The (Summer) Games People Play

Throughout summer months, the 6-year-old concept Rue 13 in St. Louis, Mo., relies heavily on its air-conditioning system and a few other machines inside to keep patrons happy and profits cool.
    The two pool tables, a Big Buck Hunter stand-up game and the three Mega Touch machines bring in over $1000 a month during the hottest season, and Marketing Director Doug Hall says that profits, like the summer heat, aren’t going anywhere. In fact, the venue is poised to add Silver Strike Bowling in the near future to their already sizzling lineup.

Curing Lag Time
Rue 13 is an eclectic place. In Hall’s own words, it started as a “French contemporary Martini and sushi lounge,” that has become known for different theme nights ranging from burlesque to totally 80s. In the summer, the patio draws a crowd as diverse as the décor and food offerings –– with guests from 21- to 40-years old considering themselves regulars. Hall says the prolific game offerings definitely help during the steamy months, sometimes in ways they didn’t anticipate.
“I would say that the biggest obstacle in the summer season is covering that void between patio hours and late night,” Hall says. “There is that little lag time in between that I guess is right around twilight. If our crowd starts to dissipate, a few of the stragglers are always held in by the games. It really helps the transition into the night hours.”

Benefits Galore
“The best part of the whole situation,” Hall says, “is that we work with a vendor. So, it doesn’t cost us anything to maintain, and there is no up-front cost. We don’t pay for the machine, and the guy comes in every week, opens them up, and we take half, and he gets the other.”
    Almost all gaming companies are run on similar programs, so there really is no reason for an operator with ample space to add a few. Another bonus, Hall says, is the profitable ties between the Mega Touch machines and added drink sales.
    At Rue 13, the management placed them directly on the bar where bartenders can continue business while patrons are playing.
    “They are literally point-of-sale and right on top of the registers,” he says. “It keeps some patrons on-premise sometimes as much as an hour to an hour and a half longer than they would be. Also, we don’t have to get change for the register anymore. Every week, when that guy clears out the machines, we have quarters to cover the weekends.”
    Finally, Hall says that at Rue 13, the machines don’t just make happy customers. They make happy employees, as well. Hall says his staff stays after long shifts to play, thus putting some of their own tips back into Rue 13.
    “We promote the pool tables on our Happy Hour flyers,” he says. “We have now implemented free pool in the summer to pull in more customers. But the other games like the Big Buck Hunter, the Mega Touch machines and, hopefully soon, the Silver Strike Bowling, just sell themselves.”     NCB