Monster Mini Golf believes customer experience is all about fun

When visiting a Monster Mini Golf location, visitors find much more than a mere mini golf course. There’s laser tag to play, arcade games, bowling and even animated monsters.

On the 18-hole glow-in-the-dark mini golf course, players are entertained by a DJ booth called W.I.R.D Radio that not only plays music but runs contests and trivia for golfing participants. They also interact with animated monsters.

The experiences also include video games, a soft play zone, and AR– and VR-based activities along with food and beverages.

The goal is to provide something fun for every customer during every visit. Families can split up so individuals can enjoy what interests them, or they can visit all the experiences together. In fact, the family entertainment center’s customer experience strategy is called the “Philosophy of Fun,” and the company takes fun very seriously.

“The main thing for us is to keep it fun and personal,” CEO Chris King said in an email interview with RetailCustomerExperience. “Our team members interact with the guests while they’re playing or experiencing the attractions, and our animated monsters are of international theme-park quality.”

King stepped into the CEO role after he and four other Monster Mini Golf franchisees (Nick Mastrandrea, Holly Hernandez and Alex Gonzalez) bought the business in 2023.

The ownership team plans to expand the 30-unit chain around the U.S. and Canada by adding franchisees and markets.

King began his Monster Mini Golf journey as COO, working with founders Christina and Patric Vitagliano to refine brand processes and systems.

In 2018 he and his wife, Kristin, relocated from Florida to Charlotte, North Carolina to develop franchise locations.

They now have two centers, which Kristen oversees, and a third under construction. King, as CEO, focuses on corporate operations.

King will be participating in the upcoming ICX Summit event, hosted by Networld Media Group, which will be held Sept. 9-11 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He’ll be sharing his expertise in the “Balancing Human Touch & AI” panel talk. Early bird pricing for registration is available through June 21.

Experiential retail on the rise

The CX approach at Monster Mini Golf is focused on meeting consumer needs of today and providing fun that’s affordable, according to King.

“Unlike Baby Boomers, who really liked ‘stuff’ and drove our economy for so long, succeeding generations want to see and experience new things. That especially was reinforced during the pandemic when we were all kept inside for so long without interaction,” he said.

But most family fun experiences can cost big bucks – think destination theme parks or traveling Europe.

“They’re wonderful, but for most of us, they can’t happen that frequently. A Monster Mini Golf is in their neighborhood, affordable, and offers a variety of experiences that people can visit again and again. In addition, our format allows the family to enjoy the attractions together, or separately, and our facilities appeal to birthday parties, events, and corporate gatherings, too,” said King.

Providing what consumers want

When it comes to a rewarding family entertainment experience consumers are looking for fun and age-appropriate interactivity.

JLL’s May 2023 Entertainment Report, in Q4 2022, revealed spending at amusement parks and arcades rose by 20.6% year-over-year.

“Depending on the size of the location, you can play mini golf, play arcade games, be amused by the world-class animated monsters, bowl, play laser tag and much more,” said King. ” We want it to be as easy as possible, so you can purchase attractions online, and our email club allows us to build a relationship with the guests.”

The top goal, said King, is keeping the experience fun and personal. Monster Mini Golf delivers on that goal as team members interact with guests while customers playing and experiencing the attractions.

“Because we offer different experiences — mini golf, arcade games, laser tag, etc. — you can do something different every time. Monster Mini Golf is an entertainment venue, Mini Golf is simply the vehicle that we use to entertain. We call it the Philosophy of Fun, and we take fun very seriously,” said King.