Concession Stand Equipment for Tasty Treats

Concession stands are what make places like amusement parks and stadiums feel complete. Without the perfect snack to accompany you, you can’t have the full experience and take the best pictures for your social media. There are a lot of factors a concession stand owner should take into account when shopping for concession stand equipment and designing the very fabric of their business.

Different settings call for different concession stand products, and depending on your business model; you will need to invest in a lot of different pieces of concession stand equipment. We prepared an article that gives you a brief list of concession stand equipment you could benefit from in your establishment. Investing in the right equipment can make your concession stand truly stand out :-). 

There are many different types of concession stands, and every single one of them has unique needs due to the atmosphere they are formed to serve. If you are running a stand at a cinema, you must have popcorn, and if you work at an amusement park, kids will be running around looking for cotton candy and slushies. It would be best if you analyzed your surroundings and audience to fit in with the aesthetic as well as possible. Once you are done with your analysis, you can start shopping for the right items from this list below.

Concession Food Equipment List

1. Frozen Drink Machines

Frozen drink machines are possibly one of the most common concession stand equipment in the world. They are mainly used in movie theaters and theme parks to create colorful slushies, but you can use them to make any kind of juice and broaden the range of your menu. People of all ages will appreciate having their favorite cold drink with them when they are out having fun. After all, everyone could use a cold drink at any given time. (You can read our article to determine what type of slushy machine would be the perfect fit for your stand on https://www.chefsdeal.com/blog/frozen-drink-machines)

2. Popcorn Machines

Popcorn machines are essential concession stand equipment for theaters, but they can be utilized in multiple different settings. Sports fans will be looking for the popcorn to throw around when their team scores, kids are always happy to see popcorn, and sometimes one just gets the cravings for this salty treat. So, if you believe your specific audience would go for popcorns, then you could hop on this train of profit. Popcorn is cheap and easy to make, and popcorn machines are pretty easy to operate. Considering the fact that concession stands usually employ part-time workers, ease of operation will prove very useful in the long run.  

3. Cotton Candy Makers

Cotton candy is the queen of county fairs. Their dashing colors and soft texture make them perfect for customers of all ages. So, getting a cotton candy maker for your establishment would be a brilliant investment. The visitors will be looking for cotton candy to take pictures and post on social media. Also, these concession stand equipment only require a little sugar and minimum effort to create cotton candies. So, you’ll have a reasonably manageable production process. 

4. Concession Stand Deep Fryers

Commercial fryers are efficient machines that can help you make chips. French fries are the ultimate side dish of any menu, and you can serve them with anything to anyone. They are the best friends of burgers and the ideal salty treat for a night out. Owning this concession stand equipment is quite profitable since all you have to do is put the chips in the friers and wait for them to be ready; there surely will be customers waiting for some freshly fried French fries. 

5. Merchandiser Refrigerators

Merchandiser refrigerators are a must-have among concession stand equipment. Regardless of your setting, you will want to offer canned drinks or packaged food, and it is impossible to store and serve such items without the help of a merchandiser refrigerator. Depending on the size of your stand, you can invest in one-door or two-door merchandisers. This concession stand equipment will prove very useful and make sure none of your packaged food or drinks goes to waste. Plus, a reach-in model will let the customers browse and pick what they like and ease the job of your staff a little. You can browse our article on refrigerators to figure out all you need for your business regarding storage and refrigeration.  

6. Concession Stand Nacho Cheese Dispensers And Chip Warmers

Nachos and tacos are comfort foods for anyone ranging from fanatic sports fans to teens strolling through the mall. Concession stand equipment to make and serve nachos and tacos is quite varied. It would help if you had a chip warmer for the base and cheese heaters for the melted topping. Also, serving plates or trays will come in handy. If you think dealing with nachos might prove a little messy and challenging, then you can invest in a beautiful concession stand equipment called nacho chip merchandiser and quickly fill your plastic plates with nacho chips. You’ll be pleased to discover that concession stand equipment is designed to make your job as easy as possible.

7. Snow Cone Dispensers

Snow cone dispensers are necessary concession stand equipment if you plan to offer snow cones that are the best summer treats. If you have a stand near a beach or a summer fair, you are bound to get a lot of customers looking for a snack that could cool them off. So, offering these colorful treats will help your business, and getting snow cone concession stand equipment will make sure your snow cones don’t melt away before you get a chance to prepare and serve them. 

8. Commercial Ice Cream Machines

Commercial ice cream machines are one of the most incredible concession stand equipment on the market. There are many models you could choose from based on the type of ice cream you’d like to offer. You could get a soft serve machine and offer soft ice cream, or you could get an ice cream dipping cabinet to store and serve regular ice cream. Concession stand equipment wouldn’t be complete without an ice cream machine of some kind, so you can check out our article on ice cream machines to find out which might qualify as concession stand equipment.

9. Milkshake Machines

Commercial milkshake machines are probably the most aesthetic-oriented concession stand equipment in the world. Milkshakes were famous in the 60s, and their nostalgic value and incredible taste will keep them relevant for a long time. So, you could safely invest in a milkshake machine and be sure that you’ll earn quite a lot of money. All you’ll have to do is get some milkshake powder and milk to put into the machine, and the machine will do the rest for you. 

10. Hot Dog Concession Stand Deep Fryer Equipment

Hot dogs are the most American of all snacks, along with burgers. Both can be prepared relatively easily in a stand and gain you a lot of good customers. In order to be more efficient, you might want to get some concession stand equipment to help you out, and you’ve got many options such as commercial griddles and especially hot dog machines. You can get a hot dog roller for the hot dogs. Also, bun steamers would significantly enhance the taste of your burgers and hot dogs and save you a lot of energy.

11. Commercial Pizza Ovens

Commercial pizza ovens are the main concession stand equipment you will need if you hope to serve food in your stand. A good commercial pizza oven should fit in your stand and be quite efficient. Most stands could benefit from pre-made pizza for time’s sake. You could get a frozen pizza and prepare them in the oven or make your pizzas yourself in advance if you have the necessary means of storage.  You can also check our guide on pizza shop equipment to figure out what you need

Special Tips for Special Occasions

After getting all the necessary concession stand equipment, you will have a perfectly functioning stand, but it is up to you to customize your stand and make it the talk of the town. While you can shop for beautiful decorations and design a colorful, eye-catching exterior, you have to do more on special days. Consider offering customized food and drinks on days like Halloween and Christmas. Customers will come running for some bloody slushies on Halloween and heart-shaped pizzas and doughnuts on valentine’s day. 

Conclusion 

Concession stand equipment is quite diverse, and this diversity is both a blessing and a curse. While you get to choose from millions of options, deciding which concession stand equipment is suitable for your business might be challenging. After assessing the customer base in your area and deciding on a path to follow, you can start investing in some concession stand equipment.