With the growing popularity of Formula One racing in the United States, U.K.-based eatertainment brand, F1 Arcade, is bringing its racing simulator concept complete with a high-brow food/drinks menu stateside.
The company, which was created by the cofounder of Puttshack, Adam Breeden, at the end of 2022, already opened its first U.S. location in Boston in April, which will soon be followed by locations in Washington, D.C., this fall, and at Caesars Palace Las Vegas in 2025. Currently, F1 Arcade has three locations (with two in the U.K.) and the long-term goal is to open 30 additional locations over the next five years.
“There are only so many people who get to experience F1 racing firsthand,” Jon Gardner, U.S. president of F1 Arcade, said. “We made full-motion, active simulators so you can experience what it actually feels like behind the steering wheel and in the driver’s seat… This is one step up from Puttshack. We serve caviar and seafood towers — we have more glitz and glam… We lean into Champagne cocktails because Champagne is used to celebrate with Formula One, and this is a place to celebrate.”
The first location of F1 Arcade opened in Nov. 2022 in London. The racing experience itself can be best compared to a “plussed” version of a racing arcade game. F1 Arcade has 69 full-motion simulators operating within 16,000 square-feet with different levels for racers, ranging from rookie levels (geared toward beginners and kids ages 7 and up), to an elite mode where any AI assistance during the game is completely turned off and the racer is fully in control.
During the day, Gardner said, families are more likely to come in, while late afternoons and happy hour times cater toward corporate events and meeting spaces. At 7pm, F1 Arcade becomes a 21-and-over spot: the music gets louder, and a DJ is spinning tunes from Thursday-Saturday nights.
The drinks menu not only includes handcrafted cocktails like the popular tequila and vodka-based Welcome to Miami drink and the gin, crème de cacao and Champagne-based Pole Position, but also a menu of “Designated Driver” mocktails that are popular when families come in.
On the food side, Gardener said, they tried to emulate the global community of Formula One racing by including an eclectic mix of snacks and meals from different international cultures, from barbacoa tacos to bulgogi and prosciutto flatbreads. One of the most popular items, he added, is the “Glizzy:” the F1 Arcade take on a Korean hot dog, crusted in potatoes and topped with violet kraut and aioli.
The inclusion of the Champagne cocktails, caviar, and raw bar alongside chef-driven bar snacks goes back to making the F1 Arcade an “elevated experience” that stands out from other eatertainment concepts.
“When you’re in the simulator, you’re able to fully be in that moment and feel the adrenaline,” Gardner said. “We’re just at the beginning of what F1 Arcade will be because we’re still young. We have a robust team working to make the game better and elevate the food. It is an amazing experience now that will be even better in the next few years.”
Contact Joanna at [email protected]
