The Pickleball & Padel Playbook for Food & Beverage: How Top Clubs Turn Play into Profit
Pickleball and padel clubs aren’t just places to play anymore. They’ve become social hubs—part sports facility, part restaurant, part bar, part community gathering space. And as the category explodes in popularity, operators are facing a new challenge: how to deliver great food and beverage experiences without slowing down play, overwhelming staff, or leaving money on the table.
That’s exactly why GoTab created The Pickleball & Padel Playbook for Food & Beverage—a practical guide for operators who want to design, launch, or scale F&B programs that actually work in modern racquet sports venues.
This guide brings together lessons learned from some of the most innovative pickleball and padel concepts in the country, along with insights from GoTab’s leading partners in court reservations, self-pour, tip management, and event sales.
Why Food & Beverage Is the Real Growth Engine for Pickleball and Padel
Court time might bring guests in—but food, drinks, and social experiences are what keep them coming back.
Operators across the country are discovering that the most successful clubs don’t treat F&B as an add-on. They design it as a core part of the experience, tightly connected to how guests move, play, and socialize throughout the venue.
As Thomas Walsh of Chipshot Pickleball explains, their goal was never just to add courts—it was to build an eatertainment model where guests could “play, eat, drink, and stay longer without friction.” That mindset has helped Chipshot drive higher spend per visit while maintaining fast, casual service across a high-energy space.
Integrations Matter: One Experience, Not Disconnected Systems
One of the biggest operational mistakes new clubs make is trying to force a traditional restaurant POS to work in a highly dynamic, activity-based environment. Pickleball and padel venues need systems that work together, not in silos.
That’s why GoTab integrates with best-in-class partners like:
- CourtReserve to connect court activity and member engagement with food and beverage sales
- PourMyBeer and iPourIt for seamless self-pour experiences that reduce labor while increasing beverage revenue
- DishOut and Tiphaus to simplify tip pooling and fairly distribute gratuities across hybrid service models
- Tripleseat to manage private events, leagues, and group bookings that drive incremental revenue
In The Pickleball & Padel Playbook, we break down how these integrations allow operators to focus on the guest experience—without stitching together workarounds behind the scenes.
Case Studies: What High-Performing Clubs Are Doing Differently
The playbook is grounded in real-world examples from clubs already proving what’s possible.
Chipshot Pickleball: Designing for Flow
Chipshot built its model around mobility—letting guests order from anywhere, open a single tab, and move seamlessly between courts, bar, and dining areas. By removing friction from ordering and payment, they’ve increased dwell time and overall spend without adding operational complexity.
Crush Yard: Scaling Eatertainment with Confidence
In the Southeast, Crush Yard leaned into GoTab and DishOut to support a fast-growing eatertainment concept. Their team highlighted how centralized ordering and smart tip management helped them scale across locations while maintaining consistency for both guests and staff.
As one leader noted, simplifying how tips were handled across different service styles made it easier to hire, retain, and motivate staff—without slowing down service during peak hours.
Paddle + Par: More Than a Pickleball Club
At Paddle + Par in Michigan, pickleball is just one part of a broader social experience that includes golf simulators, a full bar, and chef-driven food. Their success comes from treating every guest interaction as part of one connected journey—supported by technology that adapts as guests move throughout the venue.
Pickleball Zone: Efficiency at Scale
In GoTab’s Pickleball Zone case study, efficiency was the driving force. With high court utilization and steady F&B demand, the team needed a system that could handle volume without bottlenecks. Mobile ordering, centralized tabs, and real-time reporting helped them deliver fast service—even during peak play times.
Events, Leagues, and Private Bookings: The Hidden Revenue Layer
Beyond daily play, many of the most profitable pickleball and padel clubs are leaning into events—corporate outings, leagues, tournaments, and private parties.
By integrating GoTab with Tripleseat, operators can manage bookings, deposits, and pre-event planning while ensuring food and beverage sales are seamlessly handled on-site. The result? Better guest experiences, smoother operations, and higher per-event revenue.
Download the Playbook
Pickleball and padel are evolving fast—and the clubs that win will be the ones that design experiences around how guests actually behave.
The Pickleball & Padel Playbook for Food & Beverage gives you:
- Proven F&B models for racquet sports venues
- Real operator insights from successful clubs
- Best practices for integrating courts, bar, food, and events
- A clear framework for scaling without sacrificing experience
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