# Concession Stand



## lieperjp (Jun 15, 2008)

The search function has failed me.

I'm thinking about trying to get a C-Stand going for our fall musical, and I was wondering if any of you have tips? 

I have lots of experience with concession stands, having worked them for four years and run my high school's for just under three years. The only problem I forsee is no kitchen space, and the lobby used for the theatre (which is in the exact center of a classroom building at my college) is not very large (capacity: 45ish.)

Here's what I'm thinking:
--Bottled Soda (or pop, if you prefer, or even Coke,) Juice, and Water 
--Coffee (in a cup WITH LIDS)
--Hard Candies and such that won't melt onto seats, the floors, etc. such as M&M's, Skittles, Licorice, etc. 

I was wondering mainly if anyone has any "special" items they sell. It will be hard to convince the powers that be to spend money, but hey, I might as well try to raise a little bit of money. Basically, I'm looking for stuff I can sell for under $1.50... I know I can get the soda, water, and juice from the Pepsi Distributor, which I can re-sell for about $1.25 (that should be about a $0.45 profit on average) and I can get the coffee for free (or close) from the cafeteria and sell for $1.00 and make $0.90 profit. Candy I can get from a nearby Sam's Club and sell for $1.00 and make between $0.30 and $0.70 per item. 

Also, I really would like to do popcorn as well but that would require leasing (or purchasing) a popper, even though I could sell a box of it for $1.25 and make $0.90 profit. Popcorn is also messy, but easy to clean up (except if it gets ground into the carpet runners on the lower seating aisles.)


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## rosabelle334 (Jun 15, 2008)

During intermission our school's Make-A-Wish Club runs the consession stand. They sell all the things you mentioned, but they also sell flowers. It'd probably be a good idea to sell flowers (something easy like carnations) as well, for those last-minute congratulations. ^.^


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## Footer (Jun 15, 2008)

I am personally ok with items being sold in a "crush bar" fashion, you leave the theatre, go into the stand, get something durring intermission, and nothing makes it back in. I think it is extremely distracting to have people munching on food during a show, fine for a movie, but not for the stage. That being said, if you can get them to let you take stuff into your theatre, fine, but I would highly suggest you keep everything in the lobby. If you can have liquor sales, you can make some insane money, but I have a feeling that you can't.


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## zapthatmonster (Jun 15, 2008)

Wholesale small sizes of snack foods like chips/twinkies/cookies. We don't allow food in the auditorium so you have to eat it before or during intermission. Coffee with sugar and cream in small cups. Soda cans, and bottled water. Buy nonperishables so they can stick around for a few shows.

Dpends on the audience, though. Most theatres just sell coffee, water, and cookies and maybe alcohol.


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## lieperjp (Jun 15, 2008)

We would never be allowed to sell alcohol, so that's out...

The carnations are a good idea!


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## avkid (Jun 16, 2008)

No soda in bottles, cans only.
(so it can be consumed before entry)


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## derekleffew (Jun 16, 2008)

lieperjp said:


> ...I'm thinking about trying to get a C-Stand going for our fall musical...


Please call it something other than C-Stand.


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## gafftapegreenia (Jun 16, 2008)

One think to do is go to Costco and get roses by the dozen. They are cheap and sell.


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## lieperjp (Jun 16, 2008)

derekleffew said:


> Please call it something other than C-Stand.



Oh, come on, vendors specifically sell stuff for "C-Stands and Vending Machines..."

I don't think lights would like bags of chips... maybe their operators...


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## tweetersaway (Jun 17, 2008)

If you're into trying popcorn, you can make a huge profit. I'd reccomend asking a local theater if you can buy big bags of popcorn. The movie theater I work at sells large bags(20 - 30 gallons or so) of popcorn to private organizations for 5 dollars each. Just a thought. I'd never let popcorn in our theater, but if you're ok with the clean up, it's a great way to raise money.


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## Thefoxygranpa (Jun 22, 2008)

Popcorn

That is one of the biggest items that will make you profit. We bought a $150 popcorn popper and it has paid for itself many, many, many times over. Although I only work for a 80 seat blackbox, I will sell easily at least 30 boxes at $2 each show. 

I also second the idea of cans, the profit margin is better for cans than using your distributer.


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## Spikesgirl (Jun 23, 2008)

We have a fairly successful concession stand in our theater. We do soda, water, wine and cookies. One trick I learned from another theater is to get a small microwave and heat up the chocolate cookies just before intermission - the smell nearly doubles your sales. They are easy to eat during the break. We keep our portions on poured beverages small so that they can be finished quickly and that allows us to sell at a lower fee, but still enough to make a profit. We made enough last year for 12 wireless mics. and new woofers.


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## Van (Jun 25, 2008)

Spikesgirl said:


> We have a fairly successful concession stand in our theater. We do soda, water, wine and cookies. One trick I learned from another theater is to get a small microwave and heat up the chocolate cookies just before intermission - the smell nearly doubles your sales. They are easy to eat during the break. .......


 
This is almost the same menu that we have for our concession stand. Cookies are great, Easy to consume, cheap to acquire even if you are buying the dough and baking them during the first act. We get our wine and Beer Donated from a couple of local distributers and wineries. Things to stay away from, Candy & Popcorn. his of course depends greatly on what you concessions policy is. We allow Concessions back into the theatre, but we sell our drinks in those short but wide plastic cups. Anything like candy, that is in a wrapper, or popcorn, will turn into a distraction for the actors, and remember they are human too, how'd you like to have to sing while smelling yummy, buttery popcorn. If stuff is going to have to stay in the lobby then you're probably ok selling whatever. Be sure to check with your operations folks to make sure they are going to freak when they awalk in and find popcorn bags all over the place. 
In short anything that you can sell, that you don't have to buy is a great idea. cookies, brownies, pasties. When you sell cokes, put it in a glass, do not sell someone a coke for .50 cents, sell them a cup of coke for .50 cents, then sell the next guy the other half of that can in a cup for 50 cents. Remember folks are used to prices at the Movie theatre.


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## lieperjp (Jun 25, 2008)

Well, I was speaking with another person about it (the "Producer" for our fall musical) and he thinks candy (such as M&M's) are too "everyday" or too "movie theater" for live theatre. Theatre is considered "high class" whereas M&M's are not. I disagree.


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## Van (Jun 25, 2008)

lieperjp said:


> Well, I was speaking with another person about it (the "Producer" for our fall musical) and he thinks candy (such as M&M's) are too "everyday" or too "movie theater" for live theatre. Theatre is considered "high class" whereas M&M's are not. I disagree.


 
Hey, M&M's Melt in your mouth not in your hand. That sounds pretty *High Class* to me


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## Les (Jun 25, 2008)

Popcorn is great for movie theatres but I don't know if I would recommend it for live theatre. The only way I would allow it is under the condition that the audience would not be allowed to bring it in after intermission. Not only does it make a mess, but who wants to listen to people digging through a paper popcorn bag and crunching on the stuff during a play? We tried it once in high school and vowed never to do it again. 

Canned drinks are good for their size, but you might try looking for those little 12oz. bottles they sell now. Cookies seem to be popular for live theatre in both community and educational settings.


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## Spikesgirl (Jun 26, 2008)

Buttery popcorn is also tough on the theater seats. The techs are more likely to have popcorn, but that's up in the booth and away from the actors. The only time we do serve popcorn is on movie night - a thank you night for volunteers. Volunteers tend to be a little more careful, since they know they will have to clean the theater afterwards!

M&M's are low class? Our musical director keeps a bowl of them in the pit for the orchestra. I'll have to mention that to him. We found that cookies sell very well and don't make too much of a mess. The only thing we allow back into the theater, at this time, is bottled water.


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## lieperjp (Jun 26, 2008)

Spikesgirl said:


> Buttery popcorn is also tough on the theater seats. The techs are more likely to have popcorn, but that's up in the booth and away from the actors. The only time we do serve popcorn is on movie night - a thank you night for volunteers. Volunteers tend to be a little more careful, since they know they will have to clean the theater afterwards!
> 
> M&M's are low class? Our musical director keeps a bowl of them in the pit for the orchestra. I'll have to mention that to him. We found that cookies sell very well and don't make too much of a mess. The only thing we allow back into the theater, at this time, is bottled water.



I don't think candy is low class... I think if I would sell popcorn it would be in the deli-style paper boats. That way, a few people could share a quick, light, and cheap snack and they can't take it back into the theatre if the ushers are watching.


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## bdkdesigns (Jun 28, 2008)

We also sell soda, water, cookies, and a limited selection of candy. We also make enough to fund a lot of $500-$1000 scholarships. It also is clearly labeled on the stand that all money goes towards the scholarships so I think people are more prone to buy something when they see that.


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## tech2000 (Jul 7, 2008)

Popcorn doesn't seem like it is very easy to clean up in a lot of cases, but it can generate money. You just have to figure out which is more important to you.
During my high school's shows, we sell bottled water, pop, cookies/brownies, chips, etc. But in our last spring show we did the musical "**** Yankees", so we sold hotdogs. It actually wasn't very messy because the audience members ate the hotdogs before reentering the theater.


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## lieperjp (Jul 7, 2008)

tech2000 said:


> Popcorn doesn't seem like it is very easy to clean up in a lot of cases, but it can generate money. You just have to figure out which is more important to you.
> During my high school's shows, we sell bottled water, pop, cookies/brownies, chips, etc. But in our last spring show we did the musical "**** Yankees", so we sold hotdogs. It actually wasn't very messy because the audience members ate the hotdogs before reentering the theater.



Great idea!!! (I mean, great _Show-Specific_ Idea.)


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## ReiRei (Jul 8, 2008)

Cookies... cookies are good...
Soda, water, coffee, orange juice.
Brownies at times
Popcorn sounds cool never thought of that one.

Candy though, sounds like you'll let audience members take stuff into the house with them... Let me say, hard candies stick to the floor as well as gum and sticky candies, and they're especially disgusting to pick off the floor. My theatre has a strict, no food in the house rule... I like that rule.

Be careful of what you sell though, because your technicians may want to steal it. This happens a lot in our theatre. Luckily we have some pretty hardcore house managers who carry bamboo sticks with them to beat the unruly techs. Not really but you get the idea I hope.


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## museav (Jul 8, 2008)

From a practical perspective, check local codes and ordinances, there may be big differences being selling packaged or pre-prepared food and actually preparing any food on site.


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## maccor (Jul 8, 2008)

High school here....

We sell only pre-packaged food. What works really well is the 100 calorie pack snacks. Chex Mix, chips, rice krispie treats, Famous Amos Cookies are our best seller (no candy)... The 100 calorie packs are small enough to consume in a 15 minute intermission. For drinks, we serve bottled water ($1.00) and soda ($.50). Soda served in a plastic cup poured from 2 liters...you can almost always find them on sale somewhere for about $1.00 or so (store brand even less). When pricing, always try and sell it for AT LEAST double what you bought it for. We sell flowers before the show and at intermission. $2.00 for each carnation stem (only kind we sell). Includes the green tissue wrap, a "personalized to the show" card and delivery backstage. We make more on flowers than concessions (like two or three times as much).

We tried coffee. That didn't work for us. We sold Starbucks in bottles a few times, but they didn't move to quickly because we couldn't buy them cheap enough to still double the price.

Overall advice....keep it really simple and keep track of your income and expenses. Don't let it turn into a money loser for you.

Mike


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## henryZ (Mar 9, 2012)

What many people don't know is that theaters have to have high prices on concessions. That is where theaters obtain the most profits and otherwise, ticket costs would be through the roof and no one would go to the movies. Source for this article: Good reason exists for movie theater concession prices. Well if you want them to lower concessions then they will be forced to raise the prices of movie tickets. Concessions is how they make enough money to stay open. The problem is movies aren't the cheap form of entertainment they used to be. Aside from the ticket, you might have to have extra money to afford popcorn and a drink.


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## chieftfac (Mar 13, 2012)

Van said:


> .....cookies, brownies, pasties.



Pasties???? You're selling the audience pasties???, What kind of show are you producing!!!!

Got a good laugh out of that one!!!!


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## museav (Mar 13, 2012)

Depending on your audience and situation, some small theatre groups seem to find they make more by putting out drinks and snacks and accepting voluntary donations rather than by charging fixed prices. You also don't have to deal with taking money or giving change. It's rather amazing how people that would balk at being asked to pay $1 for a cup of soda don't seem to think anything about throwing $1 into the jar after you offer them a cup of soda and some people may donate without even taking any food or drink. However, this doesn't work well if your audience might look at it as an opportunity for free meals.


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## ruinexplorer (Mar 16, 2012)

chieftfac said:


> Pasties???? You're selling the audience pasties???, What kind of show are you producing!!!!
> 
> Got a good laugh out of that one!!!!




Not everyone has a taste for them.


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## lewis (Mar 17, 2012)

At the high school that I work at they do something called dramagrams. It's basiclly a carnation with a note attached that is delivered to the actors after the show. We usually get them donated by a local florist. Aside from that, we do the usual baked goods, soda and water. The biggest issue I'm having currently is getting everyone onboard with the new no food or drink in the house rule. As it's my first year there are some people that are still resistant to change...


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## chieftfac (Mar 17, 2012)

ruinexplorer said:


> Not everyone has a taste for them.



True.... I thought they were doing a burlesque show


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## avkid (Mar 17, 2012)

lewis said:


> At the high school that I work at they do something called dramagrams. It's basiclly a carnation with a note attached that is delivered to the actors after the show. We usually get them donated by a local florist.


 We did the same thing, except with chocolates instead of flowers.


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## chausman (Mar 17, 2012)

avkid said:


> We did the same thing, except with chocolates instead of flowers.



We do the same thing, except we have the option of chocolates or flowers!


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