With the BlazeBite app, concessions operators are feeding more people in less time—and netting a much bigger profit
By Mary Malik
Attention anyone who has missed some of the game, concert or movie while waiting in line at the concession stand. Have you said to yourself, “There has to be a better way?”
How about the athletic and booster club parents who spend hours poring over inventory spreadsheets, begging for volunteers and navigating the concession chaos of game days, all to maximize those critical resources for extracurricular programs? What if there was an easier, more profitable way to operate all concessions?
Jeff Leahy and Bryan Thomas, founders of BlazeBite, the cashless mobile ordering system, have created a solution for those time- consuming, profit-draining issues.
“BlazeBite is the result of a trip Bryan and I took in 2018, where we waited to order food at a restaurant, waited to get the check and waited yet again to get the receipt,” Jeff says. “There has to be a way to pay when ready. We took it even further and thought, what about a system where you can also order when ready? BlazeBite is the future of food ordering.”
“The Lake County Captains, Mahoning Valley Scrappers and Kent State’s Men Basketball heard about us and started using BlazeBite at their games,” Jeff says. “Then, a high school reached out and we set up BlazeBite for their band boosters concession stand. That’s when the lightbulb went off. BlazeBite could really make a difference to these organizations where every penny matters.”
Tracy Starnes, Vice President of the Stow Munroe Falls High School PTSA, remarks, “The BlazeBite app provided us the ability to accept credit cards for payment of sales at our indoor concession stand for basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. In this age of everyone being cashless, especially the students, it has increased our sales dramatically. We find that most people are used to placing and paying for an order on their phone and it is very user friendly.”
And for Christine Martin, Twinsburg High School’s band booster president, BlazeBite has not only simplified concessions at games but has also streamlined the process of feeding band members in a timely manner, organized inventory management and increased sales by 30 percent.
“A big part of concessions is feeding not only our band members but also the opposing team band,” Christine says. “This can mean more than 350 kids in about 15 minutes. The problem was that by the time they can eat, much of the food is gone. With BlazeBite, band members pre-order and pay on the app earlier in the week, then volunteers prepackage and tag the orders and hand them out to the kids after they perform.”
Christine describes BlazeBite as a game changer for the boosters. Before the app, they were using the paper and pencil method. The inefficient process resulted in loss of sales, frustrated volunteers, long lines and hungry kids.
“When we first met with Jeff and Bryan, they described the simple process of loading our menu onto the app and the ease of changing items and pricing any time,” Christine says. “They provided us with a tablet and Bluetooth printer for filling orders and inventory management. When an item is sold, it is automatically deducted from inventory, so we know what’s selling, which helps us plan so there is less waste and more sales.”
Stadium crowds also download the app, order and pay from their seats, and pick up at the concession stand.
“BlazeBite has streamlined the process for the boosters and is satisfying for all users,” Christine says. “We tell everyone that if you’re operating a concession stand, you should be using BlazeBite.”
For more information and to schedule a free BlazeBite demonstration and quote, check the website BlazeBite.com, fill out the contact form and a team member will contact you.