Speaking of concessions, it's just another area I think will be an improvement under Ishbia.

Markup on stadium food has gotten completely egregious. Really hope they do something like this at the new ballpark.

1 minute ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Speaking of concessions, it's just another area I think will be an improvement under Ishbia.

Markup on stadium food has gotten completely egregious. Really hope they do something like this at the new ballpark.

He’s doing it wrong. The proper strategy is to cut-rate your ticket prices and collect that bounty on parking, beer, and concessions!

But honestly, the funny thing is that the margins on those items at those prices is still probably 75% or higher.

Edited May 5May 5 by WhiteSox2023

1 minute ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Speaking of concessions, it's just another area I think will be an improvement under Ishbia.

Markup on stadium food has gotten completely egregious. Really hope they do something like this at the new ballpark.

God, I wish they could buy the Bulls.

Like, hypothetically they could pull a John Henry, Jeff Loria move, but I highly doubt that happens.

Do they have the "topping station" style serving at G-Rate? Helps keeps things moving a long if you can just get your hot dog or sausage or whatever and then put on all your own condiments in a circular station so the line doesn't get held up as much. They've been doing that at the hot dog and burger stands at Safeco for at least the last couple years.

I agree that there's too much emphasis on "elevated" ball park food. It's never going to be that great, focus on affordability and the classics and throw in a few "premium options".

How is the stuff the "Bertucci bros" are putting out?

3 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Do they have the "topping station" style serving at G-Rate? Helps keeps things moving a long if you can just get your hot dog or sausage or whatever and then put on all your own condiments in a circular station so the line doesn't get held up as much. They've been doing that at the hot dog and burger stands at Safeco for at least the last couple years.

I agree that there's too much emphasis on "elevated" ball park food. It's never going to be that great, focus on affordability and the classics and throw in a few "premium options".

How is the stuff the "Bertucci bros" are putting out?

Definitely gotta have a fixins station…

8 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Speaking of concessions, it's just another area I think will be an improvement under Ishbia.

Markup on stadium food has gotten completely egregious. Really hope they do something like this at the new ballpark.

Honestly Blows my mind that “dollar dog” days are so minimized. That should be treated and celebrated as the foody event that it is

1 minute ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Definitely gotta have a fixins station…

That is such a hilarious outtake, Danny simply cannot hold his s%*# together

1 minute ago, Kyyle23 said:

Honestly Blows my mind that “dollar dog” days are so minimized. That should be treated and celebrated as the foody event that it is

I think it's been like 5+ years since they have done the dollar dog days. Now the only "value" option is $5 Tuesdays if you even want to call a $5 coke or hot dog "value".

I was at the Sox-Nats game last Saturday. There were 35k but it was the worst crowding I've ever seen in my life. The concourse was at a complete standstill, took me a full half inning to move a couple sections. I don't remember the crowding situation being that bad back in the day when 35k was more common. Either Sox fans don't know how to operate in crowds anymore or staffing was cut, idk but either way it was absolutely miserable.

2 hours ago, bmags said:

I'm going to go against the grain here.

The White Sox do NOT do a good job with food and drinks. They do good marketing with food and drinks, but their concessions (imo) are horribly run.

I don't go to tons of games at other stadiums, but I have to say it is rare to lose a full inning to waiting in concession lines. The white sox staff the bare minimum every day. It's actually easier to get food on a packed day than a slow one. Sitting in a light section? Sorry yr walkin halfway around to home plate to be in a massive, slow moving line.

Part of this is the food choice. They put stuff on there that cannot be served fast enough, that their part time emps aren't trained in.

Everything is just WAY too slow by how they staff it or their food. Give a 'gameday classics' stand that just has a bunch of hot dogs that are equal to the ones in the stands, and sling em out fast and I'll eat that trash before waiting for nachozilla or whatever the f*** they add each year that takes 4 innings to get.

For the most part, it’s not a good fan experience. Way too much inefficiency with regards to ticket taking, concessions, etc

37 minutes ago, Green Line said:

I was at the Sox-Nats game last Saturday. There were 35k but it was the worst crowding I've ever seen in my life. The concourse was at a complete standstill, took me a full half inning to move a couple sections. I don't remember the crowding situation being that bad back in the day when 35k was more common. Either Sox fans don't know how to operate in crowds anymore or staffing was cut, idk but either way it was absolutely miserable.

I have no idea here, it's definitely been a post-covid thing where the outfield concourse is just a mad house. I still put SOME of that on concessions - as I think everything takes too long and people are waiting for their groups or given up on watching the game the first time it takes 30 minutes to get a beer.

But I maintain this is not the way it is at most other ballparks so I think it's something to how the white sox are doing it.

If I were designing the concession concepts at a new park, I would lean heavily into licensed renowned/beloved local institutions as the purveyors, whether Levy/Delaware North/Aramark or whomever is handling the point-of-sale. Whomever makes the best pizza, hamburger, hot dog, fried chicken, donuts, or whatever in Chicago should have a stand on every level of the stadium with their name on it. And generic cheap-o alternatives of those foods would be available at generic/typically-named stands ("Ballpark Classics") at a lower price point. Do a licensing deal with Rick Bayless and put his Mexican food in-house. You get the idea.

5 minutes ago, h. jones said:

If I were designing the concession concepts at a new park, I would lean heavily into licensed renowned/beloved local institutions as the purveyors, whether Levy/Delaware North/Aramark or whomever is handling the point-of-sale. Whomever makes the best pizza, hamburger, hot dog, fried chicken, donuts, or whatever in Chicago should have a stand on every level of the stadium with their name on it. And generic cheap-o alternatives of those foods would be available at generic/typically-named stands ("Ballpark Classics") at a lower price point. Do a licensing deal with Rick Bayless and put his Mexican food in-house. You get the idea.

This - I would go to PETCO and literally mimic it. They have the local vendors all throughout, unique food, brews etc everywhere. Make it a differentiated and Chicago experience with a variety of well known institutions and vendors all over the place. You can still have your standard fare - but a much more nuanced experience and quite frankly - a very different experience that you can get from any other stadium in Chicago. Help make it an experience - use of venue for concerts post game in the city for weekend games that create just a totally different experience blending in the concept and truly maximizing benefit of a downtown stadium.

1 minute ago, Chisoxfn said:

This - I would go to PETCO and literally mimic it. They have the local vendors all throughout, unique food, brews etc everywhere. Make it a differentiated and Chicago experience with a variety of well known institutions and vendors all over the place. You can still have your standard fare - but a much more nuanced experience and quite frankly - a very different experience that you can get from any other stadium in Chicago. Help make it an experience - use of venue for concerts post game in the city for weekend games that create just a totally different experience blending in the concept and truly maximizing benefit of a downtown stadium.

Those year-round special events outside the 81 scheduled home games are one of the primary financial success factors for stadiums like PetCo over GRF.

15 minutes ago, bmags said:

I have no idea here, it's definitely been a post-covid thing where the outfield concourse is just a mad house. I still put SOME of that on concessions - as I think everything takes too long and people are waiting for their groups or given up on watching the game the first time it takes 30 minutes to get a beer.

But I maintain this is not the way it is at most other ballparks so I think it's something to how the white sox are doing it.

Absolutely on the last part. I've probably been to 5-6 Cubs game over the past two years, mostly sellouts. There is nowhere near the crowding issues that Ive seen at Guaranteed Rate.

1 hour ago, h. jones said:

If I were designing the concession concepts at a new park, I would lean heavily into licensed renowned/beloved local institutions as the purveyors, whether Levy/Delaware North/Aramark or whomever is handling the point-of-sale. Whomever makes the best pizza, hamburger, hot dog, fried chicken, donuts, or whatever in Chicago should have a stand on every level of the stadium with their name on it. And generic cheap-o alternatives of those foods would be available at generic/typically-named stands ("Ballpark Classics") at a lower price point. Do a licensing deal with Rick Bayless and put his Mexican food in-house. You get the idea.

Of all places, the airports do a solid job of getting Chicago institutions into their building. The Sox could pick up on this.

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Of all places, the airports do a solid job of getting Chicago institutions into their building. The Sox could pick up on this.

The only thing I really like about O'Hare are those god damn giant pretzels with mustard. best 8 dollar airport meal in the country imo.

3 hours ago, h. jones said:

If I were designing the concession concepts at a new park, I would lean heavily into licensed renowned/beloved local institutions as the purveyors, whether Levy/Delaware North/Aramark or whomever is handling the point-of-sale. Whomever makes the best pizza, hamburger, hot dog, fried chicken, donuts, or whatever in Chicago should have a stand on every level of the stadium with their name on it. And generic cheap-o alternatives of those foods would be available at generic/typically-named stands ("Ballpark Classics") at a lower price point. Do a licensing deal with Rick Bayless and put his Mexican food in-house. You get the idea.

Excellent idea - especially with Chicago being so renowned for its restaurants. The food at Sox Park has been pretty good for years, but people who think it's top of the league need to get out and see more MLB ballparks outside of Chicago. Maybe this was true 30 years ago, but when you see concessions at other ballparks around the league these days, Rate Field really doesn't stand out.

I also completely agree with the complaints with the slowness of the concessions at Sox Park. This has been a problem for years. Sooooo inefficient. But that's more of an operational problem than a structural problem with the design of the ballpark.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Of all places, the airports do a solid job of getting Chicago institutions into their building. The Sox could pick up on this.

Yeah, speaking of Rick Bayless, there's a Frontera Grill stand at Terminal 3 at O'Hare......always a good option when looking for a meal there.

Just now, 77 Hitmen said:

Yeah, speaking of Rick Bayless, there's a Frontera Grill stand at Terminal 3 at O'Hare......always a good option when looking for a meal there.

After working downtown for 15 years, I miss Billy Goat of all places. Usually when I go through, I either pick up a double, or a rib-eye sandwich.

Mayor Johnson throws down the gauntlet putting legislators on notice:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/05/05/mayor-brandon-johnson-bears-stadium-legislation-arlington-heights-kam-buckner

I think Mayor Johnson has to realize the Bears will not build a stadium in Chicago. Maybe if Johnson hollers enough he'll be able to get another NFL team to play in Chicago. There would be enough people willing to buy an expansion NFL team and put it in Chicago.

2 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

I think Mayor Johnson has to realize the Bears will not build a stadium in Chicago. Maybe if Johnson hollers enough he'll be able to get another NFL team to play in Chicago. There would be enough people willing to buy an expansion NFL team and put it in Chicago.

Protected territory?

Even if they moved to IND?

1 hour ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Mayor Johnson throws down the gauntlet putting legislators on notice:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/05/05/mayor-brandon-johnson-bears-stadium-legislation-arlington-heights-kam-buckner

3 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

I think Mayor Johnson has to realize the Bears will not build a stadium in Chicago. Maybe if Johnson hollers enough he'll be able to get another NFL team to play in Chicago. There would be enough people willing to buy an expansion NFL team and put it in Chicago.

If he hollers loud enough, the Bears will move to Hammond and that'll be the end of NFL football in Illinois. Period. Chicago is NOT getting a 2nd NFL team. If Chicago's mayor successfully tanks the Bears bid to build a stadium in Cook County because it's not within the city limits, then it'll just reinforce the image of Chicago as a place that drives businesses out of state.