Are you looking for concession stand food ideas with high profitability?

Opening a stand with a profitable concession stand menu is a low start-up cost way to enter the foodservice industry. Use this guide to help learn what sells and how you can create your own profitable concession menu.

What Are The Most Popular Concession Stand Food Items?

Whether you're looking to update your existing concession stand menu or build one from scratch, below are some of the most profitable and best-selling items.

 Best Hot Foods:

• Nachos

• Hot Dogs

• Corn Dogs

• Soft Pretzels

• French Fries

• Burgers 

Best Healthy Items:

• Roasted Nuts

• Sliced Veggies & Hummus

• Applesauce

• Butter-Free Popcorn

• Trail Mix

• Gluten-Free Cookies

• Fruit Cups

Best Fried Foods:

• Fried Snickers

• Fried Pickles

• Fried Twinkies

• Funnel Cakes

• Churros

 Best Snacks:

• Popcorn

• Nuts

• Pretzels

• Caramel Apples

• Chips

• Crackers

• Protein & Energy Bars

Best Candy: 

• Cotton Candy

• Hard Candy

• Soft Candy

• Sour Candy

• Gummies

• Chocolate Nuts

• Chocolate Cups

• Ice cream

Best Beverages:

• Soda

• Bottled Water

• Ice Tea

• Lemonade

• Coffee

How to Build a Best-Selling Concession Stand Menu

Now that you know what foods people want to buy, it's time to start creating a concession stand menu that will sell. Follow the tips below to help you select the best menu items.

Choose Profitable Food Items

Food items more than 60% to 75% profitable are the best choice. Menu items like popcorn, pizza, burgers, hot dogs, and pretzels are easy-to-prepare, profitable food menu items with over 70% profitability.

Craft a Simple Menu With Popular Food Items

You don't need to have a long, complex menu. Instead, keep things simple with staple items that sell.

Do you need some inspiration? With ZeroTouch, you can create a concession menu by selecting from a list of 250 most popular concession items. Each item includes a quality image, making your menu more colorful and engaging. That’s what concession stand food is all about. Try to have fun with it.

Offer a Variety of Food & Drinks

You never know what kinds of food people will be in the mood for, so it’s a good idea to have a mix of sweet, salty, spicy, and savory items to help ensure everyone can find something on your menu. Also, consider incorporating “less traditional” concession stand food like allergen-free, vegan, and gluten-free options. 

Tip: To help limit prep and cook time, try to balance made-to-order food like burgers or nachos and pre-made items like sandwiches or ice cream.

Take Menu Orders Online or In-Person

Want to avoid long waiting lines and hangry customers? With ZeroTouch, customers simply scan your QR menu sign to view your concession stand food list on their phones. Then, they can order and pay without having to wait in line. When their order is ready, they'll receive a text to come to pick it up.

If your customers prefer to order with you in person, the ZeroTouch concession stand POS app lets you create a new order on the fly and accept all payment forms when using the free card reader.

Get Started, Create a Top-Selling Menu in Minutes

Download the ZeroTouch POS app to view our list of 250 best-selling concession stand items. You can create your own easy-to-use menu for free in just a few clicks. No obligations. To learn more about creating a best-selling menu, click here for a 2-minute video tutorial.