SUPER BOWL PER CAPS TOP $95

It was a record-breaking Super Bowl for National Football League food and beverage in Houston, as Aramark, NRG Stadium’s concessionaire, reported a per capita of $95.41 for food and beverage. The number includes general concessions, premium dining and portable stands in the fan plazas outside the stadium. Attendance for the event was 70,807. Delaware North Sportservice held the previous record at $91.45 from the 2014 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
“Obviously, the game itself provided a lot of excitement on the field but, off the field, we were able to keep fans and guests engaged and excited with the wide array of dining options,” said David Freireich, corporate communications,  Aramark. “Beginning with pre-game tailgate parties and activities on fan plaza all the way through the game, we provided guests with food and service to complement their game day experience.”
The concessionaire had 300 more points of sale than a typical Texans game, with a number of specialty items and a couple of team-themed items created specifically for Super Bowl.  The team-themed items were the Beantown Griller, a slow-cooked tri-tip pot roast with caramelized onions and Cabot cheddar cheese on whole grain bread, served with a side of bacon-infused baked beans. For Atlanta, the ATL fried chicken steak was a bed of waffle fries topped with buttermilk fried chicken, peach marmalade barbecue sauce, sour cream and green onions.
Aramark leaned local for much of its menu items, offering barbecue items throughout the stadium. The concessionaire correctly anticipated that barbecue would be highly sought-after, according to Freireich. “The signature menu items we rolled out for the game were also well received, especially the Texas short rib grilled cheese,” he added.
James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd, local barbecue pit master Ronnie Killen and Texas celebrity chef Grady Spears also contributed to the day’s menus. All have existing partnerships with Aramark at NRG Stadium.
Another highlight: Aramark’s partnership with the Houston Independent School District—also an Aramark client—to develop a specialty item. The students worked with Aramark’s team at NRG Stadium to create the Bayou City banh mi 51, a Vietnamese-style sandwich with grilled fajita steak, avocado spread and pickled vegetables.
Typical stadium fare was also served alongside specialty items, including chicken tender baskets, $13; regular hot dogs, $8; souvenir soda, $11 and domestic beer at $12.
Aramark Senior Executive Chef Mark Cornish—who was also involved with the Super Bowl the last time it was in Houston—led the culinary team. About 2,400 Aramark associates, including visiting executive chefs from Arrowhead Stadium, FirstEnergy Stadium and U.S. Bank Stadium, assisted with sourcing, preparing and serving on Feb. 5.
Based on reported attendance and per caps, gross revenue at the stadium for Super Bowl 2017 was $6.75 million for food and drink. Feb. 5, 2017, was reportedly the single-largest food and beverage and retail sales day in Aramark’s sports entertainment history.
“We had a good plan in place,” Freireich explained, adding that it took months to develop staffing plans, streamline the menu and map food preparation and cooking times. “We added points of service throughout the stadium—focused on serving the right menu items in the right place—maximized fan plaza activations, introduced unique signature items, offered an innovative suite package, and generated a lot of buzz in the days leading up to the game that informed fans about what they could find and expect to eat at the stadium.”
That buzz included food service at the NFL Experience at George R. Brown Convention Center, where Aramark Executive Chef Edward De La Garza helmed a team to feed players, fans, media and private party-goers from Jan. 28 through Feb. 5. More than 175,000 attended the seven-day event.
Aramark also holds the food contract at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, which will host the 2018 Super Bowl.
Freireich did not give any details about the upcoming event, except that planning is already in the works, adding: “We are having conversations and working with our partners in Minneapolis to ensure Super Bowl 52 is a success.”