I was happy and a bit surprised to read in a Pete Grathoff column in The Star a couple of weeks ago that some concession prices were being lowered at Kauffman Stadium.
The column said the stadium was following the lead of several other stadiums around the country in reducing the public gouging that’s been going on for decades. Here’s what Pete wrote:
“A 16-ounce Pepsi will cost $3, hot dogs will sell for $4 and cans of Miller Lite will be $5. Also, popcorn and pretzels will be available for $3 each.”
Great, I thought, those prices are reasonable.
Today, I made my first trip this season to the stadium and, while waiting to meet family members, I went to the concession stand adjacent to Section 120 on the lower level, not far from the main entrance to the stadium.
In my hand, I held what remained of a 24-ounce bag of salted peanuts — a bag I had bought for about $5 at my Price Chopper a few days ago. (You can take snacks and unopened plastic bottles of water into the stadium.)
Big pretzels are about the only thing I ever buy at stadiums, and even though I had the peanuts, I thought that if I could get a pretzel for three bucks, I just might buy one.
But as I surveyed the concession stand menu and prices, I became disillusioned.
Here were the prices I jotted down for several items:
:: Peanuts (about a 12-ounce bag) — $5.75
:: Draft beer, $10.50 for domestic, $11.75 for premium
:: Small Pepsi, $6
:: Large hot dog, $8.75; small hot dog, $6.25
:: Pretzel, $6.75
…I thought maybe I hadn’t read Grathoff’s story carefully enough (I didn’t have it with me) and that the lower prices were only good at some remote concession stands.
But, no, after I got home, I re-read the story, which said:
“Concession stands will have signs indicating the cheaper prices and they will be located at sections 120, 135, 213, 242, 308, 417 and 422.” Like I said, I was at the section 120 concession stand.
I did not get in line and check with a concessionaire to see if perhaps the new prices were not reflected on the sign board. But I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the case. If the Royals had lowered the prices, I’m sure they’d have changed those signs right away.
**
After the other members of my group arrived, we sat down in some seats in section 120. We had gotten tickets, free of charge, from a friend, but those seats were way up in section 412. The crowd was small, though, and it was chilly, and the stadium attendants were basically letting people sit wherever they wanted.
So, that part of the afternoon was unequivocally a good deal — even though the Royals managed to pull defeat from the jaws of victory and lost their 10th straight game.
But back to those concession prices: Until somebody proves to me otherwise, I’m going to consider it a case of bait and switch.
Show me, then, Kansas City Royals: Just where can I get one of those $3 pretzels?
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
I did the same thing Monday night, the 1st of our 4 losses to Seattle.
I asked the usher where I could a $5 beer and $3 hot dog. I was in the upper deck. She said in the concession in 422
I went to 422, there were no signs. I asked the guy in the concession area where I could get a $5 beer. He said over there, at the adjacent concession area. So I went over there.
I said, I want 2 $5 beers and 2 $3 hot dogs. She said, they are over there, pointing to where I just came from. I went over there again and said ‘what is going on?” I ended up with 2 regular priced beers. There more to the story but I don’t want to go on.
Bottom line, the concessions don’t seem to be on board with the whole thing!
I’m glad to get corroboration for what I found, Bill…You did all the verification I didn’t do, and your experience would seem to cement the fact that this is either entirely or mostly a bogus price reduction. It’s ridiculous. I’m going to call it to Grathoff’s attention and see if he will follow up.
And how many peanuts were in that 12-ounce bag?
With a 2-10 start, loopy Ned and a woeful lineup along with the cheapest owner in baseball please let Hud know so he can put a positive spin on it.
Jim, an addendum to your concession pricing story. 2019 Masters golf tournament concession pricing:
https://www.google.com/search?q=masters+golf+tournament+concession+prices&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS836US837&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjN4NvlhMvhAhVOnOAKHa1oBiIQ_AUIECgD&biw=1579&bih=1079#imgrc=vQAEuWU9_Gsh7M:
Thanks, Rick…I’ll pass on the pimento cheese sandwich…at any price.
(I couldn’t get your link to take, so I substituted a similar one.)
Things are the same at Busch III, prices are CRAZY!! When we go, we always stop on the way to the game and grab a sandwich and bring bottled water. I don’t know how a family can go to the game with the prices set at these levels. Prices are just as bad at the Blues games. Just swept 4 from the Dodgers, and the Blues are one up on Winnipeg, but who can afford to go to the games between ticket prices and concessions? Staying home and watching them on TV is the only way. Don’t get me started on the cable prices.
At yesterday’s game, my brother-in-law went to the concession stand right after we sat down. He was gone for about 20 minutes. He came back with two boxes of popcorn, nachos with cheese, a jumbo hot dog and a bottle of water.
I said, “You got in free and now you just spent $25 on food!”
That does sound suspect. Will be interested to see an explanation.
What do you have against pimiento cheese?! I thought you were from the south!
Any word from WordPress?