Best Practices

Why Frictionless Payments Are the Future of Family Entertainment Centers

Family entertainment centers (FECs) are built on fun, energy, and non-stop action. Parents want their kids to dive into the excitement without constant interruptions, and no one enjoys waiting in line to reload game cards or pay for attractions. The traditional model—stopping at kiosks for tokens, handing out paper wristbands, and managing separate transactions for food, games, and activities—creates unnecessary friction.

That’s why frictionless payments are revolutionizing the FEC experience. With RFID wristbands, Apple Wallet integration for mobile ordering, and seamless end-to-end payment systems, operators can remove barriers and create a smoother, more engaging experience for guests from check-in to checkout.

RFID Wristbands: A Tap-and-Play Experience

RFID wristbands are redefining convenience for FECs. Instead of guests carrying around tickets, tokens, or cash, RFID wristbands allow them to load funds onto a single device that they can tap at any attraction, arcade game, or concession stand. The experience becomes effortless—no more lost tokens, no need to pull out a wallet every time a child wants to play, and no delays at payment counters.

For parents, RFID wristbands add an extra layer of control, allowing them to preload spending limits onto their child’s account. This eliminates the risk of overspending while still letting kids enjoy the freedom to explore. Beyond convenience, RFID technology also provides real-time insights for operators, tracking guest spending habits, popular attractions, and peak visit times, helping businesses make smarter operational decisions.

Apple Wallet & Mobile Ordering: No More Waiting in Line

Long lines at food stands and ticket counters slow down the fun. With Apple Wallet and mobile ordering, guests can skip the wait and spend more time enjoying their visit. Parents can preload funds onto a child’s RFID wristband using their mobile wallet, eliminating the need for constant cash or card transactions. Food and drinks can be ordered directly from a phone, allowing guests to continue playing while their order is prepared. When it’s ready, they simply pick it up—no standing in line, no unnecessary delays.

Apple Wallet integration also streamlines the check-in process. Guests can store their digital passes directly on their phones, eliminating the need for paper tickets or printed confirmations. A quick scan at the entrance gets them inside and ready to start their experience without hassle.

Seamless Journeys: From Check-In to Play to Checkout

A truly frictionless payment system connects every touchpoint in the guest experience, from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. Instead of juggling multiple transactions, guests check in quickly with a digital pass or RFID wristband, load funds once, and use them across all attractions, arcade games, and food vendors. They can place mobile orders without leaving their game or table and close out their accounts effortlessly when they’re ready to leave, receiving a digital receipt without needing to stop at a kiosk or counter.

This kind of seamless integration doesn’t just enhance the guest experience—it maximizes efficiency for operators, reducing bottlenecks, increasing average spend per guest, and creating a more engaging, stress-free environment.

The Future of FECs Is Frictionless

Family entertainment centers that embrace RFID, mobile ordering, and integrated digital payments aren’t just keeping up with industry trends—they’re delivering a modern, guest-centric experience that keeps people coming back. Parents spend less time managing logistics, kids stay immersed in the fun, and businesses see increased revenue and higher guest satisfaction.

GoTab’s frictionless payment solutions are built for FECs looking to upgrade their operations and remove the pain points of traditional transactions. Ready to transform the way guests experience your venue? Discover how GoTab can help you create a faster, smoother, and more enjoyable visit from start to finish.

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Situated “in the heart of it all, yet tranquil enough to make you feel away from it all too,” The Limelight Hotel Snowmass offers 99 hotel rooms and 11 residences, as well as footsteps-to-gondola access in winter and summer — right in the middle of Snowmass Base Village.

The Situation

Especially over the last few years, the Limelight Hotels IT team had witnessed a significant shift to contactless technology in the hospitality industry. After evaluating friction points in the guest journey, aligning with modern technology platforms in their restaurant was determined to be an effective way to offer elevated contactless dining experiences to their guests while also evolving their technology platforms to continue to support long-term company goals. Limelight Hotel partnered with GoTab to provide an enhanced on-demand dining experience on par with the brand’s reputation for exceptional guest service.

The Solution

Reducing Staff Touch Points Without Sacrificing Guest Experience

Guests are now able to begin a tab from their room or the property’s restaurant by scanning a QR code, texting a link to friends or family members on the ski slope to add in their orders, then meeting up together at the patio or lodge to enjoy their meal and après ski festivities without interruption. By streamlining tasks like inputting orders and processing payments, this eliminates friction for hotel staff and allows them to focus on delivering renowned guest service for a memorable experience. Since partnering with GoTab, Limelight Snowmass has consistently seen higher check averages and sales.

“We found the Point of Sale platforms we were looking at offered the guest and staff limited opportunities to further reduce touch points or improve the traditional restaurant experience. The GoTab platform enabled the guest to take an active role over the flow of their experience while simultaneously reducing touch points and further streamlining restaurant operations.”Nick Giglio, Manager of Hotel IT Operations, The Little Nell Hotel Group

According to the Limelight Hotels team, some of the other platforms that were evaluated were either missing some of the pieces they were looking for, had weak customer support models, or had little willingness to develop integrations to existing hotel platforms already in place. To that end, GoTab integrated with cloud-based platform, Infor. Together, GoTab and Infor are providing dynamic solutions to support central, efficient service across hotel amenities and deliver exceptional guest experiences.

“Previously, guests would call down to the restaurant to begin an order from their room or while they were out enjoying the ski slopes. Using GoTab, guests can now place orders from anywhere on the resort, giving them the on-demand service they want without interrupting their day. GoTab empowers us to give control to the guest, reducing touch points and streamlining overall restaurant operations, making Limelight Hotel the resort of choice for Snowmass.”Nick Giglio, Manager of Hotel IT Operations, The Little Nell Hotel Group

Since introducing GoTab, The Limelight Hotel has seen a consistent level of upsells and items sold per check resulting in additional revenue capture. They have been able to maintain service levels in their restaurants during periods when there was reduced staffing available without significantly diminishing the guest experience.

The Benefits

Eliminate Phone Orders – Take Orders from the Slopes. Guests can start a tab from their room or on the mountain without interrupting the flow of their day.

Future-Proofed Technologies – Delivering elevated contactless ordering via integration with the Infor hotel management platform.

Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.

Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.

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