Mohegan Sun targets long lines at arena concessions
Mohegan — No concertgoer is crazy about long lines at arena bars and concession stands during intermission.
So Mohegan Sun, ever alert to new ways to accommodate customers, has done something about it. The casino, whose 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena hosts more than 100 events a year, including shows, many of them sellouts, Connecticut Sun basketball games and New England Black Wolves lacrosse matches, has launched a new app that enables audience members to pre-order food and drink and pick it up when it’s ready.
“We talk a lot about adding convenience,” said Jeff Hamilton, the casino’s president and general manager. “Now, people can order from their seat at any time, pay, and then pick it up whenever they want — before the show starts, between the opening act and the headliner, during intermission, half time ...”
Mohegan Sun was considering developing such an app when it was approached by Noble, a Boston-based outfit specializing in “digital commerce and marketing platforms,” according to Hamilton.
The parties recently announced that they had reached a deal.
Founded in 2016, Noble also provides digital concession services at several Boston venues, including the Wang Theatre, the Shubert Theatre and the Laugh Boston comedy club, and at theaters in Baltimore; Austin, Texas; and Minneapolis.
Mohegan Sun tested the Noble service during a couple of arena events before introducing it. Customers who place orders via the app can pay via credit card or mobile payment options like Apple Pay and Venmo. The casino levies a service charge, generating revenue it shares with Noble.
Hamilton figures the elimination of long waiting lines will boost arena concession sales.
The app’s popularity is likely to reflect show-to-show shifts in the demographics of the audience. Hamilton said it went over big at rapper Nelly’s appearance in early February.
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