Concession Stand Food

Concession Food: What You Need to Know

This concession stand food category covers a variety of snacks, sweets, and treats intended for guests who will be stopping by your stand and quickly moving on. Thus, most of the foods included here can be eaten without utensils and served on a paper plate, on a stick, or in a disposable cup. Nachos, candied apples, cotton candy, and various popcorn styles are perfect for eating while walking around any outdoor event.

Concession stand food must also be easy to prepare since concession stands don't have room for a full commercial kitchen. Most concession stand owners will purchase specific equipment to make products they want to offer, such as candy apple machines or cotton candy machines. Concession stands are a great way to generate a profit without the same level of competition commercial restaurants face, and KaTom can help you stock your stand.

Common Questions About Concession Stand Food

What concession stand snacks should I offer?

Choosing a menu can be tricky, but it can also be fun. The first thing you'll want to consider is what your customers want to eat. If your concession stand is going to be out in hot weather, your customers might not want melting chocolate – but ice cream or slushies might be a perfect choice. You are also a part of the community you'll be serving. Are there local favorites that you could offer, or should you stick with traditional options? If you'll be serving at a county fair, you might want to offer cotton candy or other colorful sweet treats that children will enjoy, but if you'll be at the local sports venue, you may do better selling peanuts and popcorn.

The second major consideration you'll need to make before choosing a menu is what you'll be able to prepare. Some concession food is very easy to prepare; for example, nachos need only cheese heated in a warmer to be ready to go. Other options, such as funnel cakes, take a bit more preparation. Slushies need powerful refrigeration, which requires significantly more electricity than warming up a bit of cheese, so consider the amount of power you'll have and the money you have to invest in equipment when choosing your menu.

Should I get premade food or prepare it myself?

The premade concession food offered here can bring extra convenience to your concession stand. Prepackaged caramel corn is a quick and easy way to drive profits and feed your guests without needing heavy machinery to make the product yourself. However, prepackaged products aren't going to have the same merchandizing properties that cooking the products yourself will. Popping popcorn smells and sounds delicious, drawing people to your booth – as does fresh cotton candy and other concession stand foods. If you can afford and supply power to preparation equipment, freshly made products are usually preferable to prepackaged options. On the other hand, offering premade snacks is a hassle-free way to expand your menu.

What are popcorn flavor mixes?

These jars contain a mixture of sugar, salt, and other flavorings that can be sprinkled onto or mixed with popcorn to make the snack more exciting and marketable. With small jars, operators can experiment with different flavors to find the one their guests like best.