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Bowling: 7 strategies to boost your catering sales

Noémie Daniel
October 9, 2025
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Your customers are in the middle of a bowling match, concentrating on their strike, when suddenly they feel the need for a cold drink or a salty snack. Should they interrupt their game to go to the counter, at the risk of breaking the rhythm and losing playing time? Not necessarily. Today, the digitalization of bowling alleys enables you to turn waiting time or the gaps between games into additional sales, while simplifying the work of your teams.

As you'll see in this article, digitalization can both modernize your establishment and boost your sales. 

Why have bowling alley sales become a must?

In a bowling alley, the customer experience is no longer limited to the pleasure of throwing balls, knocking down pins and outscoring friends. Your customers come to spend a convivial evening, sharing a moment with their loved ones. And this experience is directly impacted by the fluidity of your service.

Sales at the slopes means that your customers can order from the slopes using a tablet, QR code or digital terminal. The advantages are manifold:

You capture sales that would not otherwise take place

Many customers wouldn't buy if they had to go to the counter: they don't want to wait, break the rhythm of the game or be away from friends and family. Here, there's no need to wait for your customers to come to the counter: you go to them.

Boost your additional sales

Digital solutions can make suggestions tailored to each order: "Would you like a cold beer with your nachos?" or "Would you like a dessert to end the game on a high note?". These targeted recommendations encourage your customers to add products they might not otherwise have taken, and so naturally increase the average basket.

Improve the customer experience

No more queuing at the bar, no more wasted time: orders arrive directly in the kitchen or at the bar.

Streamline your internal organization

Fewer unnecessary round trips for your teams, more precise orders and simplified tracking.

Modernize your image

You show your increasingly connected clientele that your establishment is at the cutting edge of technology and service.

Better control your operations

The data collected enables you to track sales, adjust your offers and make informed decisions to maximize your turnover.

👉 To go further : Why digitizing your restaurant is essential for your customers? 

The 7 keys to effective digital bowling

1. Offer a simple, intuitive control system

Your customers don't want to waste time figuring out how your tool works. The solution has to be fluid: a scanned QR code on the runway, a clear interface with your products well categorized (drinks, snacks, dishes, desserts). They need to be able to place an order in just a few clicks.

Don't hesitate to highlight your star products with beautiful photos and personalized suggestions: "Try our signature cocktail to finish the game in style! Recommendations encourage purchases and increase the average basket.

2. Capitalize on automation

The ideal solution is to connect the digital control directly to the various production points : bar, kitchen, snack bar. This eliminates the need to re-enter orders, as everything is automatically sent to the right place in just a few seconds. You gain in speed and reliability.

Let's take the example of a group of four players who order an aperitif board and two beers from their lane. The kitchen receives the board immediately, while the bar receives the drinks. The result: fast, precise and seamless service that pleases your customers and simplifies the work of your teams.

3. Remember to collect on order

Another way of facilitating sales is to enable payment directly from the checkout. Credit card, cell phone or digital wallet: your customers can pay with a single click. They won't have to wait at the checkout at the end of the game, and for you, cash collection is guaranteed.

Some solutions even integrate deferred or grouped payment, which is ideal when a whole table wants to share the bill at the end of the evening. This reduces the risk of errors and increases customer satisfaction.

👉 F urther information : Restaurants: 7 tips for quality customer service

4. Work on your special offers and cross-selling

Digitizing your bowling alley is not just about streamlining service, it's also about boosting sales. To do this, you can set up dynamic offers directly visible from the order screens:

  • "Duo bowling menu + cocktail",
    "Aperitif board to share for 4 players",
    "Digital happy hour: one beer bought = the second at 50% off if you order from the lane".

These contextual promotions encourage further consumption and give your customers a real reason to use your digital service.

5. Use data to better manage your sales

Digitizing your sales at the pistes is also an opportunity to collect valuable data on your customers' habits: which products sell best, at what time of the evening and with what type of group. This information helps you adjust your menus, prices and offers to suit your customers' desires.

If you find that nachos sell best in the early evening and cocktails explode after 10 p.m., you can adapt your promotions and product suggestions in real time to maximize your sales.

6. Build customer loyalty with integrated programs and cashless payments

Digitization doesn't just mean ordering and paying at the lanes: it also opens the door to powerful loyalty tools. Thanks to integrated programs, you can offer your customers automatic rewards, discounts on their next games or points that can be accumulated with each order. Coupled with cashless payment, where customers pay via a dedicated card or app, this simplifies the experience while encouraging them to return more often.

7. Train your teams and promote technology

Digitalization is only effective if your teams know how to use it and promote it to customers. Explain to your waiters and bartenders how to encourage the use of kiosks or QR codes, without being intrusive. A short demonstration may be all it takes to get the reflex going.

A waiter can say with a smile, "You can order your drinks directly from your runway, and they'll arrive in less than 5 minutes!" This simple approach increases system adoption and overall satisfaction.

👉 F urther information: Snack in a leisure area: a complete guide

Digitizing your bowling alley doesn't just mean modernizing your establishment: it means turning every lane into a sales opportunity, streamlining your customers' experience and freeing your teams from certain time-consuming tasks that don't really add value. With the right digital tools, you can combine pleasure, comfort and profitability, and your customers will come back again and again.

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Have you ever thought of adopting digital ordering in your bowling alley? Discover Innovorder's expertise and increase your bowling 's profitability with ease.

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Christophe Peinoche
Christophe Peinoche
Catering expert
"With 20 years' experience working for some of the world's largest foodservice groups, I'm helping the sector with its digital transformation through innovative digital solutions."
Make an appointment with Christophe
Romain Vardon
Romain Vardon
Catering expert
"With solid experience in developing key accounts, I'm supporting the digital transformation of the foodservice sector by proposing innovative digital solutions to optimize operations."
Make an appointment with Romain
Caroline Motamedi
Caroline Motamedi
Catering expert
"After several years' experience in a major foodservice group, I support key accounts in optimizing their operations and digital transformation."
Make an appointment with Caroline
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