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Food courts in modern malls offer a variety of restaurants, amenities, and convenience for shoppers. They are often located near anchor stores and offer a range of fast food options, as well as specialty and ethnic foods. Food courts benefit restaurants by creating a pool of prospects and increasing sales through synergy. They are a popular destination for casual shoppers and may be the only outlet for certain foods.
More modern malls offer visitors amenities such as public restrooms, information kiosks, gift wrapping services, and supervised childcare. One of the most popular common elements of a mall, however, is a collection of several restaurants known as a food court. This area offers mall visitors a wide variety of restaurants, from local franchises to specialty chains. Venues typically operate side-by-side, with a centralized common dining room to accommodate patrons.
A food court is generally located near one of the larger “anchor stores” in a mall, or in a convenient location for truck deliveries. The location tends to make it a point of destination, encouraging shoppers to browse the small shops and kiosks along the way. While some specialty food vendors may lease more centralized space, most full-service restaurant owners prefer the pool of prospects created in a food court.
While many malls have full-service themed restaurants elsewhere, the food court offers customers the opportunity to sample many different styles of fast food. One spouse might want Chinese food, for example, while the other might prefer Italian food. Children often crave different types of food than their parents, so this feature allows each family member to purchase different meals at different locations and still eat together in a common dining room.
Grocery vendors offering exotic or international entrees often find it easier to operate a small outlet in a food court than to invest in a standalone building or standalone restaurant elsewhere in the mall. Customers are often more willing to enjoy unusual or ethnic foods when all options are grouped together. It’s not unusual for employees to offer free samples of their products to potential customers who walk by the area.
A mall food court may also offer specialty foods such as gourmet cookies, fruit smoothies, coffee drinks, soft pretzels, or premium ice cream. These specialty shops may not attract many customers on their own, but when placed next to other restaurants, their sales tend to increase significantly. Individual restaurants tend to benefit from one type of synergy, as customers from one establishment seek out side dishes, desserts or drinks from another.
Some popular chain restaurants offer customers the same menu items found in their larger stores, but others may offer a more limited menu due to limited storage or prep space. Many food court restaurants also limit their offerings to items that can be served in a short time, such as sandwiches, fried sides, and baked goods. Condiments, disposable utensils, napkins and other items are usually found in a serving line designed for efficient fast food service.
A food court is often one of the most popular destinations for casual shoppers who want to spend several hours in a bustling mall. It may also be the only local outlet for certain specialty or ethnic foods, which creates a different kind of attraction for restaurant owners.
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