The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority has signed a deal with point-of-sale vendor Appetize to supply 600 tablets for U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings' new venue opening in August. The agreement, valued at more than $1.5M, is tied to the largest installation of mobile cash registers at a sports facility, according to principals involved in the transaction. The equipment involves a combination of 500 Android-based tablets for fixed concession stands and 100 iOS-based handheld units for portable carts, waitservice and a fleet of self-ordering kiosks, said Kevin Anderson, founder of Appetize, a five-year-old tech firm. Concessionaire Aramark will have the flexibility to shift the 15 self-ordering units to sit next to fixed stands on the main concourse experiencing the highest volume of business as a “line-busting” maneuver with pickup windows dedicated to those portable units, Anderson said. Aramark will use heat-mapping technology to determine the busiest stands in need of self-ordering kiosks to supplement the fixed locations. Appetize’s system is part of VenueNext’s mobile platform and stadium officials expect to open the building with mobile ordering of food and drink from a limited number of seats, Anderson said. The Vikings are Appetize’s third NFL facility behind EverBank Field and the Dolphins' venue. Appetize also has deals with MSG and the NBA Kings' new Golden 1 Center, among other sports venues. The company also has agreements with multiple Live Nation amphitheaters. Its investors include Guggenheim, which owns the Dodgers; the York family, which owns the 49ers; WME exec Marc Geiger; and Roar Entertainment.
