In less than five years, the number of escape rooms in the United States went from 22 to over 2,300 and counting.
Experts agree that the trend is here to stay, so how do you go about starting your own escape room business?
We’ve gathered a few tips from the industry to help you start yours off on the right foot. By following these, you can avoid costly mistakes.
Keep reading to find out more about opening an escape room!
1. Research, Research, Research!
If you’re thinking about opening your own business but haven’t even visited an escape room yet, that should be the first thing you do. Actually, you should visit as many as you can to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t.
2. Choose Your Location Wisely
You’ll want your escape room to be set up in an area where people can easily find it, but it can be off the beaten path. What’s more important is how the interior is set up.
3. Set a Time Limit
Generally, you want people to be in the escape room for no more than an hour. Any less and they’re not getting their money’s worth. Any more and they’re going to start getting bored.
4. Player Numbers
Be sure to repeatedly test your escape room to find out how many players it works best with. This will make the game more enjoyable to your customers.
5. Determine Difficulty
Some rooms are purposely nearly impossible whereas others are designed for players to win most of the time. In general, you should aim for about a 70% success rate.
6. Pick a Theme
The Old West, WWII, steampunk, horror. The list goes on. Whatever theme you pick, be sure you stick to it with every detail to provide an immersive experience for your players.
7. Escape Room Layout
You need to consider the layout of the escape room itself and the entire building. How many rooms will the puzzle include? Where will the pre-game instructions take place?
With AI technology, it’s easier than ever to use software programs to figure everything out before you start renovating.
8. Marketing
Know how you’re going to market your escape room before you jump into the business. Determine who your target customers are and where they are.
9. Replacement Parts
Things will break, whether from accidents, unruly players, or wear and tear. For that reason, you should have at least one if not two extras of each part on hand at all times.
10. Legalities
In some cities, counties, or states, it’s illegal to actually lock someone into a room. Be sure to check on things like this and other legalities before you get yourself into trouble.
11. The End
What happens at the end of your game? How are players rewarded for winning? What happens when they lose?
This will determine the overall experience a player has, so consider the end of your game carefully.
Want More Tips for Starting an Escape Room Business?
Now you have 11 tips to help you start an escape room business. By following them, you can be more successful from the beginning.
If you want more information for small business owners, be sure to check out our recent post on the 10 best apps for small businesses. There, you’ll be sure to find something to help you with your escape room.