Can we talk about the concession operation again...

[elimunelson]

Hiring Delaware North or Aramark isn't going to help Dome Concessions. If you think a concession stand worker is going to be motivated to be faster or more efficient with their minimum wage salary on a weekend where they probably would rather be anywhere else, I don't know what to tell you.

Concession stand service is horrible everywhere. Eat before you go to the game, and don't go to the concession stands at halftime and you'll probably be fine.

Agreed but there is a way to do it intelligently. At Barclays they have outsourced to many local guys to run stands. Spumoni Gardens etc. At the Dome they should figure out a way to get a Varsity Stand, Heids, Funk n' Waffles, etc. It allows people to eat what they really want. You can still have the normal crap but having unique offerings would be a great add to the Dome.

 

[bnoro]

Agreed but there is a way to do it intelligently. At Barclays they have outsourced to many local guys to run stands. Spumoni Gardens etc. At the Dome they should figure out a way to get a Varsity Stand, Heids, Funk n' Waffles, etc. It allows people to eat what they really want. You can still have the normal crap but having unique offerings would be a great add to the Dome.

The Dome does not have the space required to do things like that, and like others have said there are restrictions on what concessions can operate right now.

Also, by outsourcing the Dome is losing concession profits.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Dome Nachos will always have a spot in my heart. Ever since I was young and would go to every home game with my aunt, I would get nachos and a Dr Pepper. As I have gotten older ie college, I have ditched the soda but still get the nachos when I'm back (with the peppers).

Agree with many points in here. Yeah, eat before you go. Why are you trying to get a full course meal in there, especially with the $$? Still, concessions and snacking are a part of the game especially with children.

That said... I've dealt with some incredibly slow concession stand workers who barely knew how to make change. I'm quite patient, you're doing your best (I assume). And if you're a student and potentially hungover, yeah they're are plenty of places I would rather be too. Plenty of room to be better though.

 

[orangecuse]

Hiring Delaware North or Aramark isn't going to help Dome Concessions. If you think a concession stand worker is going to be motivated to be faster or more efficient with their minimum wage salary on a weekend where they probably would rather be anywhere else, I don't know what to tell you.

Concession stand service is horrible everywhere. Eat before you go to the game, and don't go to the concession stands at halftime and you'll probably be fine.

Well, I don't know about "everywhere." My own personal experience a couple of weekends ago in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday night at Progressive Field against the Phillies, and on Sunday night at First Energy Stadium against the Rams, my experience was nothing close to "horrible." Both events had very large crowds.

 

[Newhouser]

If you offer it - you need to do it the best way you can. There is no way the powers that be on the Hill can argue that the concessions as they are set up and run is the best way it can be done. Also, the eat before the game comments - come on A) bring a young fan and ask them not to eat, good luck, its part of the experience and fan recruitment. B) it's not brain surgery, look at best practices in the industry and copy them. If SU loses some revenue they gain it back with a happier fan base. Anger over the inability of the facility to get a fan a hot dog and a soda in under 10 minutes is not a fan problem.

 

[blizz]

that's a terrible solution

we want people to leave their tvs, right?

Yes. I mean No. I mean we don't want, we NEED people to come to the Dome. And be loud. But don't be drunk. But buy lots of beer and food because that helps them make a profit. But eat before you come to the game. And be loud. But sit down at all times so the people behind you can watch the game intently. And of you have to pee, hold it. But if you do have to pee, don't complain about the pee troughs. And yeah, just don't complain. Pay full price. Don't buy tickets on StubHub. Bring your friends. But don't bring your kids, they're annoying. But tell your friends not to get drunk. But buy them a beer cause it helps concessions make a profit. And yeah...

 

[OttoMets]

...

The other issue is you have to literally walk around to find which concession stand sells what thing you may want. Every concession stand should sell everything. And only the 100 level has the "special" things ya know like Pizza, hamburgers, and Fries. Like if you literally want french fries but sit in the 200 or 300 level you gotta go downstairs and do a lap around the dome to find the 1 or 2 stands that sell it. It is crazy beyond belief how they operate that place. The lost revenue and money they are letting out the door is crazy. That's why now when I go to the games with the people I am with we stop and eat first, then at the Dome maybe buy a beer or a soda but that's it. As the food stinks for the most part, but even if you want a little snack or something to hold you over... it is impossible to get what you want in a reasonable way or amount of time. As they have made that a challenge and make you jump through hoops. No thanks, will just spend the money elsewhere

Now this isn't unusual. And SU even created a very handy directory map this year to list what food exists at each stand. They announced it on twitter and there was discussion about it on this board.

However, as is SU's wont, I have no idea where this directory is.

carrierdome.com has no working tabs and consists of a graphic that says "The Carrier Dome Box Office Is Relocating To The Ensley Center." No directory.

No sign of it on the AD's website.

Classic SU. Back to pacing the concourses.

 

[orangecuse]

If you offer it - you need to do it the best way you can. There is no way the powers that be on the Hill can argue that the concessions as they are set up and run is the best way it can be done. Also, the eat before the game comments - come on A) bring a young fan and ask them not to eat, good luck, its part of the experience and fan recruitment. B) it's not brain surgery, look at best practices in the industry and copy them. If SU loses some revenue they gain it back with a happier fan base. Anger over the inability of the facility to get a fan a hot dog and a soda in under 10 minutes is not a fan problem.

Yeah right. Bring your kids to the amusement park, and you know all of these things called rides that trigger some of those human senses...never mind those.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Here’s a solution, eat before or after the game. Most people in that building can afford to go four hours without junk food.

Good idea, everyone put your wallets away.

 

[Pyle]

Yeah right. Bring your kids to the amusement park, and you know all of these things called rides that trigger some of those human senses...never mind those.

I take my kids to amusement parks, the fair, SU games, movies, their own little league games, etc. They want food at every single one of them. What is your point? Are you implying that the Dome is getting indoor rides? Are you saying people should take kids to Darien Lake instead of the game? What are you saying?

 

[kirbivore]

Classic SU. Back to pacing the concourses.

motto is half assed

 

[GoSU96]

Good idea, everyone put your wallets away.

If you find it be too much trouble avoid it.

 

[Pyle]

I only have 1 question about the new concessions. Did they simply change the box the pizza comes in? It was supposed to be an upgrade, no more Sbarro's! I see no difference. At all.

 

[FrancoPizza]

concessions and snacking are a part of the game especially with children.

This. Anyone who suggests not eating does not have kids or is too old to remember what it's like. Until they're in 3rd or 4th grade... maybe even older than that... they're not really there to follow the players, playcalling, etc. They're taking in the entire experience sans the actual game in most cases. They're trying to spot otto with binoculars, they are mesmerized by baton twirlers, they comment how the band wears sparkly feathered hats, they eagerly await the choo-choo smoke when they hear the train whistle, and study the old people who randomly stand up to yell. But because this is college football, there is ample down time between all of this, and THAT is when the food and snacks become your best friend and an excuse to take them for a walk in the much maligned concourses.

It was getting quite uncomfortable in there on Saturday. I wanted to grab some ice cream for the kids shortly after halftime thinking the lines would be shorter, but because we have only ONE ice cream vendor in the entire building, we quickly scanned the line that went about 30 deep and realized it wasn't happening. This is just one example. Honestly Sala and Wild should be embarrassed and I hope there are sincere plans to rectify this during the renos.

 

[GoSU96]

This. Anyone who suggests not eating does not have kids or is too old to remember what it's like. Until they're in 3rd or 4th grade... maybe even older than that... they're not really there to follow the players, playcalling, etc. They're taking in the entire experience sans the actual game in most cases. They're trying to spot otto with binoculars, they are mesmerized by baton twirlers, they comment how the band wears sparkly feathered hats, they eagerly await the choo-choo smoke when they hear the train whistle, and study the old people who randomly stand up to yell. But because this is college football, there is ample down time between all of this, and THAT is when the food and snacks become your best friend and an excuse to take them for a walk in the much maligned concourses.

It was getting quite uncomfortable in there on Saturday. I wanted to grab some ice cream for the kids shortly after halftime thinking the lines would be shorter, but because we have only ONE ice cream vendor in the entire building, we quickly scanned the line that went about 30 deep and realized it wasn't happening. This is just one example. Honestly Sala and Wild should be embarrassed and I hope there are sincere plans to rectify this during the renos.

Then wait until your 10 minutes into the game

 

[xc84]

Here's what happened, in my opinion. Jana Barnello got her 15 minutes of fame and subsequently the pendulum swung all the way over to shutting down most of the concourse craft stands in the 300's. Brutal overreaction, especially with how small the rest of the crowds will be for the remainder of the year.

I don't know who Jana Barnello is but I am in 316 and when I walk down the steps to the concourse, there are a ton of beer options including craft. Getting beer is really easy... but getting food is not.

 

[cusefan88]

I usually time my concessions runs for TV timeouts or end of 1st and 3rd Q

 

[orangezen]

they should price everything in even dollar amounts rather than take time to count out change that should increase speed

 

[690West]

I don't know who Jana Barnello is but I am in 316 and when I walk down the steps to the concourse, there are a ton of beer options including craft. Getting beer is really easy... but getting food is not.

Correct. 316 made the cut.

 

[orangecuse]

I take my kids to amusement parks, the fair, SU games, movies, their own little league games, etc. They want food at every single one of them. What is your point? Are you implying that the Dome is getting indoor rides? Are you saying people should take kids to Darien Lake instead of the game? What are you saying?

That is my point. As far as impying the Dome is getting indoor rides, no, that'll be only on the roof.

 

[SU68]

I don't drink beer at the Dome because I'm the driver, but I noticed that people are spilling a lot of beer on their way back to their seats. Didn't they used to have soft wrap covers with elastic edges on the cups or am I thinking of another stadium? They would keep the aisles a lot cleaner although it would add trash to be cleaned up later. BTW, I've never had a bad service experience at the stand outside 129 although I wish they had more selections.

 

[upperdeck]

4 hrs of no food? the game is 4hrs from walking from car and back. an hr to 1 1/2 each by car.. so now for a noon game i can skip lunch entirely and go to the game.. but you couldnt even buy water if you didnt want food.

 

[sutomcat]

I only have 1 question about the new concessions. Did they simply change the box the pizza comes in? It was supposed to be an upgrade, no more Sbarro's! I see no difference. At all.

The new pizza is made by the SU food services people instead of Sbarro's. If I were rating it, I would change the grade from a 2 to a 3.5. Still not good but better than the truly awful Sbarro's.

We can and need to do better.

 

[721Comstock]

4 hrs of no food? the game is 4hrs from walking from car and back. an hr to 1 1/2 each by car.. so now for a noon game i can skip lunch entirely and go to the game.. but you couldnt even buy water if you didnt want food.

You can bring 2 unopened bottles of water per person into the Dome.

You're not going to starve to death if you don't consume any calories for 4+ hours.

I'm willing to bet you have adequate fat stores to weather that famine.

 

[upperdeck]

no doubt.. but doesnt mean i have to. but its not 4 its 8.

i brought water in. but she wanted cold water . i could survive without food for about a month at this point.