Concession prices put the hurt on fans
MINNEAPOLIS – In the Super Bowl LII hunger stakes, the only thing supersized at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday were the prices.
The NFL’s biggest game has long been famous for the exorbitant cost of its menu items, but things seemed to have evolved to a new level of financial pain this year.
Ever heard of a $30 soda? That was the cost of a medium sized “pop” at House Divided on the main concourse an hour before kickoff, the hefty price including a souvenir cup in the shape of a cartoon football player.
That was even more expensive than the beers being offered, which topped out at $17 for a cup of draft and $13 for a can of Bud Light, more than the cost of a 12-pack of the same product in a supermarket.
If that wasn’t enough of a dent in the wallet, it was possible to add another $7 to the bill by buying a purple koozie. Special team-themed cocktails were going for $35 for a double measure.
A regular hot dog at Prairie Dogs came with a tag of $15, but hey, you did get a dollop of blue cheese piled on, while a side of fries set visitors back an extra $13.
“It is a joke,” Philadelphia Eagles fan Don Crawford said, not long before his team took on the New England Patriots. “But they got us. If you’ve paid to come to the Super Bowl, you’re going to pay whatever they charge. The portions aren’t even very big. It is lame.”
The freezing temperatures prompted many fans to get to the stadium as early as possible, meaning the concession stands were swamped.
“It feels like -16 outside,” Patriots fan Glenn Felton said. “It’s not like you’re going to find a nice little café and then take a stroll down to the stadium. Everyone came straight to the stadium, and there is nothing cheap to eat here.”
Andrew Zimmern’s Canteen Rotisserie had a Greek lamb sandwich for $17 plus a couple of items that seemed quite reasonable, cole slaw and macaroni salad for $7. Well, reasonable until you spotted that the serving size was enough for no more than a couple of mouthfuls.
House Divided had some original creations themed around the Super Bowl, with a clam roll ($18) in honor of the Patriots and a cheese steak devoted to the Eagles.
Local fare, Minnesota cheese curds with a Blue Moon beer crusting, were priced at $19 for a small serving, one that nevertheless delivered a whopping 1,900 calories.
If all the eating was too much of a strain on the replica jersey for some fans, several souvenir stands offered a wide collection of T-shirts. Many of them were eye-catching and smartly designed, especially one with laces around the collar to promote a football theme.
The price? A mere $70.