Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1962)

MORE SALES AUTOMATICALLY Continued from page 14 stands may have problems common with those of manual di'Ug store foimtains. Historically and almost imiversally, drug store fountains have found themselves limited in the selling price of their food. They have catered to fast lunches at extremely economical prices. They have found the need for obtaining labor within the same market as the highly paid but unskilled industrial labor market. Consequently, it is necessai-y to hhe persons wdth lesser talent and interest to maintain labor costs. This, too, is affecting gross dollar sales by presenting the food service somewhat undesirably to the consumer. LIMITED SPACE A PROBLEM Druggists have also found themselves with floor space and square footage of increasing value; and lower profit margins — demanding higher and higher productivity per employe. Yet, the combination of limited space at high cost and shortness of time with which to feed a comparatively great number of people gives manual operations poorer and poorer opportunities for profit. This may be similar to drive-in concessions. Automatic food service equipment has reduced labor costs by approximately 30 per cent. In automatic cafeterias it has greatly inci-eased the number of persons served per minute. It has extended the hours of food availability — it has provided more time for food preparation — it has made employe working conditions more pleasant and, thus, provided the opportunity for attracting better-qualified labor. Automatic food seiwice provides extended availability of food. It has the opportunity of utilizing central commissary facilities — with an appropriate savings in food preparation, personnel and equipment. FAMILY MEAL AT DRIVE-IN With four small children, I know that families often attend drive-ins for a full evening of entertainment. It is not unusual for the young family to arrive early enough to enjoy sandwiches, snacks, and refreshments as their evening meal from the drive-in concessions stand. Wouldn’t this family appreciate a fine selection of quality and nourishing food at reasonable prices? It seems to me that drive-ins are developing into more than just an outdoor movie house. Your customers are going to request and demand that you provide greater recreational facilities — that you give them the opportimity to spend more time to enjoy themselves — that you give more for every dollar of admission. As one of your customers, it seems natural to expect outdoor drive-ins to become recreational centers, and more effectively utilize investments in land and facilities. An attractive automatic restaurant may draw customers earlier in the day, for more hours. Through automatic food service equipment, this could be practical, could be profitable, and would be a valuable promotion tool. How might our automatic theatre concessions stand be designed? Four suggested applications accompany this dissertation. First of all, to the existing centrally located concessions stand could be added perimeter refreshment stands. These would primarily be used to supplement the existing food facilities. Because of theh nearby but subdued visibility, they would create “plus” sales during the features. They would relieve the burden of service during intermission. They would move products closer to the audience in the areas where yom’ customers would be using the facilities. For instance — frequently, playground facilities are located near or behind the projection screen. Often customers are on hand for an hour or more before the featm’e. Tempting availability automatically through vending machines would make new sales. In another situation, it may be possible to remove the central concessions stand and, through artistic creation of satellites, provide efficient and economical services. Actual food preparation would be removed to a less desii-able area. Next, it may be possible to take a present concessions building and, through rede sign, convert it to a completely automatic food operation. Here you can see a possible layout providing for three entrances with two featured lineups of food and beverage equipment. Each food vender in this battery would serve approximately three persons per minute. Automatic changemaking equipment would be conveniently located so, with but few exceptions, the entire operation would be self-service. The kitchen woidd I’emain in its existing location. To provide greater convenience of the kitchen location and increase the flow of customers, an open-square arrangement could be utilized. Because of the rear-door loading feature of the machines, all food preparation and storage facilities are most accessible to all machines. Your customers could gain entrance and access to all of the equipment from four areas or conceivably the entire outside area could be open and be a constant attraction and advertisement of the ready availability of the food and beverage items. Completely Automatic Vending Plans for Drive-Ins ‘DRIVMN CONCESSION 2 LANE AUTOMATIC CAFETERIA 16 The MODERN THEATRE SECTION