A tweet by my friends at Sports Business Institute Barcelona that read ‘No more queuing for @NUFC fans, they can now have refreshments delivered to their seat during game bit.ly/1mgo24k #nufc @fcbusiness‘ caught my attention. (Food and football always gets my attention!) Aaron Gourley explained on fcbusiness.co.uk how Newcastle United fans have become the first in the Barclay’s Premier League to benefit from an innovative app which allows them to have refreshments delivered to their seat during a game. After checking out the VenueMenu website (and their funny commercial!), I was sold on the idea.

The VenueMenu app allows its users to order refreshments through their mobile phones and have them delivered to their seats. That means no more waiting for a break until getting a drink or some fries. As Jamie Nelson, CEO Dash 13 Technologies, puts it in an interview with App Central, stadium visitors often ask themselves, “How do I get a beer and not miss most action?” The VenueMenu app answers that question by allowing users to have a more convenient and enjoyable match experience.

Jamie Nelson does not exactly disclose how the logistics of the service work, but that is okay, as long as it works and customers receive their refreshments on time and intact. In order for venue operators to be sold on the VenueMenu app, they will definitely want to know what the advantages are for them. Mr Nelson has the perfect answer ready:

We think there’s a lot of revenue that’s being lost to people who just sit in their seats and say, ‘You know what, I would get a beer, but I simply don’t want to miss the game or spent a lot on [my] ticket and I don’t want to waste most of my time standing in the line-up. Or, they’ll say, ‘Forget it, I won’t bother.’

What this allows is a great deal more of flexibility. … For the venue; they should reconcile a lot faster, because they’re not dealing with loads of cash, they should have less cash leakage through the backdoor, and ultimately, it’s a simple process for them to be able to figure out at the end of the night what their sales are through the app.

The advantages for stadium visitors also have to be pointed out: Your credit card is approved through the app, you don’t have to carry around a big amount of cash, and most importantly, you won’t miss any piece of the action.

IMHO
I think VenueMenu is a great service, especially for heavy frequented stadiums. I’m not much of a queuer myself and would most definitely use the service. Stadiums with lower attendance, such as in Switzerland, where I watch matches, might not have a need for the service, since one never has to stand in line for more than one minute. Plus, there is always someone going around the stands selling refreshments. Nonetheless, if I would run the stadium, I would definitely talk to the guys at VenueMenu and talk business with them. Also, because I’d like to know the secret sauce behind their logistics.