Director of concessions
Think it’s tricky figuring out what to serve your handful of friends when they come over to watch the game? Try serving more than 66,000. That’s Bret Hartley’s job as director of concessions at Gillette Stadium. This season, he’s also overseeing the addition of some new concession items, such as buffalo mac ’n’ cheese, steak ’n’ cheese French fries and a shredded short rib sandwich. Hartley got used to serving 42,000 fans as the concessions manager for the San Diego Padres, but he couldn’t turn down the chance to serve 20,000 more and move back home to New England in 2010. “The most challenging part … is anticipating their consumption,” Hartley says. “It is a team effort.”
10 hours till kickoff: Arrive at the stadium and check staffing sheets, making any adjustments. From there, it’s running through a list of duties: Make sure there’s enough product in the commissary, walk through the concession stands, review plans for the day and meet with concessions and club supervisors before their shifts.
2 hours till kickoff: Gates open, and I make sure all the stands have their shutters up and are ready for business. I troubleshoot any problems that arise and make sure that all products are available.
End of third quarter: Make sure beer concessions are shut down. And then—finally!—eat dinner.
Postgame: Close concessions stands and reconcile sales.
5 hours after the game: Head home.
Team Players
Gillette's off-the-field MVPs share their gameday routines.
By Matt Martinelli | Photos courtesy of the New England Patriots / Eric J. Adler | Sept. 2, 2016
Bret Hartley
Director of concessions
Think it’s tricky figuring out what to serve your handful of friends when they come over to watch the game? Try serving more than 66,000. That’s Bret Hartley’s job as director of concessions at Gillette Stadium. This season, he’s also overseeing the addition of some new concession items, such as buffalo mac ’n’ cheese, steak ’n’ cheese French fries and a shredded short rib sandwich. Hartley got used to serving 42,000 fans as the concessions manager for the San Diego Padres, but he couldn’t turn down the chance to serve 20,000 more and move back home to New England in 2010. “The most challenging part … is anticipating their consumption,” Hartley says. “It is a team effort.”
10 hours till kickoff: Arrive at the stadium and check staffing sheets, making any adjustments. From there, it’s running through a list of duties: Make sure there’s enough product in the commissary, walk through the concession stands, review plans for the day and meet with concessions and club supervisors before their shifts.
2 hours till kickoff: Gates open, and I make sure all the stands have their shutters up and are ready for business. I troubleshoot any problems that arise and make sure that all products are available.
End of third quarter: Make sure beer concessions are shut down. And then—finally!—eat dinner.
Postgame: Close concessions stands and reconcile sales.
5 hours after the game: Head home.
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