Pickleball and dining: Why courts are the new food destinations

A pickleball court may now be competing with the restaurant table for a share of consumers’ spending. Across the United States, venues that combine the fast-growing racket sport with food and drink have become the latest expression of “eatertainment”, and investors are betting the model can last.

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A padel [another racket sport rising in popularity] court or a bowling lane is a much more durable, less trend-driven revenue stream than a dining room seat, and it comes with better real estate economics. It’s not competing purely on per-seat turns. F&B just juices the model on top of that.

Camillo, an investor, says private equity firms view eatertainment more favorably than traditional restaurants. “A padel [another racket sport rising in popularity] court or a bowling lane is a much more durable, less trend-driven revenue stream than a dining room seat, and it comes with better real estate economics. It’s not competing purely on per-seat turns. F&B just juices the model on top of that.”

The appeal extends to landlords. Large indoor pickleball facilities can occupy between 30,000 and 70,000 square feet, creating potential tenants for former big-box stores, department stores and grocery outlets. Their locations often overlap with suburban developments that need more traffic. Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO and broker at Echo Commercial Properties, says pickleball can draw visitors to strip centers and malls who then shop and eat nearby. In South Florida, he says, indoor courts are especially sought after during hot or rainy weather because many country clubs and communities lack such facilities.

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Pickleball is a draw for strip centres and malls as well as it brings in traffic where people will shop and eat after they are finished.

For customers, the added activity can make a meal feel like better value. A 2019 SevenRooms study found that 21 percent of Americans were willing to pay more at an eatertainment venue than at a traditional restaurant. Maeve Webster, president of food industry consultancy Menu Matters, says consumers increasingly want experiences and human connection alongside dining. OpenTable reported a 46 percent year-over-year increase in experiential dining from 2024 to 2025, while 37 percent of consumers said they wanted more of it in 2026.

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These eatertainment venues, pickleball or otherwise, are very popular now as people look for greater value when dining out.

Changing activity habits have also supported investor interest. The Physical Activity Council estimates that the number of inactive Americans has fallen by 13.6 million, or 18 percent, since 2020. To secure returns, operators are turning to corporate events and memberships. Monthly fees at leading dine-in pickleball venues range from $75 to $149 and may include food and beverage discounts and reserved court times. Bhasin says subscriptions make revenue easier to forecast, although the supplied article ends before completing that point.

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From a recurring revenue perspective, when you make it a subscription, the business can forecast revenue more accurately.