Catering in stadiums - Target Field USA vs the Amex. Are you reading this PB ?

[Easy 10]

I'm not having a go at the reporting of your experience, Easy, but I'm not sure you expect PB to do about it? The country has enough of an obesity problem as it is, without adding to it at football grounds all around the country...

I certainly wouldn't expect to see as many options as are available at a US ballpark. But I don't think it would be much to ask to have more choice and better quality than what we currently have on offer. I think we've become so accustomed to our food at football grounds being shit and expensive, that we just accept it now with a weary shrug. Add in the Amex-factor of those non-moving queues due to the (mainly) hopelessly incompetent staff, and you have a catering experience that is still in the dark ages, no better than 20-25 years ago. In fact, it was probably better at Withdean !

For our all-singing, all-dancing stadium, the food and service there is embarrassing.

 

[looney]

I love the baseball and have followed your Facebook posts with interest, but be fair, baseball hasn't had to deal with social problems like football here has.

I seem to remember reading about riots involving red sox fans,Ithink it does have its issues but just not beer and class fuelled.

 

[Cesar Chavez]

I work a block from the new downtown Kings venue (Golden 1 Center) in Sacramento. The development is mind blowing in its scale and attention to detail. The catering promises to be sensational, emphasis on locally sourced food and beer, local restaurants and chefs and a food charter to cover the farm to fork experience. All very California, indicative of customer expectations and the whole approach to customer service.


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[Cesar Chavez]

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[Cesar Chavez]

This is the hotel the Kings are building next door to the arena.


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[Poyningsgull]

If the Amex season tickets were priced from £1000 to £5000 as per the minnesota twins you would not have to worry about the food because there would be nobody eating it.

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Side of the arena

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[Easy 10]

If the Amex season tickets were priced from £1000 to £5000 as per the minnesota twins you would not have to worry about the food because there would be nobody eating it.

But then we don't have 81 regular home games a season do we.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Side of the arena

Who the F put that up? Frank Spencer?

 

[drew]

I work a block from the new downtown Kings venue (Golden 1 Center) in Sacramento. The development is mind blowing in its scale and attention to detail. The catering promises to be sensational, emphasis on locally sourced food and beer, local restaurants and chefs and a food charter to cover the farm to fork experience. All very California, indicative of customer expectations and the whole approach to customer service.


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Great. But is the sport any good? Is there a great atmosphere in the stadium, great rivalry between fans etc.

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Great. But is the sport any good? Is there a great atmosphere in the stadium, great rivalry between fans etc.

It's basketball, and with a usual full house the atmosphere at NBA games is pretty good. But the real point of this thread is, I think, that good food and service can be done, along of course with the main event. In other words poor service is an excuse and should not be accepted as the norm.


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[Tyrone Biggums]

There's a reason why the Americans are one of the most obese nations on the planet. This is part of that reason.

Americans can provide such products/services because their nation is built around fast food.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I work a block from the new downtown Kings venue (Golden 1 Center) in Sacramento. The development is mind blowing in its scale and attention to detail. The catering promises to be sensational, emphasis on locally sourced food and beer, local restaurants and chefs and a food charter to cover the farm to fork experience. All very California, indicative of customer expectations and the whole approach to customer service.


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Too bad the team won't match the facilities. Kings are an utter joke of a franchise.

 

[Captain Sensible]

The learning aspect of this thread for the club should be, that customer service can be good at an event with thousands of people. Setting aside the volume of choice for a moment, that a sports venue with 40 thousand people can have fast efficient and friendly customer service. It's after all the basics of selling anything fast food and drink orientated, from a hot dog van to Mcdonalds. Sadly Sodexo fail on the basics, and verses the American venues are miles behind.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I certainly wouldn't expect to see as many options as are available at a US ballpark. But I don't think it would be much to ask to have more choice and better quality than what we currently have on offer. I think we've become so accustomed to our food at football grounds being shit and expensive, that we just accept it now with a weary shrug. Add in the Amex-factor of those non-moving queues due to the (mainly) hopelessly incompetent staff, and you have a catering experience that is still in the dark ages, no better than 20-25 years ago. In fact, it was probably better at Withdean !

For our all-singing, all-dancing stadium, the food and service there is embarrassing.

Can't say I agree with that. I've never had a problem with the food – it is the kind I would expect from a stadium – it's not a restaurant! Plus the new 'Four items for £10' is VERY good value, IMO...

 

[Codner's Wallop]

With due respect, I've never really grasped the importance of 'match day experience'. But perhaps I'm too seasoned to watching football in the 70s, 80s, 90s when 'match day experience' meant turning up, watching the game and going home. I rarely eat the fast food slops or booze at a football venue, instead I eat something before and get tanked up in pub which sells beer of my choice...

 

[Blue3]

It's rounders Which most found boring as a child

 

[Gwylan]

There's a reason why the Americans are one of the most obese nations on the planet. This is part of that reason.

While this is true, it's a bit rich for an Australian to criticise a fast food culture, when Australia is also one of the most obese nations on earth and also has a culture built around fast food

 

[Easy 10]

Can't say I agree with that. I've never had a problem with the food – it is the kind I would expect from a stadium – it's not a restaurant! Plus the new 'Four items for £10' is VERY good value, IMO...

This is exactly my point. The crap we get at the Amex and everywhere else is indeed what we would expect from a stadium. Its the norm, its deemed acceptable. The bar is is set so desperately low, and we duley sink to it every time because its just what we expect at a stadium.

Why ?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

This is exactly my point. The crap we get at the Amex and everywhere else is indeed what we would expect from a stadium. Its the norm, its deemed acceptable. The bar is is set so desperately low, and we duley sink to it every time because its just what we expect at a stadium.

Why ?

Maybe it's just me, then

I don't GO to the football for the food. Just like I don't go to a pub (proper one, not a 'fancy' gastropub), a soft play place with the kids, or a garden centre for the food. It's not the primary objective of that business to provide the highest quality food – that is NOT the reason that people go there – so as duh, I know what I'm going to get. In the same way, I wouldn't go to an expensive restaurant and expect entertainment or any other kind of add-ons.

But, having said that, I understand that Piglets Pies have won awards, there is local booze (both local to Sussex and the visiting clubs) and – in my house at least – the hot-dogs are to die for. So the club must be doing something right.

Can you IMAGINE the extra cost it would be for the club to provide, for arguments sake, the range of food on offer from that baseball stadium on a matchday? And then consider how much of it would be wasted because the demand wasn't there? At a time when the club is trying to cut costs I don't see the point in plunging a whole load of wonga into overhauling the catering offerings.