No, they do have a food operation, which they are looking to improve on as well. The plan is for Oscar to run/manage it, but Ernesto will be helping him at least for the first few months. Ernesto has owned and run poolrooms before, and is all about customer service, keeping the equipment in top condition and keeping the players happy. I hope it works out for them, so Ernesto can slow down a little bit. Re-covering tables for entire poolrooms by yourself I'm guessing is brutally tough physical work - especially once you get up in your 60s!
Table time is actually the most profitable "product" in any pool room, because of the very low "cost of goods" (even including rent and amortized table costs). Food, drink and other entertainment are needed to put/keep butts in the "pool seats" - but they're more like "loss leaders" than comparable profit centers.
Disagree, respectfully (unless i misunderstood your post). Many poolrooms offer free table time during the day, or with a meal purchase. That makes table time the loss leader.
That makes table time the loss leader when they do that, but I think it's backwards. I think they should instead offer free/discounted food/drinks while playing pool.
I would tend to disagree for most poolrooms, in which F&B & alcohol sales is far more than pool table rental time. There are exceptions, and it sounds like Hard Times in Sacramento may be one of them, which is likely why Oscar and Ernesto see this as a good investment, although I'm guessing it does not involve purchasing the building or propertyt. Apparently most of their +/- 30 tables are in constant use, so there is likely considerable table rental income, compared to many poolrooms.
In the places I'm talking about pool is also a minority of sales (~40%), but still a majority of profits (~60%).
