Customers who want to catch the big game at Tom’s Watch Bar can now buy a ticket to reserve their seat.
The super-sized sports bar chain on Tuesday launched a ticketing system in partnership with Sports Illustrated Tickets, a service operated by the media company.
It will allow customers to buy tickets to watch major sporting events at Tom’s, starting with this summer’s World Cup soccer tournament. They will have three ticket options to choose from—Premium, Reserved or General Admission—depending on how they want their gameday experience to look.
Premium seating allows customers to select their seat; Reserved seating locks in any available seat at the bar or a table; and General Admission guarantees entry into the restaurant.
According to Tom’s website, the Premium tier for World Cup games costs $100 per person and includes a $60 food-and-beverage credit per ticket as well as priority entry, a private seating area and a swag bag. Reserved costs $60 per person and comes with a $40 credit, while GA costs $40 and comes with a $20 credit. Pricing will vary by event and venue, the company said.
Previously, seating for major events was offered on a first come, first served basis, Tom's co-founder and co-CEO Brooks Schaden said in an email. In some cases, this led to lines out the door and customers waiting hours to get in. So Tom's began testing a ticketed system for the Super Bowl and found strong demand for the option, which led to the decision to expand it systemwide.
Schaden said the new system gives customers more control over their visit, much like they would expect when attending a game in person.
“When you buy a stadium ticket, you choose your sports experience—your section, your sightline, your proximity to the action,” he said in a statement. “This new ticketing system will give fans that same opportunity to book the seats and the view that they want ahead of the events they care about most.”
This fits with Tom’s goal of offering a gameday experience that rivals being at the actual game. Its large restaurants are outfitted with more than 100 screens, meaning customers can see the game (or games) pretty much everywhere they look. It also focuses on speedy service, targeting 10-minute turnaround times for food and even faster than that for drinks.
Business at the 19-unit chain tends to ebb and flow with the sports calendar, and during major events, it can be hard to get a table. The new ticketing system is designed to help Tom’s control that volume while also generating some revenue.
The Denver-based chain got its start in 2014 as Tom’s Urban, a concept created by Tom Ryan, the co-founder of Smashburger, and Rick Schaden, former Quiznos CEO. It rebranded as Tom's Watch Bar five years later. In 2022, Tom's raised $30 million with plans to quadruple its footprint, and it has been opening new locations at a rapid clip since then.
Last year, it added six outlets for unit growth of 46.2%. Total sales, meanwhile, rose 23.3%, to nearly $90 million, per Technomic data.
UPDATE: This story has been updated with more details on the new ticketing system.
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