Food and beverage: no longer a side business

Maria Cantarella CEO, Association of Indoor Play

For over a third of operators, Food and Beverage now accounts for between 30 and 39 percent of total turnover,

In March 2026, the Association of Indoor Play carried out its first dedicated sector-wide Food and Beverage survey, and the results confirm something many operators have sensed for some time: café performance is no longer secondary income. In a growing number of venues, it is central to the business model.

The purpose of the survey was not simply to compare prices. We wanted a clearer picture of how operators are structuring their offer, managing margins and responding to customer expectations in what remains a demanding trading environment. The response was strong and broadly representative across indoor play centres, hybrid leisure venues, farm attractions and play cafés. What emerged is striking. For over a third of operators, Food and Beverage now accounts for between 30 and 39 percent of total turnover, while another third generate more than 40 percent from café operations alone. A small but significant proportion report figures above 60 percent. That shifts the narrative completely. Food is no longer an add-on. It is a commercial pillar.

Encouragingly, profitability remains resilient despite continued pressure from ingredient costs, staffing challenges and customer price sensitivity. Two thirds of operators report café performance has either held steady or improved over the past year. Operators are clearly becoming more confident in pricing and more deliberate in protecting margin.

Pricing itself has moved on decisively. The days of sub-£3 coffee and £4.50 children’s meal deals are largely behind us. National averages now sit closer to £3.20 to £3.50 for an Americano and £5.25 to £6.25 for children’s meal bundles. Regional gaps still exist, but they are narrowing, and operators across the country are showing greater confidence in holding sustainable price points.

Food and beverage in indoor play has entered a more mature and commercially confident phase

One area where the sector still has work to do is performance tracking. Nearly a third of operators are not measuring average spend per head in their cafés. Sites achieving £6 or more per visitor show what is possible when Food and Beverage is treated as a strategic revenue stream rather than simply an operational necessity.

Perhaps most importantly, 59 percent of operators now believe their food offer actively influences customers’ choice of venue. That represents a genuine cultural shift. Food has become part of the experience and part of competitive positioning.

At AIP, we see this evolution reflected not just in the creativity across the sector but in the standards operators are now setting. It is exactly why we recognise excellence through two dedicated annual awards: Excellence in Food and Beverage and Best Coffee and Cake Experience. This year’s finalists are Head Over Heels Chorlton, Hockerhill Playbarn, Ollie Polly Play Café, Safari Adventure Play Peterborough and Stockeld Park in the Excellence in Food and Beverage category, and Playtrain, Scribbleton and Tiny Tots Town in Best Coffee and Cake Experience. The winners will be announced at the AIP Conference and Play Industry Awards Dinner on 4 June at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

The message from the survey is clear. Food and Beverage in indoor play has entered a more mature and commercially confident phase. The opportunity now is to keep building on that momentum with stronger benchmarking, sharper tracking and continued investment in quality.