88 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • JANUARY 2016
Foodservice venues represent a sure thing for
gaming operations looking to enhance their
customers' experiences and bottom lines.
Operators require heavy-duty and fexible
equipment packages to hit the jackpot.
By Lisa White, Contributing Editor
A
growing number of states in the U.S. bank on casinos
for economic growth, and foodservice programs are
part of the winning hand. With casinos now legal in
40 states, the $240 billion gaming industry supports
1.7 million jobs and generates $38 billion in tax revenue, accord-
ing to the American Gaming Association.
The majority of these operations include several restau-
rants with different themes, price points and menu options.
According to a report from the Nevada Gaming Control
Board and UNLV Center for Gaming Research, food and
beverage revenue makes up about 22 percent of a casino's
total yearly revenue, and on average, casinos employ 1,200
food- and beverage-related employees.
In the UNLV Center for Gaming Research's report,
Trends for Big Las Vegas Strip Casinos, 2008-2014, a survey of
22 casinos earning more than $72 million a year in gaming
revenue found that total food revenue increased slightly to
$2.3 billion in 2013 from $2.1 billion in 2008. In contrast,
beverage revenues bubbled up to $1.1 billion in 2013 from
close to $740 million in 2008. Daily casino revenues totaled
CASINOS DOUBLE DOWN
ON FOODSERVICE
A striking bar area is
part of the Cannery
Casino's foodservice
operations.