The concept is curious. Transform 347 International House of Pancakes locations across the country into ghost kitchens that produce stadium-themed fast food for delivery and pickup.
Ballpark Bites outlets popped up seemingly overnight, 44 in California alone, second only to the 76 in Texas. Maybe that’s how ghost kitchens work.
Major League Baseball sponsors the venture, which mirrors the NASCAR Refuel Tenders & Burgers initiative that also uses IHOP kitchens – although unfortunately neither menu offers the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity. Already, 524 NASCAR Refuels are in place, and the company motto is (of course) “We’re growing FAST!!! »
Pairing wildly popular and deeply American professional sports with a fast food business is the brainchild of Virtual Dining Concepts, owned by Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl. The company’s website has 3,000 virtual restaurants, 2,000 restaurants, 6 million orders and, apparently, counting.
The recipe is simple. Offer what people usually eat at a football game or car race for less than the exorbitant prices charged at these places, slather the menu descriptions with a healthy dose of puns and games. cringe-worthy words, and use delivery services to get the food to the couch. potatoes stuck to their favorite ball game or TV race.
Like most fast food chains, the menu at each MLB ghost kitchen is identical, right down to the sandwiches served on the same soft pretzel bun. The “starter lineup” offers chicken strip sandwiches, hot dogs, a sirloin tip sandwich and a cheesesteak. A combo plate is called “the triple play” and the “closer” is a ball bucket filled with donut holes mixed with cinnamon sugar.
“We understand that not everyone has the opportunity to visit an MLB or minor league ballpark, so we wanted to create Ballpark Bites so fans can enjoy some of that experience in the comfort of their own home, a local park or even at work,” said Karin Timpone, MLB executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
Reaction on social networks and mainstream media criticize MLB for menu similarity. “You would think a national organization like MLB would rely on the regional specialties of its stadiums, but no,” SFGate wrote.
However, blowback would be inevitable if attempts to replicate specific stadium-specific favorites failed – if San Francisco Garlic Fries or the LA Dodger Dogs or whatever didn’t have a authentic taste. Additionally, most regional offerings are inferior versions of what’s available outside the ballpark, like crab cakes in Baltimore, cheesesteak in Philadelphia, barbecue in Kansas City, or deep dish in Chicago.
Who’s going to seek out an MLB city’s signature culinary offering prepared at an IHOP presented by Mastercard?
NASCAR Refuel Tenders & Burgers follows the same script with menu descriptions in overdrive. Choose from the Talladega, Hot Lap or Full Throttle offerings, the Daytona Firecracker Burger or the Checkered Flag Chicken Sandwich.
Or, as IHOP considers it, a revenue driver.
“Our work with (Virtual Dining Concepts) and the three brands we are implementing will be a growth driver for our restaurants, especially as we look at off-peak hours during lunch, dinner and late night,” said the IHOP President Jay Johns. A declaration. “These new brands are relevant to today’s consumer and a great fit with our existing equipment and capabilities in our restaurants nationwide. »
Whether stadium and racetrack food remains attractive enough off-site to accommodate hundreds of locations remains to be seen. If so, there are many cuisines available. As of April 3, there were 1,699 IHOP restaurants operating in the United States.
Which state has the most? California, with 225 sites.
California Daily Newspapers
