For years, FEC operators worried about rent, payroll, redemption costs, and game prices. But in 2025, one of the biggest hits to profitability isn’t coming from your vendors or your labor line… it’s coming from something most operators overlook: Credit-card processing fees, Tap-to-pay surcharges, Mobile wallet interchange changes, and Massive increases in small-ticket swipe volumes. This might be the single most overlooked expense on an FEC’s P&L today and most operators don’

Labor Shortages & Wage Inflation: The Operational Reality FECs Can’t Ignore in 2025 If there’s one issue every FEC operator is feeling, from arcades to trampoline parks to bowling entertainment centers, it’s labor. The combination of higher wages, tighter hiring pools, and higher expectations from guests has created one of the most difficult staffing environments the industry has ever seen. Why Labor Is So Hard Right Now 1. Minimum wage increases in many states - Many regions