The stadium leadership at Mercedes-Benz Stadium has announced a food and beverage pricing and quality model designed to address the top reported pain point for football fans and soccer supporters in surveys about the live event experience.
Upon opening in 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will offer food and beverage options developed to deliver variety, speed of service, quality and value. The fan-first menu at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will include the most popular items at low prices: US$2 for non-alcoholic beverage products with unlimited free refills (at freestanding refill stations); US$2 for bottled water, hot dogs, pretzels and popcorn; US$3 for peanuts, pizza, nachos and waffle fries; and US$5 for 12oz domestic beer.
The menu and pricing model – which will allow a family of four to consume the typical game-day purchases for US$28 or less – will be in effect for Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United games, as well as major events at Mercedes-Benz Stadium including the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, SEC Championship Game, the College Football National Championship (2018) and the NCAA Men’s Final Four slated for 2020. The pricing and product offerings will be the same for concerts, conventions and other special events booked at the stadium.
The NFL’s Voice of the Fan Survey, as well as primary research within Atlanta and other markets conducted by the Falcons and Atlanta United, clearly indicates that food and beverage is the third-most important driver of game-day satisfaction. Yet, it’s also the lowest-rated aspect of the guest experience by almost every measure.
“We focused from the beginning on building a unique fan experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a goal of helping those who visit to leave the stadium with great memories shared with family and friends, not aggravation and frustration about their experience,” says Falcons and Atlanta United owner, Arthur M Blank. “We have listened to the concerns of the fans on the food and beverage experience and have responded to those concerns in a way that honors our commitment to providing the best possible fan experience at our events.”
To improve speed and quality of service, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has partnered with its design team, construction partners and Levy Restaurants, employing several new operational and design elements that include: more than 670 concession points-of-sale (65% more than fans currently enjoy); self-service soda refill stations away from the concession stands (to increase speed and shorten lines); increased on-site kitchen and cooking capacity to ensure freshness, quality and speed of service; whole-dollar pricing for ease and efficiency.
“To truly reimagine the food and beverage experience, we needed to first and foremost offer fans the best value possible,” says Mike Gomes, senior vice president, fan experience. “Value starts with pricing, but also includes improved quality and freshness, a variety of options that can appeal to all fans and the best speed of service – all of which we have delivered on through Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s innovative approach to the food and beverage program.”
In addition to the traditional fan favorites, a variety of premium items including higher-end food options, draft beers and mixed drinks will also be available from local and national partners throughout the stadium at the same prices charged in those partners’ restaurants. A number of those partners will be announced over the coming months.
