As stadiums have developed into architectural marvels, granting people incredible 360 degree views and changing the skylines of cities, expectations for concessions have dramatically increased alongside the number of seats.
So when the Dallas Cowboys unveiled their $1.15 billion stadium, it's fair to say that excitement about the food being offered was fairly oversized. But when the Dallas Morning News went to sample the stadium offerings, the concessions were underwhelming.
The chili dog was a "mealy abomination," the chopped beef sandwiches
tasted "worse than sloppy joes," and the beef fajita tacos were "dry
and stringy." Hamburger meat was gray and the margaritas were
chemically.
Ballparks and stadiums have certain limitations
when it comes to what they can serve. They need to be able to
accommodate thousands of people who all want their food before the
opening kickoff. Combine that with food that needs to be able to sit in
a warmer for an hour and you don't have a lot of options.
The
review reeks of the clash between high culture and low culture, but the
point is well-taken. Concessions haven't changed nearly as
dramatically as the stadiums. We're still sucking down hot dogs from
foil wrappers and leaving crushed peanut shells at our feet.
But Cowboys Stadium could take a cue from Arrowhead -- the simplest
menu offerings are often the best. A plate of barbecue and hot
chocolate with Schnapps are not complicated, but they are delicious.
And in a world where the team on the field sucks and
ticket prices keep going up to pay for that team and
stadium improvements, it's comforting to know that the hot dogs are
still the same.
[Image via Flickr: permanently scatterbrained]
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