Big House Concession Foods

Submitted by Tampa 2 on
Sitting here getting ready to head in for my end of week meeting after a bad lunch and I started thinking about concession food at the Big House. My favorite use to be the Polish Kitchen just inside the south entrance. Haven't been back in a few years so not sure it's still there. One time i only had 8 bucks and i remember i had a pretty good feast there. What are all of your favorite concession foods at the Big House? Is there anything realistic you would like added? Happy Friday Friends!

The Krusty Kra…

February 9th, 2018 at 2:22 PM ^

are the only things I usually purchase. Maybe a slice of pizza back during the school years if I got too sloshed but tailgate food is the only way to go. However, in the rare times the Big House has had a liquor license that I've been (Hockey and Soccer in 2014) they took a good amount of my money....

crg

February 9th, 2018 at 2:49 PM ^

I just prefer to eat a large meal pregame and hold over until after. Even if at one of the places downtown, still a better deal than buying the overpriced stadium food.

We are back

February 9th, 2018 at 2:52 PM ^

Tailgate food, I refuse to pay for food at the stadium, all the money my family and I have spent on season tickets we deserve free buffet not 8 dollar waters

MGJS SuperKick Party

February 9th, 2018 at 3:01 PM ^

The pretzels with the Block m pretzel. So good. More expensive, but better than the standard one. Also, I’ve had some good and bad luck with the fries. Sometimes I get a shit ton, and it’s worth the price. Other times, it’s not.

True Blue Grit

February 9th, 2018 at 3:09 PM ^

The stuff at the main concession stations under the stands are to be avoided.  Not that good and again, way overpriced.   Some of the food out by the fence is much better.  We've found some pretty good burritos - can't remember the vendor.  

robpollard

February 9th, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^

The quality is mediocre (especially the "soft" pretzels) and the selection uninspired. 

If our AD wants to pick up an easy win for a program that fritters away millions of dollars on assistant coaches (i.e., has more money than it knows what to do with), he could fix that.

Get more local stuff, including food trucks, and price it all reasonably (not "I'm captured in a big stadium" reasonable, but "UM is easily covering its costs, but not gouging the fan" reasonable).

LSAClassOf2000

February 9th, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^

Actually, that would be really neat if the stadium had permanent stands that were run by local restaurants and it were possible that the prices could even beat the prices of the standard stadium food. It would be a chance to give visiting fans a taste of Ann Arbor that didn't come from freezer storage in Livonia or Allen Park (where Sodexo's offices locally are).

GOBLUE4EVR

February 9th, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^

has an office at the stadium also its to the right of main tunnel where the loading docks are... as for local restaurants being main stays at the stadium that would be a cool idea but Sodexo has a strangle hold on all of the concession foods for all of the sport venues and until someone at Michigan is not happy with them anymore they're not leaving anytime soon...

robpollard

February 9th, 2018 at 5:32 PM ^

I have no illusions that the feeding of 110,000 people requires an industrial food operation -- it can't be taken care of by artisanal sandwiches and free-trade, non-GMO chips & salsa.

But I am sure more can be done to supplement it and provide better variety.

For an easy example of how much I think this is on autopilot, I give you the prices for the non-UM football events. I attended the "Battle of the Big House" high school football game this fall and was shocked the concession prices were the same as for a U of M game. That is ridculous when you only have 4,000 people in the stadium watching high school football.

UMinSF

February 9th, 2018 at 4:31 PM ^

The trend had already started before him, but Dave Brandon completely instituted the corporate "maximize profits now" attitude that has made Michigan sports less fun.

It's shocking to me that despite massive renovation, Michigan Stadium has maybe 4 drinking fountains in the whole place, and refuses to let people bring in even empty bottles. Even the "hydration stations" provide only tiny cups, to encourage people to buy absurdly priced water. 

The overriding goal of the athletic department should be to make the in-stadium experience magical - good, reasonably priced food, great amenities (restrooms/drinking fountains, etc.), affordable ticket prices (especially for lesser opponents). 

Let's be honest, the concessions at Michigan Stadium are terrible. Poor quality, poor choice, overpriced. They could do much, much better - most other sports venues do.

There's TOO MUCH MONEY floating around college sports, and priorities are messed up.

Great in-stadium experience = full house, happy fans, incentive to buy season tickets, more loyalty, and a reason to fight traffic/travel to game instead of just watching on TV.

There are so many things to love about attending a Michigan football game - A2 in fall, tremendous tailgating, all the traditions and colors and music and history, the lack of advertising in the stadium. Just wish the AD would address some obvious flaws.

End of rant.

1blueeye

February 9th, 2018 at 5:34 PM ^

Even at pro stadium prices, I’ll splurge for the 32 oz-er that gets warm, but pro stadiums have cup holders so only 10% of beers end up on the person in front of the beer drinker. Wouldn’t work in the big house. But concessions are a general nuisance. I’m always having to let some dad out who returns with the 4 cup max holder and balancing a couple pizzas. Pro stadiums also have the advantage of having concession lounges where you can eat and still see the game on a tv or even off in the distance. I never get food at the big house. Tickets cost enough.

a2bluefan

February 9th, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^

The only choices on the upper west side concourse are nothing but god-awful Sodexo slop. The hot dogs are the worst ever. The bun is usually smashed so flat it may as well not even be there. Michigan could do so much better.

Beaublue

February 10th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^

As many have commented the food itself is terrible.   Cold hot dogs with smashed buns.  Typically overpriced.  The  worst of it is that they will run out of hot coffee and hot chocolate by half time in those cold late  season games.

Is it really that hard to figure out that is cold  outside and so maybe there should be extra hot drinks?

Wendyk5

February 10th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^

First and foremost, Coke over Pepsi. Second, they should get some of Ann Arbor's favorite spots to have outposts in the stadium. Forget about corporatized pizza and pretzels. I'm thinking Taste of Ann Arbor, kind of like Taste of Chicago. 

MaizeGVBlue

October 25th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^

Bringing this one back up.  Was at the game on Saturday, and at halftime went to get a hotdog and a pretzel.  Concession stand said they were completely out of hotdogs, brats, and salt for the pretzels.  My buddy, who's a season ticket holder, said concessions running out of food by halftime has been  happening all season long.

Anyone else experience this?