My match day experience is worse than it could be. The results on the pitch can ruin it, not their poor food options, but it is worse than at RFK.
What do you have against sheep?! BTW, Queso fresco is not snooty at all. It is foreign, but it's one of the blandest cheeses I could imagine. Get the burger without the "DMV sauce" Southern coleslaw... is not snooty food network crap. That is all.
They can't seem to do it. We went there a couple weeks ago when my son wanted a plain burger and it was a nightmare. I eventually took one with all the toppings, scraped them off and got him to eat it. The fact that you can't get basic things like popcorn on the west side of the stadium is just annoying. I love that we've got Arepa Zone, but other things are just too hard. The idea that it took my wife almost 40 minutes to get snow cones back in August, having left our seats almost 10 min before half time is just galling. I don't understand how they planned for this stadium to actually serve customers. You can't get a drink in the club level, even if your life depended on it. I know that last Wednesday night was a "special" crowd ... I don't know how or why, but it was. But being a half decent bartender is not that hard when 75%+ of the orders were beer and there were only 3 choices. Heck, even when I told my rep that the club level was disappointing so we left and paid for beer and decent food, he didn't even bother to respond. Nothing. Just lights out. There is no focus on customer service and satisfaction. No one cares and that's still a management problem. I am sure our original rep switched us out because I had complaints. I am just not good at being a sheeple for 4 grand year in soccer tix. They will not do that. I tried.
That's really messed up that they can't make the burger without a topping. Seems like something any restaurant could handle. And Shawn, I actually agree with your overall premise that the price and fanciness of the food is annoying even if I think your delivery of that info is pretty hilarious. Have some of the fancy food, but have regular pretzels and burgers and hot dogs. I have not brought my kids yet, but when I do, I'm not sure what they'll want. I guess there are chicken tenders and fries. They'll eat that.
Last Wednesday I got into the stadium way early and it was a different experience for me. Yes, it still took too long to get in the gate, even with hardly anyone in line. But with hardly anyone inside the concourse, it would have been easy to get whatever food and drink we wanted and then eat at one of the stand up tables they have in the concourse, maybe even meeting up with friends there. An OK, though expensive experience. For people coming straight from work, not a bad option. The desirability of that option decreases minute by minute as kickoff approaches and the place fills up, however. And you sure as hell don't want to try doing it at halftime. So maybe things will be OK once people figure out what the deal is. If you really want Jose Andres "curated" stadium food, get there early or be prepared to miss half the game. As for me, I am more of a sandwich and beer in the parking lot, then get to the stadium closer to kickoff, sort of guy. While the offerings may be good - for stadium food - I am a good cook myself and I don't like spending big bucks on grub that isn't as good as what I can make myself. Also, I have to watch what I eat (low salt and grease), and did I mention I'm a cheapskate? But for people with time and money to burn, getting there early enough to relax and enjoy "a pint and a pie," or the AF equivalent, seems pretty civilized. It isn't something you could have done at RFK (or would have wanted to do).
Obviously they are not preparing food to order, just grabbing a sandwich from the pile. No, you can't have it your way. This isn't Burger King.
I disagree. They actually don't sell out. They raise the prices to maximize revenue it seems... leaving empty seats galore. Now, some of those seats are surely no-shows OR people waiting in really long lines for food or the toilet or to get in with paperless ticketing or at the Heineken bar. For a team this good, there are too many empty seats though.
They should be able to make one without sauce if you're willing to wait a few minutes. It's a topping... that you put on after you cook it.
Which limits my 71 year old Dad to hot dogs. He has diabetes so all those aoli's and sauces have too high a sugar content and would send his sugar through the roof. He only get hot dogs, plain.
The club space was the most crowded I'd ever seen it for that game. The playoff push generated a visible attendance bump. It was also a little disappointing that Levy planned the food offerings based on "National Pasta Day". While the pasta was great, it's not as memorable an introduction to the club as the "carvery" stations and other typically excellent offerings are.
Ya know, that's the thing that is still missing at the new stadium, are basic concessions at a reasonable price. Water is $5, Disney just upped their price to $3.50. We all knew they wouldn't do what Arthur Blank did at Mercedes Benz Stadium with basic concessions. What's a hot dog? $8 because its "fancy"? I don't mind a $12 arepa much, but especially because there are no real places to hide from high prices. I'll never set foot in the club again, based on Wednesday's experience and that my rep didn't seem to give a damn. The fact that I waited almost a quarter of an hour, once I got to the bar, before deciding to leave and go pay for beer and decent food. The pasta thing, I kindda sorta get it ... but the rest of the food was as low budget as it gets. Go back a couple pages and find my review of the experience. I am glad we decided to pass on the club seats at selection time. What I saw from the club last Wednesday, even if they'd been carving tenderloin and rack of lamb, it wouldn't have come within ICBM range of justifying the $75 cost difference between the club seats and my midfield preferred seats. Especially when the bar is pouring small beers that take forever to get.
There is probably still someone in control there with sports management experience instead of food service. A Tom Hunt holdover.
There isn't any sugar in aioli. Eggs, oil, and likely garlic and lemon juice. Probably salt. Maybe pepper. The other sauces might have sugar, or other sweeteners like molasses, honey, etc. Hard to say without knowing what type it is. Regading Manchego, which you mentioned earlier, it's about as common as provolone these days. Safeway, Giant, Harris Teeter, and so on all carry it. It was exotic 20 years ago, but hasn't been in probably the last 10.
Not that it is any consolation, but I actually sent your club level complaint to my rep (because I agreed with it re last Wednesday) and did get a response. The sum and substance of which was that they recognize that there are issues re staffing and the layout that need to be addressed. And it may have been coincidence, but Sunday was a 10 times better - food back to usual quality, no crazy lines, etc.
I have some confidence that issues we have had with Audi Field this season will be addressed this offseason by what I think (hope?) is a more responsive management. Yes, you could say that as long as every match is a near sellout there is no need for things to change, but I am Pollyanish enough to think that at least some of the annoyances will be dealt with.
People. We're talking about a sports stadium here. And sports stadium food. I'm not expecting much. Brats out in the Field House are OK. Italian Sausage up in the 100s are bland. If you're expecting great food, then bring your own and eat in your car.
Yes, this. Except that they (manglement) are selling the stadium on the virtues of the "curated" food offerings and charging a premium (whether STM or day of game) because of these food offerings. This now constant use of "curated" for items not in a museum is appalling - and really needs to stop. but I digress...
I have been in the Eaglebank (EB) club 2 times now (well, actually 3 but one of those times I really wasnt supposed to be there and didnt eat or drink) - during the rain delay and last Weds. Both times I walked way the same impression - average food and poor service (very long waits to get a drink due to staffing) - and not worth the extra cost. One simply cannot eat or drink enough to make it a good value proposition. If one looks at it as an opportunity to impress a client, hope the client doesn't measure the AF experience to the club levels at other stadiums (RFK not included) - even New Jack City (fedup field) - and make decisions on your business relationship based on AF. I have also been in the Heineken Club; that place is very nice indeed, both in food and service. But I dont find it worth the ~$100 more than the entry to the EB club. At $275 a person one can eat a whole lot better at Voltaggio, Rasika, Fiola, Minibar, Cafe Milano and almost any other place in town.