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Recent Posts
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- The February edition of our Leisure eNewsletter is now available  February 15, 2022
- What they fail to explain about vaccines, Delta, and masks September 13, 2021
- No, the pandemic hasn’t ended. It’s still having a significant impact on indoor family and children’s venues July 8, 2021
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Category Archives: FEC
Hometainment’s impact on the post-pandemic entertainment landscape
When the risk of the coronavirus finally disappears, will our current levels of hometainment continue or will our out-of-home entertainment return to its 2019 levels? Continue reading
Using slices of Swiss cheese to make people feel safe from catching the coronavirus at public places?
The coronavirus is an existential threat for getting people to participate in public activities. How Swiss cheese to make them more comfortable to attend. Continue reading
Virus infections spike, comfort levels visiting public activities, including LBEs, drops
The current surge in coronavirus infections is decreasing the number of people comfortable visiting location-based entertainment, including FECs. Continue reading
What can the comfort of returning to concerts tell us about the comfort of returning to other type LBEs?
Research on concert attendees offers insights on who is most likely to return to location-based entertainment, including FECs. Continue reading
Covid-time restaurant preferences and concerns
While people’s food and drink preferences are continually changing, some things remain the same as pre-pandemic for dining out during the coronavirus, while others have changed. Continue reading
The great location-based entertainment decimation event
The pandemic and its continuation into 2021 are a genuine existential threat to location-based entertainment and FECs. Continue reading
Increase in work-at-home creates a shift in site selection strategies for location-based entertainment
More people working at home has shifted site selection strategies for location-based entertainment. Continue reading
A shift in parents’ emotional drivers and the meaning of family time
The pandemic as accelerated a trend that began several years ago – parents increasingly putting themselves first instead of their kids as their Gen X parents did.
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Should location-based leisure businesses have strict mandatory face mask requirements?
This blog contains a lot of data from research and polls on the face mask requirements location-based leisure businesses should adopt to become the most successful during corona-time. Continue reading
Less than 1/3rd of previous bowlers are ready to return
Due to the coronaviruses, less than 1/3rd of previous bowlers are ready to go bowling again Continue reading
The illusion that a vaccine is the magic bullet to the post-pandemic era (and if it is, the timeline is much longer than anticipated)
The illusion that a vaccine is the magic bullet to the post-pandemic era (and if it is, the timeline is much longer than anticipated)
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Comfort for visiting leisure, entertainment and cultural destinations continues to decline
Morning Consult has been polling Americans every two weeks on their comfort levels of engaging in different out-of-home leisure activities. For every activity tracked, the comfort level was on an upswing into the second week in June, after which it … Continue reading
The post-Covid out-of-home entertainment competitive landscape
Pre-Covid LBE and FEC business models are all facing a true existential threat. Their existing business models will all suffer accelerated Darwinism if they don’t adapt and innovate for the new post-pandemic future with customers who are fundamentally different than the ones we knew before. Continue reading
Is Chuck E. Cheese’s bankruptcy a bellwether for the decimation of the LBE/FEC industry?
The Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating for the location-based entertainment (LBE) industry. Why I predict that at least 30% of FECs will go out of business and be permanently closed by the end of 2021, perhaps sooner. Continue reading
Increasing concern about Covid-19 impacting attendance at entertainment and cultural venues
Multiple polls show an increase in Americans’ concerns about the coronavirus outbreak and fear of getting sick. The worsening situation is sure to slow or postpone the reopening of entertainment and cultural venues of all types, including family entertainment centers (FECs)
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Consumers’ comfort visiting leisure activities falls with Covid-19 infection surge
Consumers’ comfort levels visiting leisure and entertainment activities has declined with the Covid-19 infection surge. Continue reading
Who will be the first to return to which out-of-home leisure/entertainment activities?
Here’s my latest research and thoughts on which customers will be the first to return, to which out-of-home entertainment/leisure activities, and at what frequency. Continue reading
When will people return to out-of-home entertainment and dining based on their income, education, generation & age?
Here’s some very recent data on when adults expect to return to restaurants and out-of-home (OOH) entertainment and cultural venues based on their incomes, education, generation and age. Continue reading
The economics of operating location-based entertainment in corona-time
As stay-in-place orders are lifted, reopening LBEs will face financial challenges. Continue reading
Who’s ready to return to out-of-home entertainment and cultural experiences?
Now that states are starting to allow businesses to open and the lockdown is winding down, will people return to out-of-home (OOH) entertainment and cultural experiences? Our company has access to a large number of national U.S. polls with very current data. So, I dug into the data of some of them to see what people are saying. Continue reading
The inconvenient truth – almost all location-based entertainment business models are now obsolete
Our company prides itself in using research to identify trends and guide our clients to future-proof their location-based entertainment centers (LBEs), which includes the categories of family entertainment centers (FECs), social eatertainment venues and agritainment/agritourism farms. As they say in … Continue reading
Predictions on the post-pandemic location-based entertainment landscape
What will the post-pandemic out-of-home entertainment competitive landscape look like? Continue reading
The impact of virtual entertainment experiences during the lockdown on the post-pandemic entertainment landscape
What might the long-term impact be on our out-of-home entertainment behavior once the corona-crisis is over? Continue reading
The post-pandemic future of America’s location-based entertainment
The coronavirus is likely to devastate large portions of the location-based entertainment industry. Businesses that survive should expect a less-saturated market with a changed consumer base and market size. Continue reading
The out-of-home entertainment blood bath
There is massive over expansion of out-of-home entertainment options occurring in many markets. At the same time, in-home entertainment options are becoming more alluring. Jim Kessler, owner and operator of two Lasertron venues, just posted a blog on what it … Continue reading
Digital disruption changes industry definitions
This year two major trade organizations changed the definition of their industries. Both are telltale signs of the major digital disruption that is occurring to all types of out-of-home (OOH) B2C businesses, including OOH leisure and entertainment. According to the National … Continue reading
First mover doesn’t succeed unless its also best mover
The conventional wisdom is that first to market can establish a stronghold in the market, a first mover advantage, making it difficult for later entrants to capture market share. However, a first mover advantage is never a sure thing. Being a first mover at the expense of being the best mover will often lead to a competitive disadvantage. Continue reading
Looking back and looking forward at the FEC industry
Looking back through the history of the family entertainment center industry and predictions of what the future holds for its success. Continue reading
FECs and LBEs now facing new competition
Now along comes another form of competition to FECs and LBEs. . . Continue reading
Mother Facebookers high in FoMO
Now along comes some data that indicates that FoMO may be strongest among mothers with children under 18. . . Continue reading
Where does pizza at FECs and Chuck E. Cheese’s fall in the four pizza groups?
Most FECs need to wake up and get with it, or they will see drastic revenue declines no different than Chuck E. Cheese’s has seen over the years due to their behind the times, non-adult appealing pizza. Continue reading
Be an LBE disrupter before you get disrupted
The LBE formulas of just a few years past are no longer future proof. Be a disrupter before you get disrupted, because that disruption is already underway. Continue reading
Vietnam’s Largest FEC Opens
157,000 SF Helio Center, Vietnam’s largest family entertainment center, celebrates its grand opening Continue reading
The digital death of boredom and its implications for LBEs
Boredom used to be location-based entertainment’s friend. That has changed today. . . Continue reading
Industry Label Reinforces Paradigm Paralysis
At the IAAPA Convention in Orlando this year I was part of what we believe was the first seminar ever given at IAAPA about attracting the adult market, called Growing Your Revenue with Adults. . . This is a completely new idea for most of what is called the family entertainment center (FEC) industry. And that is exactly why it is such a new idea, as for over two decades . . . Continue reading
More Evidence of the Digital Disruption of Location-Based Entertainment & Culture
So here’s what is so scary for location-based entertainment, sporting events and cultural venues, the vast majority of which are seeing a long-term trend of declining attendance. The use of mobile devices that can be used anywhere 24/7 continues to grow, and the majority of that growing screen time is being used to engage in entertainment . . . Continue reading
How interactive location-based entertainment can bond families
In a world where our children are constantly alone on their tablets, it is so important to create environments where they can have fun with each other. It [laser tag] can even bring mom and dad together with their son to. Continue reading
More High Fidelity Proof
I believe this past weekend’s success of the movie Gravity is additional proof in the movie theater industry . . . Continue reading
Foundations Entertainment University Attracts 63 Attendees
The 28th Foundations Entertainment University held in Las Vegas March 18-19 in conjunction with Amusement Expo attracted 63 attendees. The next Foundations will be held in Chicago July 16-18, 2013. Continue reading
What age households are the big spenders for location-based entertainment?
It’s the older age households that have the greatest aggregate out-of-home entertainment spending, not younger age households that marketing myths have us believe. Article includes infographic and historical trend data. Continue reading
Get unstuck; It’s really all about social-tainment!
The location-based entertainment industry has paradigm paralysis, continuing to believe build the entertainment and they will come. Get unstuck with social-tainment. Continue reading
The Potential of the Stay-at-Home Mother Market
Many businesses, including entertainment facilities, fail to recognize and capture the potential from the stay-at-home mother market. Continue reading
Climbing the wall of FEC success
There’s a financial hurdle that all family entertainment centers need to meet if they are going to have long term success rather than become road kill. Unfortunately, many FECs fail to make it. Learn about many of the reasons why FECs fail due to inadequate budgets and investment. Continue reading
Upscaling the guest’s LBE facility experience
Most independent FEC and LBE owners fail to understand the importance of the quality of design and ambiance of their facility to their success. Continue reading
Be aware of guest homophily
When it comes to applying the concept of homophily to location-based entertainment, it is critical to know what socioeconomic/lifestyle group you want to attract. Continue reading
The Architects of Service
Poor customer service experiences are often not the fault of frontline staff, rather the blame falls on the architects of service who design the customer service procedures, staff training programs as well as the actual physical facility. Continue reading
Feasibility studies – a combination of art and science
A feasibility study for location-based entertainment is both science and art. Properly prepared, it becomes the strategic plan for the entire project. Continue reading
What’s happening with Chuck E. Cheese’s?
Update on Chuck E. Cheese’s 4th quarter 2010 results, their rollout of a new pizza and their remodel, expansion and franchise plans. Continue reading
It’s time to kill the family entertainment center industry
Now don’t panic. I’m not suggesting we close the centers. What I am suggesting is that it’s time to do away with the inappropriate industry term for the type of venues that the FEC industry claims to represent. Using family … Continue reading
It’s All About the Expectations
Give Your Customer the Minimum They Expect During Every Encounter With Your Business (Nothing more and Nothing Less) Continue reading
Chasing What’s New and Hot
When it comes to many family entertainment center (FEC) type venues, all they do is chase the latest fad in attractions rather than develop a sustainable model. I can’t tell you how many times after attending the annual IAAPA show … Continue reading
Know the market you are targeting, but don’t forget the adults
Know the market you are targeting, but don’t forget the adults Continue reading
Don’t count on cabin fever to drive attendance
Relying on people having cabin fever to drive attendance at a family entertainment center type facility is wishful thinking. The world of out-of-home entertainment has changed dramatically in the last decade or so. Several decades ago, short of playing Monopoly … Continue reading
Why so many FECs have marginal success or fail
Over our company’s 22-years working in the location-based entertainment (LBE) and family entertainment center (FEC) industries, which include bowling and other community-based out-of-home entertainment venues, we have been retained by many clients to analyze their poorly performing centers and develop … Continue reading
Thoughts on the Future of LBEs & Digital Out-of-Home Entertainment
Recently Kevin Williams, publisher of The Stinger Report, an ezine that covers the digital out-of-home interactive entertainment industry, contacted me and several other industry leaders and asked about our take on the future of location-based entertainment and digital out-of-home entertainment. … Continue reading
When suppliers become FEC consultants and designers, beware!
I’ve noticed an alarming trend that the Great Recession seems to have accelerated – many equipment suppliers are marketing themselves as also consultants and designers of potential buyers’ family entertainment centers (FECs). Two recent prospects we have had discussions with … Continue reading
Is your out-of-home entertainment experience better than nothing?
Location-based entertainment facilities (LBEs) often compare themselves to the competition down the road and worry, “Is my facility better than theirs? Is my entertainment better? Am I competitively priced?” etc. Well, those other bricks-and-mortar LBEs are not the only competition. … Continue reading
