Pickleball and dining: Why courts are the new food destinations

Chicago, Illinois — Ask any pickleballer what the kitchen is, and they’ll tell you it’s the 7ft (2.1-metre) nonvolley zone on either side of the net - and why you should stay out of it. But restaurateurs and investors hope the general public will come to associate pickleball with a more literal kitchen - one serving food before, during and after the game.

The pickleball court is no longer only for before lunch or after dinner. In recent years, pickleball "eatertainment" venues have taken off alongside eatertainment venues as a whole, an industry that Rex Reservations estimates at $120bn globally.

What is an eatertainment concept? It’s a venue where patrons come to participate in an activity - bowling, golf simulators, axe throwing, pickleball, darts - while ordering food and drinks. Think TopGolf or Lucky Strike.

Pickleball was the fastest-growing sport in the United States from 2022 to 2025, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with participation rising by 171.8 percent. Last year, 24.3 million Americans played pickleball, a 22.8 percent increase from 2024. Ease of play, low barrier to entry and the low-impact nature of the sport are frequently cited as reasons for its popularity.

“The smaller court size and lightweight equipment make it accessible across generations and skill levels, so we can play with family and friends who aren’t pickleball regulars,” says regular pickleballer Emily Oprins, 35, of Naperville, Illinois.

And those same reasons are what make pickleball attractive to more casual players who may be intimidated by their local leagues but find an eatertainment venue to be the perfect speed.

When it comes to pairing recreation with food and beverages, pickleball is almost tailor-made for the eatertainment model, especially for novices or less-serious players. Games last 15 to 30 minutes, fitting naturally into ordering drinks between matches. Four-person games encourage larger groups. Players rotate in and out, creating downtime for eating and drinking, and the sport doesn’t require special athletic ability or expensive equipment.

Schuyler Seper, 34, of Goodyear, Arizona, had family coming to visit and wanted an activity that everyone could do together. He made a court reservation at the dine-in pickleball chain Chicken N Pickle’s Glendale location for his group, which included his grandmother, aunt, cousins and wife.