By Nick DiMatteo, Fortyfivegames

Just about everyone has a favorite drink of choice, be it a coffee beverage, a soda, or a mixed drink. Sometimes the drink misses the mark when there is a human element involved in its making, but sometimes it hits the spot perfectly.

For me, it was an Arnold Palmer I ordered at a beach side restaurant in Key West. It’s a simple drink (half iced tea, half lemonade), but that first sip was amazing. The tea was perfectly brewed with a just right amount of sweetness balanced by the tangy sour of the lemonade and with the perfect amount of ice that hit the right temperature.

I was blown away and wanted to keep drinking it, but I was a little hesitant. Sometimes, that first taste doesn’t follow through the whole drink, but that is exactly what happened here.

Visiting a restaurant, bar, family entertainment center or any establishment can be a little like this for your customers. You want your guests to be wowed at first sight. You want your staff to be friendly and enthusiastic, and your décor and ambiance to promise an amazing dining experience. Things can quickly go awry, however, if that balance of fun, stellar service, and entertainment isn’t the blend your guests were seeking. You want their overall experience to follow through with the elements you’re promising from start to finish, so they stay longer, return more often, and spend more.This post will explore why you should add arcade games and virtual reality to your bar or restaurants, particularly how having them can attract patrons into your establishment as well as how their presence can boost your bottom line.

You Need Entertainment, but Not All are Created Equal

Group of friends at a restaurant playing a table top game.

As an experienced operator of arcade games in bars and restaurants, I can tell you that the hospitality industry is constantly changing. Owners are always looking for new ways to attract customers and stay ahead of the competition. One trend that has gained a lot of popularity recently is incorporating arcade games, virtual reality, and other forms of gaming entertainment into the existing model alongside food and beverage.Over the past few decades, the popularity of entertainment options in bars and restaurants has grown substantially. Live music performances have become a primary source of entertainment in bars and restaurants, especially in urban areas. This trend can be attributed to several factors, such as the desire for a social atmosphere and changes in disposable income. Bars and restaurants have further capitalized on this trend by offering various ancillary entertainment options for their patrons including live music, karaoke, trivia nights, and arcade games. Each of these options is an opportunity for bars and restaurants to differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract new customers.However, there are some potential drawbacks to some of these offerings. For example, the noise level of live music performances tends to be high and disrupt customer conversations, leading to a negative experience for those who want to interact during their time spent there.

Some entertainment options may not be suitable for all demographics, such as families with younger children. Despite these potential drawbacks, the popularity of entertainment options in bars and restaurants is likely to grow as establishments seek to provide a unique and engaging experience that will engage their patrons and entice them to return.

You want to find your niche as an owner or operator and provide an experience that delivers on that great blend for your demographic.

Enter the Gaming Experience

Close-up of an arcade machine at a bar

Gaming experiences have become a popular feature in bars because they provide a social atmosphere that encourages patrons to interact with each other. There is more control over the noise levels allowing for conversational interaction and a strategic gaming complement can allow for family members of different age levels to find a way to engage.

While it may be hard for all the members of a family to find a particular performer or genre of music they would all enjoy, a carefully curated selection of games may provide just enough options to engage a wide range of ages within a family.The social aspect of gaming entertainment is significant, especially for Millennials who are more interested in outings that are experiential. This customer base is more likely to seek out entertainment venues that have a multidimensional appeal in their offerings.Additionally, virtual reality has also become a popular feature in bars. Virtual reality allows patrons to experience things they may not typically be able to partake in, such as skydiving, exploring a foreign country, or killing hoards of Zombies. This unique selling point for bars provides a new way to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Modern Entertainment Increases Revenue

A group of friends at a small restaurant, one is playing a virtual reality game while the other two look at menus.

The incorporation of arcade games and virtual reality in bars also allows bars to increase revenue. Given a purpose for extending their time in the bar, guests are more likely to purchase food and drinks, increasing revenue. Therefore, arcade games and virtual reality have become an exciting features in bars, providing a social experience for patrons and an opportunity for bars to increase revenue.Increasingly, entertainment is an essential component of the guest’s dining experience. Bars that offer entertainment options have the potential to increase their profits by attracting a more significant number of customers and encouraging longer visits. Overall, the financial benefits of offering entertainment options in bars are clear, and bars that fail to do so may miss significant revenue opportunities.A novel offering will attract new patrons looking to seek change and variety in their outings. A successful complement of entertainment in combination with other properly executed elements such as food, drink and atmosphere will increase the likelihood of guests returning. Therefore, it is highly recommended that bar and restaurant owners consider incorporating these entertainment options into their establishments.If you’d like to know more about how to blend gaming, food and drink reach out to me!

About the Author
Nick Dimatteo is an experienced professional with quarter century background in the food and beverage, amusement, and entertainment industries. He began his career in Food & Beverage as a multi-unit manager before transitioning to the amusement industry. He held various executive positions with route operations and in-line stores. Throughout his career, Nick has been instrumental in designing and implementing innovative programs and business practices that continue to be used by game manufacturers, route companies, and restaurant chains.