How 'contactless food' will work at the ballpark this summer

"Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack might look a little different at your ballpark in 2021!"

Innovative frictionless and contactless food and beverage solutions will support the safe reopening of sports venues

As pro sports teams begin to welcome fans back, having fans in the stands for this season’s MLB Opening Day will take on added meaning for America’s Pastime. Whether it’s a ballpark, stadium or arena, Aramark, the leading food and beverage partner of major league sports teams, is meeting and exceeding the safety and hygiene standards required in today’s environment, while also improving the overall gameday dining experience, with new and proven solutions.

Thanks to its innovation pipeline, Aramark has been at the forefront of progressively introducing strategic data driven, state-of-the-art systems to elevate the food and beverage experience. As a result, the collaborative nature of Aramark’s Data Science and Design & Development teams made it easy to pivot and implement tested solutions to accommodate the new norm.

"Like all baseball fans, we’re excited for the first pitch of the 2021 season. While attending games in-person may look and feel a little different this year, the return of fans to sporting events represents a significant milestone and we look forward to serving them, once again," said Alison Birdwell, President and CEO of Aramark’s Sports & Entertainment division. "The health and safety of our employees and everyone we serve is our highest priority and we are working closely with our partners to tailor operations and enhance service models to help safeguard the preparation, delivery and service of food."

What you might see or experience now when ordering food at a sporting event:

Self-Ordering Kiosks: Using touch screen technology, fans can customize and pay for their order at kiosks.

Self-Checkout Scanners: Artificial intelligence (AI) scanners allow fans to expeditiously complete their transactions. Fans simply place the items they wish to purchase on the checkout unit where they are scanned for quick payment.

Checkout-Free Shopping: A completely self-guided, checkout-free grab-and-go experience. Fans download a pre-determined app, use the QR code in the app as their 'key' to enter the market, grab the items they want, then leave. No check-out required. The receipt will appear in the app. For those without the app, credit card entry is also available.

Virtual Food Hall: A unique way for fans to try the most popular menu items throughout the building in one convenient location. Fans scan the "connected concepts" menu, then have the option to skip the line by ordering and paying on their smartphone and picking up their order at the pickup window.

Mobile Ordering: Fans can place an order via an app on their smartphone for delivery to their seats or pick up at a designated concession stand.

Cashless Transactions: Cashless transactions – credit cards and smartphone wallet – reduce touch points and increase speed of service. For fans who do not carry credit cards or use mobile payment, reverse ATMs (or cash-to-card kiosks) that dispense prepaid debit cards may be available throughout the ballpark.

Aramark partners with more than 25 Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, and National Hockey League teams to provide food and beverage, retail and/or facilities service.