Bowling Centers
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 2,800 bowling centers in the US are indoor facilities that offer bowling and related activities. They serve a mix of league and recreational bowlers. Major revenue categories include game fees; food and beverage sales; and rental fees (shoes, balls). Bowling centers may offer group events, such as birthday parties or corporate gatherings.
Decline of Bowling
Despite its status as one of the top participation sports in the US, bowling as a competitive and recreational activity has struggled to remain relevant to Americans.
Boutique Bowling
To further engage adults and redefine the image of bowling, some firms have adopted a boutique bowling model.
Industry size & Structure
The average bowling center operates out of a single location, employs about 24 workers, and generates about $1.5 million annually.
- The US bowling center industry consists of about 2,800 companies that employ about 68,000 workers and generate $4.2 billion annually.
- The industry includes about 3,795 certified individual bowling centers and just over 82,000 lanes, according to the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).
- The bowling center industry is fragmented; the top 50 companies account for about 34% of industry revenue.
- Large companies include Bowlero and smaller chains such as Pinstack and Splitsville.
Industry Forecast
Bowling Centers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Feb 21, 2025 - Lucky Strike Focuses on Upgrades, Cost-Cutting
- A large bowling operator is adding higher end foods and coat checks to its bowling centers while it looks for ways to cut expenses operationally, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Lucky Strike Entertainment expects it will reduce capital expenditures by some $40 million for the fiscal year ending summer 2025 while investing $50 million in upgrades. Upgrades have included more premium food items such as beef birria tacos and better technology that allows servers to handle more tables and communicate orders efficiently with the kitchen. The company reports that food now generates more revenue than drinks, accounting for $205 million in sales last year compared to $200 million for alcohol. To manage costs, Lucky Strike is focused on reducing staffing and utility costs as well as shopping around for the best-priced vendors.
- According to the Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), prices for recreation services including leisure and entertainment activities were up 3.8% in January 2025 year over year. Employment by bowling centers grew 2.2% in December 2024 compared to a year ago, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment has been steadily recovering after reaching lows during the Covid-19 pandemic and has reached 2019 levels. Leading industry indicators showed improvement in November 2024, with consumer spending up 2.9% compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
- Bowling centers may find fewer customers if lower consumer confidence levels continue, with consumer confidence levels dropping by 5.4 points in January 2025 from the previous month, according to The Conference Board. The Consumer Confidence Index was 104.1 in January 2025 from 109.5 in December 2024. Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board, noted that the segment with the highest gains in confidence were those at the bottom of the income range while households earning over $125,000 showed the sharpest decline in confidence. Per Peterson, “Consumer confidence has been moving sideways in a relatively stable, narrow range since 2022. January was no exception. The Index weakened for a second straight month, but still remained in that range, even if in the lower part.” Purchasing plans for homes and new cars were flat while big-ticket purchases rose on a six-month moving average basis.
- Leading bowling chain Bowlero announced in December 2024 that it rebranded as Lucky Strike Entertainment. The company said the name change is expected to usher in an expansion of offerings beyond traditional bowling and positioning. According to company Chairman and CEO Thomas Shannon, “This rebrand represents our commitment to delivering memorable experiences that bring people together and redefine what location-based entertainment can be.” Bowlero had acquired Lucky Strike Entertainment, operator of 14 Lucky Strike bowling centers, in 2023. The company has also changed its legal name to Lucky Strike Entertainment Corporation and its stock ticker symbol to NYSE: LUCK.
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