How Concession Rentals Can Help Your Event Fundraising

Concession rentals can add whimsical charm to your fundraising event, and even boost your collection efforts to make your fundraiser an overwhelming success. But how can you make the most of concession rentals without cutting into the fundraiser’s total?

How Concession Rentals Help Fundraisers

All types of concession rentals, from nacho warmers and hot dog rollers to popcorn carts, cotton candy machines, and snow cone shavers, can benefit your fundraising efforts. Different concessions can become creative catering at your event without the need or expense of elaborate food stations or extensive meal service. These nostalgic foods also put people at ease and add an element of relaxation and celebration to any event, encouraging people to make more generous donations. If you opt to charge for the concessions, they can also be a way to directly raise more money.

Raising More Money With Concession Rentals

There are three different ways to increase your fundraising with concession rentals.

• Free Concessions

When your event’s attendees pay to participate in the event, such as entry tickets or reservations, offering free concessions can give them a better sense of value for that fee. This can allow you to slightly raise your cover charge for more overall fundraising, even though the food is free. To control the cost of the concessions, you might offer limited items, such as tickets or vouchers for a certain number of concessions with an overall entry fee or ticket price.

• Inexpensive Concessions

If you have a modest entry or ticket price for your fundraising event, offering low-price concessions can boost your overall bottom line without gouging your attendees’ budgets. You might charge very minimal fees for the concessions – a dollar for a hot dog or fifty cents for a small bag of popcorn, for example – and such cheap prices will encourage attendees to make multiple purchases, increasing your overall fundraising total.

• Higher Cost Concessions

If you do not charge an entry fee for your event, higher prices can be suitable for the available concessions and will help you raise more money. You can also opt to create more elaborate foods that will command higher prices, such as toppings bars for hot dogs, more flavor combinations for snow cones, or different dips for soft pretzels, giving your attendees more value for the higher cost of the concessions.

Ultimately, you need to balance the cost of the concessions with your fundraising goals and other event costs. Consider the overall event fees – money you collect from attendees compared to site rental costs, paying any event staff, renting equipment, advertising for the event, etc. – when deciding on ticket prices, entrance fees, and whether or not to charge for concessions. Also keep in mind your anticipated attendance numbers and the economics of your guests when choosing prices and setting fees, to be sure your event will be able to raise the money for your anticipated financial goal.

More Tips for Budget-Friendly Concession Rentals

To make the most of your concession machine rentals and still have a profitable fundraiser, it is important not to forget associated costs that could cut into the event’s bottom line.

• Don’t rent too many different concessions, or the rental fees may add up to more than what attendees will contribute to the overall fundraising total. It may be best to have fewer options that are sure to be popular rather than risk concessions that aren’t as profitable.
• Know the return policy for any unused items associated with the rentals, such as popcorn bags, nacho trays, or other service items you don’t need after all. If you will not be able to get money back for unused items, you may want to purchase fewer items rather than overspend.
• Take extra care not to damage any rental equipment, which could result in hefty fees that could reduce or eliminate your fundraising profits. Similarly, be sure to return equipment on time to avoid any potential late fees or overage charges.
• Consider asking about charitable discounts on the machine rental fees. You may be able to rent the equipment for less than anticipated, or the rental company might be able to donate the use of the machines entirely to support your fundraising efforts.

Concession rentals can be a great boost to your event fundraiser. If you balance costs carefully and offer your guests good value for their donations, you may be surprised at the success of your fundraising efforts and be able to meet your financial goals much more generously than you could have anticipated.