teriyaki kabobs and ribs; as well as a variety of pizzas, Italian sandwiches, burgers and fries. Healthful eating alternative included grilled chicken breast sandwiches, salads and popcorn made with cholesterol-free oil.

Kids' Land is a concession stand and playground area designed for children 12 years and younger. Items like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, licorice ropes and snow cones are priced on a sale with their pint-sized consumers.

Thompson said Sportservice expects to serve 3 million people and generate $18 million in sales at its seven stadiums by season's end.

While the majority of stadiums are hitting home runs by offering variety, Host Marriott, which operates foodservice at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, is sticking with traditional favorites.

"We have chosen to stay more traditional based on what the fans have told us," said Lon Rosenberg, Host Marriott general manager.

Based on annual surveys, Host Marriott bypassed chicken fajita and gourmet salad stands in favor of an additional fast-food cafeteria called the Dodger Dog Express. This restaurant offers fans the convenience of one-stop shopping for a variety of fast-food items, including the stadium's best-selling Dodger Dog.

Rosenberg said the hot dog, which was developed exclusively for Dodger Stadium by Farmer John of Los Angeles, topped sales of $3 million during the 1993 season. Fans can find the signature hot dog at 44 Dodger Dogs stands throughout the stadium. The other 65 concessions include branded concepts, such as TCBY, Pizza Hut and Carl's Jr., and non-branded stands, including pretzel and beer carts.

Most companies are creating a foodservice lineup that mixes traditional favorites with new players. Albert Valdes, ARA Service general manager at Mile High Stadium, home of the Colorado Rockies, said variety is the key.

"People can come to the stadium 14 days in a row and not eat the same thing," he noted.