I probably should have posted this on Monday but please feel free to comment on this:
I ate at the Stadium on Friday because it was convenient. (My favorite bar and grill is only one block west but I'd already eaten at Basey's several times.)
I looked at the menu with their "football game" prices and ordered a hot dog and coke. If it was a football game I would have paid $9. Imagine my surprise when I was charged $15! Actually I wasn't even told the price; I just did the math when I was handed a $5 bill as change from my $20.
Thoughts?
Yeah some of the prices are ridiculous. I paid $7 for a single Brat at the Marriott $2.50 for a drink . At this point it makes more sense to eat a t a restaurant since you get more for your $
All the concession prices are high, even in the ICC, but LOS does seem to be even higher. The curse of conventions.
We never eat at the ICC, LOS, food trucks, food court, or hotel.
They are all expensive. The only reason to eat at any of those places is if you are short on time. We do not over book ourselves so we have plenty of time to sit down and enjoy a great meal for the same price or only a little bit more than more of those options. With so many good restaurants that close, I just don't understand eating at the above options.
My wife got the Market Table all you can eat buffet at Fogo de Chao on Thursday for $15. How many people spent $15 at a food truck or the concessions?
Almost all of the food options are overpriced. I understand that we are downtown and it's a convention, but if the food is expensive it should at least be pretty good. I ordered some nachos for $5.75, the chips were stale but it was good enough. It was convenient and a short line.
I usually avoid the food trucks because of the lines. The trucks by LOS had almost no line when I went there on Friday for lunch.
Having spent two years GMing in Lucas Oil I can honestly say that the worst part of the experience is the food. The prices are higher than the ICC and things like the reusable GenCon cup, aren’t part of the offerings at Lucas Oil. So if you shelled out for a cup, you’d have to go all the way to the ICC to use it. My other complaint is that there are about 5 toilets and 8-10 urinals at the field level, if those are full you have to go up to the concourse level.
We have been in the stadium for 2 years as well , I would rank the bathroom situation as worse than the food -You can always bring your own food in.
But the food options are awful there - the same 3 things all the time . And the "security " guards are very inconsistent about what they allow in. There was one that allowed 1 pizza ,but had a fit because there were 2 being brought in, and they didn't always allow food truck stuff(or any outside food) in . I blame a lack of clear instructions from their superiors.
Never even saw a special cup until Sunday .
During such a crowded event, waiting for a table (even with a reservation!), waiting for a server, waiting for your food, waiting for the bill, altogether a sit-down restaurant can take upwards of 3 hours.
I do agree that the concessions and food trucks are vastly overpriced - that's the tradeoff for convenience. If you want cheap you can walk to the mall food court or get pizza delivered or pack yourself a sandwich.
Yes Gen Con is short, but I gladly take the time to fuel up on great food and atmosphere and relax for an hour or two a day. Ultimately, it what is most valuable to you, but I want to be well rested and well fed when I am enjoying my Gen Con experience.
Give me Fogo de Chao, Old Spaghetti Factory, and Burger Study over Subway any day.