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Post by Andy K on Jul 18, 2023 11:23:16 GMT
I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned it, but it seems like the food prices have gone up again to the point where a cheesebuger is now £6.50. To put that in a bit of perspective that's around the same price as a Big Mac meal.
With the caveat that I understand the club needs to make a profit on this, the cost of the ingredients has gone up as well as the energy needed to cook it, and overall from my experience L2 matchday food is of a lower quality than NL food, to me it doesn't feel right to be charging so much for a product that is really at best average quality. I'd be concerned now that the prices are past a tipping point where people will start not to buy because it doesn't represent value for money.
What are other people's thoughts?
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tonyd
1st team Player
Posts: 1,496
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Post by tonyd on Jul 18, 2023 11:50:34 GMT
Football food prices are getting silly. At Horsham a week ago they want £2.95 for a cup of coffee!
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Post by davef on Jul 18, 2023 12:40:50 GMT
We are an effluent lot down here in Horsham.
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amberchoc
1st team Player
Blessed is the person who having nothing to say abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.
Posts: 1,501
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Post by amberchoc on Jul 18, 2023 13:23:52 GMT
We are an effluent lot down here in Horsham. There must be more than a grain of truth to that because last season Broadbridge Heath, who play on the outskirts of Horsham, occasionally brought outside caterers in who would charge similar prices for the burgers as Sutton are charging now. Needless to say, they didn’t receive any custom from me, but I noticed four young lads walking away from the serving hatch, all devouring burgers and chips. They would have shelled out a total not far short of forty quid!
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jr
1st team skipper
Posts: 2,195
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Post by jr on Jul 18, 2023 13:35:30 GMT
My thoughts are that the food is shocking and has been for years. It's ridiculously overpriced and the quality is awful. The burgers are similar to the ones you get from Costco and are dirt cheap. McDonalds burgers are probably better quality! I occasionally had a burger when I was absolutely starving or some cheesy chips but can't see myself doing that now. I'm sure people will pay for the food but I'll try not to purchase any food (sweepstake on how long that lasts!). Not the worst in the league as Grimsby gets that honour but it's not far off.
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Post by sufc1898 on Jul 18, 2023 14:17:11 GMT
I started to bring my own food/snacks/drinks halfway through last season for me and my son, and will do this season as well. Even a simple chocolate bar is now at least a pound.
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Post by Del on Jul 18, 2023 14:33:28 GMT
£6.50 for a cheeseburger !!! How much are chips £5 ?
More expensive than a season ticket card!!!
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Post by Amber Aleman on Jul 18, 2023 14:40:56 GMT
I stopped buying food inside GGL many years ago. I prefer to eat at home before heading to the match (though I make the occasional exception if there's something interesting on sale in the fanzone). The queues and limited choice available at the ground, aside from the quality and pricing, hardly entice me to change habits.
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Post by davethegrave on Jul 18, 2023 14:48:46 GMT
With kick off times I usually eat before leaving home. I've never bought food at a match unless I'm desperate because the price never matches the quality.
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Post by sufc18 on Jul 18, 2023 15:10:42 GMT
I overheard some young lads discussing how expensive the food was compared to McDonald’s at one of the Academy matches. I was amazed when I looked it up that our prices were approximately quadruple. There are obviously some economies of scale for McD but the overheads for store and staff must counteract that surely? I don’t but burgers but sometimes have chips at a match and find them reasonably priced and good quality, especially compared to some other grounds.
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Post by pinewalker on Jul 18, 2023 19:59:42 GMT
Andy K. My thoughts are the stadium management are going to find out why the Laffer curve is relevant. Their net takings will go down. I won't pay £6.50 for a cheeseburger, I will eat elsewhere.
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Post by banjo on Jul 18, 2023 20:46:03 GMT
For all those complaining about food prices have to remember that food has gone up due to hi inflation at the moment, so it will cost more. The food does have to be paid for and also you are eating out. ⚽️⚽️⚽️
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Post by timbo on Jul 19, 2023 8:55:31 GMT
A hotdog and two teas for us last night. £10. Tea was fine
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Post by baboonfish on Jul 20, 2023 9:14:20 GMT
There's two issues here. One of price and one of quality. 'Value for money' is entirely subjective and not tied to either.
On one hand, I doubt many football fans understand the pressures hospitality businesses are under at the moment. Pints realistically should be £7-7.50 for basic lagers, but outside central London, nobody can charge that without losing customers, so we're all operating on much weaker net profits due to inflationay pressures, wages etc. I expect they're charging what they need to to maintain margins. Whether that affects income negatively due to people not buying the food? Perhaps it will, but its a captive audience.
Id say £6.50/7 for a bog standard burger is pretty average, and I wouldnt expect anything great for that price. The club should make sure to offer better options (as it has sporadically in the fan park), but it should also make sure there are more affordable 'budget' options available in the stadium - for example, a smaller burger option or bacon sandwich available for £5ish, or perhaps a burger and chips deal. It also needs to improve non-meat options as they're not great.
Although football food is historically supposed to be cheaper than elsewhere, most people who watch games are probably aware they're going to get jacked and it won't be great quality, but there is a tipping point and expectations generally are changing. Would you rather pay more for better quality, or less for smaller portions for example? I would urge the club to do a marketing excercise and canvass fans on this, as it is possible to satisfy pretty much everyone with some thought and cohesive thinking.
McDonalds is an unfair and inaccurate example - they have kept their prices artificially low during this cost of living / inflationary crisis PRECISELY to win and retain customers on low income, and get them addicted to awful food. It's a huge opportunity for them to win generations of lifelong (rather reduced life, however, due to obesity) customers.
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Post by davef on Jul 20, 2023 10:45:28 GMT
May I just make the point that the club doesn't operate the catering outlets, they are effectively a franchise to a professional catering company. Their day to day business is catering at sporting events, many a lot bigger than our games, so in terms of 'going rate', profit margins etc they are better placed than any of us to understand their market. I am sure that if their income/profits are not at the required level they would review what they provide and what prices to sell at. And they are flexible, witness the speciality stands that were present at some games last season.
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