In recent years, Aramark Sports + Entertainment has increasingly centered its business decisions around the soft metrics of variety and quality within the eight NFL venues it manages for food and beverage services. While traditional hard metrics like customer throughput and per-cap spending are easily quantifiable, these softer measures gather subjective opinions en masse through surveys such as the Voice of the Fan Gameday Experience. These insights reveal a strong correlation between variety, quality, and overall fan satisfaction, often surpassing the significance of actual pricing.

Aramark's Strategic Approach to Enhance Fan Satisfaction

Within the vibrant atmosphere of professional sports, Aramark S+E is setting new benchmarks by focusing on enhancing the diversity and excellence of culinary offerings across its managed stadiums. Key locations include US Bank Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, Empower Field at Mile High, Paycor Stadium, Huntington Bank Field, Lincoln Financial Field, Acrisure Stadium, and NRG Stadium. Under the leadership of VP/Data Science Scott McDade and VP/Marketing Strategy & Innovation Alicia Woznicki, Aramark has implemented innovative strategies that significantly boost fan engagement and satisfaction.

For instance, US Bank Stadium achieved an unprecedented high score in overall satisfaction, attributed partly to its restructured concessions program introduced in 2021. Additionally, Aramark S+E’s venues collectively improved their speed-of-service scores by 5%, thanks to technological advancements like Zippin markets, Walk Thru Bru locations, and Tapin2 self-checkout kiosks. In Denver's "Downtown Mile High" section, clustering local concepts into a self-service food court resulted in a remarkable 32% increase in transactions.

To ensure fans are aware of these expanded options, Aramark developed wayfinding programs and leveraged social media influencers, capitalizing on current trends to effectively communicate with attendees who typically explore less than fans of other leagues due to fewer home games.

From a journalistic perspective, Aramark S+E’s commitment to elevating fan experiences underscores the evolving nature of sports entertainment. Their strategic emphasis on soft metrics like variety and quality not only enhances immediate satisfaction but also fosters long-term loyalty among spectators. This approach serves as a model for other industries aiming to balance technology with personalized service delivery.