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Take Me Out to the Ball Game... for the Food
May 19, 2021
Baseball is officially back, even though it might look a little bit different in 2021. Major and minor league ballparks all over the country have been welcoming fans back into stadiums. To ensure the safety of everyone involved, parks have been taking precautions such as:
- Touchless ticketing and entry
- Assigned arrival times
- Lower capacity limits
- Enhanced cleaning
- Cashless retail and concessions
If you’re like us (which means mainly in it for the food), you’ll be happy to hear that most parks are still offering concessions—you may just have to order using an app on your phone.
In the spirit of summer and baseball season, we polled our CSSI team about their favorite ballpark eats, the kookiest concession items they’ve seen and any inspiring innovations to keep an eye out for this year and in the future.
What’s your favorite ballpark concession food?
From the classics (hot dogs and peanuts) to an Atomic Pork Chop Sandwich so good the team rebranded themselves after it, here are our team’s favorite items to order at the ballpark.
“Hot dogs—they are delicious, warm, cozy and nostalgic, and I love the relish at the Chicago ballparks!” – Bridget Mikols, Account Executive
"The
Atomic Pork Chop Sandwich
at the Kane County Cougars Northwestern Medicine Field is INCREDIBLE! It's just a simple boneless butterflied pork chop, smothered with Atomic sauce (BBQ sauce), served on a plain bun. But it is SO delicious and famous, that the team is actually [temporarily] rebranding as a new identity: the Kane County Atomic Pork Chops.” – Lauren Kuhn, Culinary R&D Manager
“Dirty Water Dogs
[which are simmered in a seasoned broth] as a kid with my dad at Fenway Park.” – Sabrina Mirabella, R&D Manager
“Nachos
with extra cheese and jalapeños.” – Rachel Lake, Account Director
“Boog's BBQ
at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It's the first stand you see coming in through the main Eutaw Street entrance and the smell is a constant source of joy even when the play on the field isn't. Which in Baltimore happens a lot.” – Carl Schwartz, Culinary R&D Manager
“Peanuts
because they go really well with
beer.” – Carrie Trevenen, Account Director
“Chickie & Pete's Crab Fries
at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. A huge cup of crispy crinkle cut fries coated with Old Bay-style seafood seasoning and served with cheese sauce for dipping. These are so stinking addictive! The fries are super crispy and absolutely doused with their proprietary crab seasoning (with notes of garlic, paprika, cayenne, black pepper and celery salt, among other flavors). The cheese sauce is mild and acts as a counterpoint to the spices, but is also still rich and decadent.” – Peter Thornhill, Associate Director, Culinary R&D
“I try to find something unique to the specific market I'm in. For Chicago, that's hot dogs and beef. So, if you see me at Wrigley Field on a summer weekend, chances are I'll have a
hot dog or Italian beef
and a
beer
in-hand.” – Tyler Ritchie, Account Executive
“I LOVE a
Maxwell Street Polish
with tons of grilled onions and mustard. It's the perfect blend of flavors: savory, salty, vinegary, sweet, and the snap of the Polish makes it the perfect ballpark dog. Give me an Old Style with it and I'm in hog heaven. If it wasn't swimming in cholesterol and sodium I'd eat it every day.” – Rachel Royster, Associate Director of Strategy & Planning
What’s the most off-the-wall menu item you’ve seen at a ballpark?
“Crickets
at T-Mobile Park, where the Seattle Mariners play.” – Carl Schwartz
“Bao to the Pork sandwich: pulled pork, pickled vegetables, jalapeño relish and green onions on a steamed bao-style hamburger bun. It's a really dope sandwich and totally out of left field (you see what I did there) for a ballpark. Admittedly, I played a small role in bringing this to life, showcasing the bao bun to Jeff Mauro (the sandwich’s creator) when I worked at a large baking company.” – Peter Thornhill
“A
bread cone stuffed with mashed potatoes and pulled pork and covered in gravy. Honestly, on a sweltering summer day, this did not hit the spot.” – Tyler Ritchie
Are there any new innovations you’ve seen and/or want to try in the concession space?
“The Crazy Crabz Sandwich—garlic bread carrier, sliced tomato, crab salad—at Oracle Park (where the Giants play).” – Lauren Kuhn
“Fair foods
brought to ballparks!” – Sabrina Mirabella
“The number of resources being put into the
digital concession space
is fascinating. I'm eager to try out these new digital concession delivery programs.” – Carl Schwartz
“I see
craft beer
having an ever-larger standing in ballparks. Gone are the days of only Bud Light on tap. More and more stadiums are dedicating particular bars/kiosks to craft beer brands.” – Peter Thornhill
“I think the
Craft Kave
at Guaranteed Rate Field (where the White Sox play) is pretty cool—they have a pretty great selection of self-serve beer from a cooler. You just pick the can you want and check out.” – Rachel Royster
Any other strong opinions or fun facts you’d like to share?
"I think it's especially awesome that the Kane County Cougars are
rebranding with a meat sandwich
in a time when plant-based proteins are so hot.” – Lauren Kuhn
"I once participated in the grilling of a
360-foot brat
outside of Lambeau Field.” – Rachel Lake
“You can
bring your own food
into Oracle Park in San Francisco. My friends and I once loaded up on snacks at Trader Joe's, then sat out in the bleachers munching on baguettes, charcuterie, cheeses, chips and hummus (and beer that we snuck in on the bottom of our grocery bags. Outside booze is not allowed).” – Peter Thornhill
March 1st, 2023 We’re thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our culinary family: Chef Steve Madonna. Formally trained in both Italy and the United States, as well as having worked for Wolfgang Puck, Chef Steve brings an extensive set of connections and culinary knowledge to our already stacked chef roster. Featured in this month’s issue is one of Chef Steve’s favorite recipes for making memories at home with your loved ones.
October 19, 2022 Pumpkin pie is a nostalgic menu item and my personal favorite when it comes to fall and winter menus, as it goes hand in hand with a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. We elevate the nostalgia by turning this must-have holiday dish into a clarified cocktail that leaves your taste buds as curious as your eyes. We get adventurous as we replace expected visual elements with an ice-cold glass of clarified liquors infused with pumpkin pie. This cocktail defies all visual expectations, while leaving your sense of smell and taste immersed in a seasonally nostalgic experience.
October 19, 2022 Canada is well known for many things. Hockey, snow, maple syrup, and a few other stereotypical but somewhat accurate concepts may immediately come to mind. What you may not know, though, is how invested we are in the snacks that we consume. Compared to the U.S., sure, we are no match for the quantity and variety offered in the land of the free, home of the snacks. However, what we know in our hearts is that Canada has a long-standing, tried-and-true, flawed, yet beloved top-notch snack game. I’m talking about comfort foods that have become so integrated and so established that they are classified as cult-favourites—and no, I did not spell favourites incorrectly. You are about to see a lot more of the letter “U” in this article. Sorry! The great Canadian snack game is easy enough to understand. You think of a flavour and either slap it on a potato or pair it with chocolate. Snacking has always been a huge part of Canadian food culture, but it is only going up from here. To put it lightly, the past few years have been tough on everyone around the world, and Canadians have chosen to increase their spending on snacks by 67% as an indulgence or, personally, as a coping mechanism. In no way, shape, or form am I claiming to be a culinary expert somehow employed in the field of Finance, but I have eaten a lot in my life and right now, I’m the best and/or only Canadian guide you’ve got. Let’s get into the details:
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