Can you tell us about your park and what makes you unique?
Wild Island is a locally owned family adventure park in Sparks, NV. In addition to our waterpark, we are also home to a 125,000 square foot family entertainment center. What makes us different from other FECs and waterparks is the local ownership (same owner since 1989) and the long tenures of the management team. The majority of our management team has worked at the park for 10+ years and some are even up to 20+ years. I, myself, have worked for Wild Island for 19 years. We have a great retention rate not only with our management team but also with our staff. We all truly believe that Wild Island is a great place to work.
What does your F&B operation consist of and what would you say makes it unique or special? ( Quick-service, outside F&B, Dining, Bar)
We are quick-service all the way. We have three major food outlets; the main kitchen, the Truffle kitchen, and a food trailer which specializes in chicken tenders. There are also three smaller snack shacks located throughout the park for quick bites items like nachos or pretzels, and dessert items like Dippin Dots or soft serve ice cream.
What are the most special or highly requested food items and/or drink items on your menu?
Chicken tenders and fries make up almost 25% of our total food volume sold. Our top 5 sellers at our facility are chicken tenders and fries, Dippin Dots ice cream, pizza slices, draft beers, and cheeseburgers.
What made you interested in the Truffle Solution?
We were struggling with a really outdated kitchen. It was the original kitchen area from when the park opened in 1989. Since then, the area has grown drastically, and we were having a hard time keeping up with the increase in park attendance. Our tickets were slow and most of our guest complaints and poor reviews were regarding food wait times. We needed another option that removed guests from a classic queue line and gave them the opportunity to wait elsewhere while still enjoying the park.
How has the experience been so far with using the system?
The hardware works excellent. We had zero issues with the Go Boxes themselves and very few issues operating the KDS. The initial set up of products and menus was very simple and we always had quick communication from Truffle support with questions and requests. We are still working with the throttling system to find a good balance for what our kitchen can handle but we are very happy with the product so far. We are looking forward to expanding and using it for cabana service next summer.
What features/products are you using with Truffle? (Online Ordering, Go Box, KDS Display, QR Table Ordering)
We currently use online ordering with the Go Box and KDS display. We are looking to expand and use the QR Table Ordering feature for our many cabanas in 2024.
How have the Truffle offerings made a difference in the way your facility operates?
The Truffle systems helped us reduce labor hours in our kitchen area. The kitchen still runs with 1 cook and then two expos/”packers” like it had in the past, but we were able to eliminate two cashier positions now that the guests place their orders on their own devices. We were able to take those hours and reallocate them to other departments such as our facilities department which increased park cleanliness.
What does your team enjoy about using Truffle offerings?
The hardest part of working in a customer service position is dealing with the general public. Wild Island staff members working in our Truffle kitchen are pleased to get a break from interacting with the guests during every transaction. The ease of loading the Go Boxes and using the KDS was also a big positive.
Have your guests said anything about the new offerings from the Truffle Solution? If so what…
Most guests have been happy with their experiences using the Go Boxes. They’ve commented on how easy it was! The site itself was slow and we got feedback regarding this but that may have been due to our wifi at the park. I believe there has been an update since we’ve closed to address the speed of our site.
What feedback would you give to other facilities looking to use Truffle offerings?
Make sure there is plenty of signage throughout your facility promoting the system. Have the QR codes posted in as many spots as possible with brief instructions. Don’t be surprised when guests hover around the Go Boxes. We were expecting guests to place their orders and then remain at their seats while the order was prepared but that wasn’t the case. There was a lot of hovering around the lockers.
