How Jake's Increased Per-Guest Spend by $7
by Virtuix | October 18, 2022
Jake’s Unlimited, a 90,000 sq. ft venue in Phoenix, AZ, won IAAPA’s "Top FEC of the World" award in 2018. It’s an incredible venue that attracts over 350,000 visitors a year.
We spoke with Bryan Maxwell, President of Jake’s Brands and General Manager of Jake’s Unlimited, about how Jake’s uses VR to upsell their activity and birthday packages. Since adding Omni Arena to their attraction mix in February 2022, Jake’s increased their guests’ average spend per visit by $7.
Omni Arena Drives Jake’s Business
Bryan explains how Omni Arena contributes a large share of Jake’s revenue. Despite its substantial purchase price, the pay-back period (also called “ROI” in the FEC industry) was only 11 months, much faster than Bryan expected.
“There’s nothing like it. There’s no other VR you can actually move around in, and there are so many benefits to it. I’m super happy with what it’s done.”
Esports Contests Drive Repeat Play
At Jake’s, 140 players have played Omni Arena at least three times, ten players have played over ten times, and three players have already played over 20 times. According to Bryan, this high repeat play rate is driven both by the variety of games (Omni Arena offers 7 games to choose from) and by the built-in esports contests with a $100,000 prize pool sponsored by Virtuix.
“It’s super exciting for players to see their name on a national leaderboard.”
How to Upsell Packages and Increase Per-Guest Spend
In addition to selling Omni Arena plays individually at $12/play, Jake’s also sells unlimited passes to their guests. After installing Omni Arena, Jake’s introduced the “Champion Pass,” a premium admission pass that costs $65 and features Omni Arena as its flagship attraction. By upselling their guests to the Champion Pass with Omni Arena, Jake’s increased per-guest spend by $7. Multiplied by 350,000 guests a year, Jake’s will boost revenues by over $2 million this year.
Bryan also uses Omni Arena to offer a higher-tier birthday package at double the price of a regular birthday package. This upsell has increased the average spend per birthday party by $200.
Hear Bryan explain their upsell strategy and financial results:
“Our year-over-year revenues are up considerably… and last year was already a record year!”
What Sets Omni Arena Apart?
Asked why Bryan chose Omni Arena as a flagship attraction for Jake’s, he points to the attraction’s impressive and exciting presence, drawing attention by its alluring green glow.
Bryan also credits the sign-up stations that streamline the guest experience, greatly simplifying the operation for staff members.
“Once they start playing, that’s the end of it. The smiles, the screams… it’s really fun to watch. That total immersion, you just don’t get with the other VR.”
Does Omni Arena Break Down?
Bryan calls Omni Arena “one of the most dependable machines in the entire facility.” Even when something does go wrong, Virtuix’s three fulltime, U.S. based support techs fix any issues right away.
To make maintenance even easier, every quarter Virtuix sends an “Omni Care” package to all Omni Arena operators with all items they need to maintain and support the attraction. Operators don’t have to worry about a thing!
“My maintenance crew is thrilled – Omni Arena just doesn’t beak. It’s one of the most dependable machines in the entire facility.”
Considering Omni Arena? Don’t Hesitate!
When we asked Bryan whether he would recommend Omni Arena to other operators, he said: “Absolutely! Don’t be afraid. This will absolutely pay for itself quickly, as it has for us.”
“Omni Arena has doubled the amount of money we make with VR.”
Omni Arena is an anchor attraction that can transform your venue and attract a new audience that may not be visiting today!
Watch the complete interview with Bryan Maxell of Jake’s Unlimited here:
Jake’s Unlimited and its brands “Jake’s VR Zone” and “Jake’s Sweet Shop” are becoming available for franchising. If interested, contact Bryan Maxell at bmaxwell@jakesbrands.com.
Interested in learning More? Contact us today.
We hope to earn your business!
Best regards,
The Virtuix Team