AmFam Concession Changes

[gypcasino]

underwhelming 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2023/03/27/american-family-field-food-concessions-change-for-2023-brewers-season/70053978007/

Visit our comprehensive guide to AmFam:

 

[MrTPlush]

“Price reductions are up to 15%.”

Considering everything on that list is less than $8 outside of maybe a premium cocktail…you are talking like a 50 cent to one dollar price reduction.

I mean I suppose if you have a family of 5…maybe you are spending $80 instead of $100?

[patrickgpe]

kind of what I expected. Reduce the price of beer 50 decent and brag about it.

 

My favorite quote is: "We don't want anybody to say they can't come to a Brewers game because of price," Rick Schlesinger, Brewers president of business operations, said at a Monday news conference., 

Which doesn't seem to acknowledge its still very expensive to take your family to a game. 

 

[owbc]

The fact that the Brewers have their business executive giving the press release tells you all you need to know about their priorities on the ballpark menu. I just saw a similar one for the Mariners and it was given by the executive chef of T-Mobile Park. 

The picture of the cheese in those junior nachos looks concerning to me. 

[KeithStone53151]

The biggest takeaway is reducing the cost on a 16 oz domestic beer and cocktails. The price was getting kinda silly on a beer, it's honestly still too pricey for me to buy one in the stadium but any reduction is a step in the right direction on that. Cocktails I think were like $14/15 for a single or something last year, it's still the better option because the bartenders tend to pour heavy...I tend to go the long island route and it's basically a full cup of long island mix with a splash of coke. I can only hope they didn't reduce the size AGAIN to justify a price decrease. I feel like those $4 nachos are going to be a pretty big hit, seems like the best value on that menu and it's an easy/obvious add to whatever else you're getting. The fact that there isn't much for new items is whatever, there's pretty good variety already in my opinion.

I'll be interested to check out the new patio, I still find the golf simulator thing a bit weird but whatever maybe some people go to a baseball game to play the golf simulator.

[Axman59]

If your family is on a tight budget there are many ways to enjoy a Brewers game for not lot of money. There are frequent inexpensive ticket packages available and you can tailgate before the game and carry in peanuts and/or popcorn (or even Cracker Jack!) and bottles of water to consume during the game. You can even bring in sandwiches and the like if you need to eat something more substantial.

I realize ballpark food is very expensive but you're not required to buy it to have a good time at the ball game.

[gypcasino]

Not sure who these people are that are giving the quality high marks but the quality is generally abysmal 
 

https://www.cbs58.com/news/cheaper-concessions-new-experiences-and-rule-changes-the-brewers-plan-to-get-attendance-back-to-pre-pandemic-levels

"People said that they liked the concession offerings, they like the quality, they like the speed of the lines but they thought some of the prices were too high," Schlesinger. "So, we did a conscious effort in the offseason to offer value meals and reduce some concession prices."

 

[wallus]

You can do a Brewers game cheaply if you want. If you decide that you need great seats, eat a full meal in the stadium, have drinks, etc. then of course it will cost more. This is no different than going to a zoo, theme park, movie, etc.

[Brock Beauchamp]

50 minutes ago, owbc said:

The picture of the cheese in those junior nachos looks concerning to me. 

Yet somehow, the cheese they actually serve you at the ballpark will look worse.

[MrTPlush]

Just now, Brock Beauchamp said:

Yet somehow, the cheese they actually serve you at the ballpark will look worse.

I saw that cheese and I was like, “Wow, is that the best they could do for a staged photo?

A Philly cheesesteak sounds good till you consider the microwave reheated meat, cold nacho cheese sauce, and lackluster bun. At least that is what I expect as it seems to be apart of the main concession stands.

The only good coming out of all this is the 414 menu, aka kids menu.

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, MrTPlush said:

I saw that cheese and I was like, “Wow, is that the best they could do for a staged photo?

A Philly cheesesteak sounds good till you consider the microwave reheated meat, cold nacho cheese sauce, and lackluster bun. At least that is what I expect as it seems to be apart of the main concession stands.

The only good coming out of all this is the 414 menu, aka kids menu.

I've said it a bunch of times but I don't get why AmFam's concessions are so lackluster. Most of the rest of baseball moved past that part of the fan "experience" quite some time ago. I can rattle off a half dozen things at Target Field that aren't just okay, they're legitimately good.

[bucks2281]

23 minutes ago, gypcasino said:

Not sure who these people are that are giving the quality high marks but the quality is generally abysmal 
 

https://www.cbs58.com/news/cheaper-concessions-new-experiences-and-rule-changes-the-brewers-plan-to-get-attendance-back-to-pre-pandemic-levels

"People said that they liked the concession offerings, they like the quality, they like the speed of the lines but they thought some of the prices were too high," Schlesinger. "So, we did a conscious effort in the offseason to offer value meals and reduce some concession prices."

 

Exactly. The high cost of concessions is the reality at sporting events everywhere. The quality of the product, compared to other parks, is the issue in Milwaukee. It’s embarrassingly poor. I have no idea who is giving the food high marks. It’s telling that local restaurants - Zaffiros, Smoke Shack, AJ Bombers, etc . have come and gone. I can’t believe the Black Shoe Restaurant group is OK with the way Delaware North is butchering their product at the stadium. 
 

I also found it interesting that the recent report detailing the needed repairs at the stadium basically indicated that tap beer lines would not be replaced implying that younger guests prefer canned beer - I don’t think this is true and it’s yet another example of the organization dropping the ball at improving/maintaining the guest experience 

[owbc]

21 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I've said it a bunch of times but I don't get why AmFam's concessions are so lackluster. Most of the rest of baseball moved past that part of the fan "experience" quite some time ago. I can rattle off a half dozen things at Target Field that aren't just okay, they're legitimately good.

I wonder if Delaware North is to blame or if the Brewers are simply not willing to invest (or both). 

I get that ~75% of the people at the ballpark just want cheap junk food, but it's a huge miss to not have at least a few good premium options that are outside of the club/restaurant levels. This can't possibly be a surprise to them, I think AmFam was in the middle to the bottom of the ballpark food rankings that I've seen. Basic stuff like a freshly grilled premium sausage w/ toppings would be a huge hit, even at a $10-12 price point. 

 

[jerichoholicninja]

Us cheap midwest folks aren't going to pay more for higher quality so why should the Brewers bother trying. Also, this is a sports stadium not a 5 star restaurant. 

[gypcasino]

6 minutes ago, owbc said:

Basic stuff like a freshly grilled premium sausage w/ toppings would be a huge hit, even at a $10-12 price point. 

 

Absolutely. It's not the cost itself but the cost to quality gap is astonishing. I just remembered at the last game I was at last season I had the "Johnsonville Ultimate Bratwurst." For what it cost it was laughably bad. I'll pay whatever for a beer because I like drinking beer but I usually don't get food unless it's a SSH discount day and I̶ ̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶c̶r̶e̶e̶n̶s̶h̶o̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶'̶s̶ ̶S̶S̶H̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶d̶ go with my SSH friend who gets the 25% discount. That tends to soften the blow. 

[bucks2281]

7 minutes ago, jerichoholicninja said:

Us cheap midwest folks aren't going to pay more for higher quality so why should the Brewers bother trying. Also, this is a sports stadium not a 5 star restaurant. 

The quality of the food is better at both other pro sports venues in this state. I’m not looking for 5-star quality … I want a couple of stands with fresh grilled sausage with onions/peppers (which is standard at other parks). I also want them to stop putting cold shredded cheese on top of a $14-$20 nacho bowl. 

[patrickgpe]

At county stadium they would dip the hotdog in secret stadium sauce and put it in fresh in the bun. Now that was a hotdog, compared to whatever is going on how inside the stadium. Like others said, its not the price, and we aren't asking for food quality as good as the Ritz Carlton, but at least something appealing for your money. 

[gypcasino]

3 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

 compared to whatever is going on how inside the stadium.

My usher buddy said I don't want to see the way they're cooked now. He also told me what he and his fellow ushers refer to the kitchen operations as but it was kind of offensive. 

[MrTPlush]

I have had food in Kansas City and happily ate a 4 course meal. AmFam…I buy a pretzel…maybe.

If Kansas City can have good food, I am pretty sure we can manage it. If the Chicago teams can figure out how to grill a fresh brat…maybe we could figure it out in Wisconsin.

You know what doesn’t make people spend more money? Spending $10mil to renovate what the concession stands look like, but not make the food any better. Something tells me that investment was not worth it.

[gypcasino]

1 minute ago, MrTPlush said:

I have had food in Kansas City and happily ate a 4 course meal. AmFam…I buy a pretzel…maybe.

If Kansas City can have good food, I am pretty sure we can manage it. If the Chicago teams can figure out how to grill a fresh brat…maybe we could figure it out in Wisconsin.

You know what doesn’t make people spend more money? Spending $10mil to renovate what the concession stands look like, but not make the food any better. Something tells me that investment was not worth it.

So yeah it's only Tuesdays but you're talking $5 for normal size things not the silly 414 teeny lil hot dog menu. 

."The Chicago White Sox introduced three enhanced ticket offers and a first-of-its-kind $5 TUESDAY concessions menu, providing fans with additional savings throughout the 2023 season.

New this season, Tuesday home games will feature a specially priced $5 concessions menu, featuring items like 16-ounce draft beers (Miller Lite and Modelo), Vienna Beef Hot Dogs and Polish Sausages, Beggars Pizza slices, nachos, select Coca-Cola products and Garrett Popcorn Stadium Buttery (excludes July 25 vs. Cubs). Offered at various concessions stands throughout the ballpark, fans can learn more at whitesox.com/Tuesdays."

https://chicagocrusader.com/white-sox-announce-enhanced-ticket-offerings-and-concessions-value-deals/

[SomewhereInTime]

14 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I've said it a bunch of times but I don't get why AmFam's concessions are so lackluster. Most of the rest of baseball moved past that part of the fan "experience" quite some time ago. I can rattle off a half dozen things at Target Field that aren't just okay, they're legitimately good.

I will never be one to give the Twins credit for anything but I do have to admit Target Field does a much better job with concessions.

[SomewhereInTime]

13 hours ago, patrickgpe said:

At county stadium they would dip the hotdog in secret stadium sauce and put it in fresh in the bun. Now that was a hotdog, compared to whatever is going on how inside the stadium. Like others said, its not the price, and we aren't asking for food quality as good as the Ritz Carlton, but at least something appealing for your money. 

They used to do that at Miller Park too.  I remember you could order a brat "County Stadium style".  10 years ago the concessions were top notch.

[kestrel79]

Look I get it. Food and Drinks at a MLB game will always be expensive. Same with NBA, NFL, concerts. It's how they make money. But the quality has dipped so low compared to what it used to be at Miller Park and I think that's the more concerning and disappointing part. 

We've talked about it before but it's sad a Wrigley Field Chicago Dog beats out a Brat at Miller Park but it's true. 

[gypcasino]

I hear that starting  today beer sales are extended through the 8th inning due to the quicker game pace.

[Frisbee Slider]

I think the food on the Club level is good but pricey. I had the hot ham sandwich on opening day and it was $18.50 (with chips and pickle)