The deployment of walk-through concessions stands at sports stadiums continues to grow, with Houston’s NRG Stadium announcing the opening of a second such outlet ahead of the just-started Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show.
Powered by technology from Zippin and installed in a partnership with caterer Aramark, the “Ice House Express” shops at NRG Stadium will allow fans to simply scan a credit card at entry, select beverages from a cooler and then walk out. Like its competitors, Zippin’s technology uses a combination of overhead cameras and under-item sensors to track what items fans select, and then bills the customer automatically after the customer leaves the store.
Zippin and Aramark had previously partnered for Zippin stores at the Denver Broncos’ Empower Field at Mile High, where this season they increased the total to nine Zippin-powered stands. There are also Zippin stores at AT&T Center in San Antonio, and at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Amazon, which competes with its Just Walk Out technology, is powering four concessions stands at the newly opened Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, as well as two stands at TD Garden in Boston. Amazon also opened the first Whole Foods Store with Just Walk Out technology, in Washington, D.C.
Other competitors in the space include AiFi, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based startup that partnered with Verizon last year to launch pop-up type stores for the Detroit Lions and at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and also at several festival-type events. Unlike its competitors, AiFi’s technology does not require sensors but uses cameras only to track customer purchases.
