Clone Cones...I've Had Enough!!
- Thread starter cycloneted
- Start date
I believe there is a QT concession area a the Sprint Center in KC where you can get sandwiches, make your own soda concoctions, etc.
Not a clone cone reply per se, but, at last week's WBB game, we went early enough to get a walking taco for supper. However, the place we usually get them right outside the door close to our section didn't have them. Instead there was a philly something station with higher prices. We had to walk around the outer concourse a bit to find a taco place. We stopped at the first one we found and it was "backwards."
Order on the left, your taco is made from right to left and then you go to the right to get (if you want it) a sour cream container and napkins. (The SC container is a small cup with a lid that you need to peel off in order to try to scrape it out of a round container with a fork.)
I am not blaming the people who work in these stands. I'd guess they do what they are told.
I will not buy another hot dog. One was enough. I will not buy popcorn, even if I had done the "buy the original tub, get it filled free" because it's not fresh.
I am not swayed by "state fair" corndogs and lemonade. How many people really want to relive the Iowa State Fair by consuming lemonade at $5 a cup and a corndog at a basketball game?
What happened to the pizza? I'm amazed at the people I'm acquainted with who bemoan the lack of pizza slices at bb game this year. The Hy-Vee location (across from Johnny's) wasn't open until this past week. That menu shows sandwiches, drinks and pizza. But that doesn't really matter when it's not open.
I could rant more, but I'll close with this:
To Jamie, Nick Britton and others who have a say in this: Offer a good item in an established list of categories (items that will work being prepared or heated on site -- corn dogs and popcorn are NOT on that list -- and publicize that along with season ticket mailings and online news releases. Make a map of what's available where and include with the season ticket mailings. Post removable maps in the outer concourse of what's available where. Offer special deals throughout the season. Especially for the games that fall close to a regular meal time.
To Levy or whichever company gets the contract: Hold trainings for the workers and demonstrate (and offer trial opportunities) to the workers what is expected for each product/item sold.
Consistency is key. Right now, the product varies so much from station to station that when people complain about an item they receive, it's too easy to say, "But that was just that night in that particular station." and make no changes.
Good and consistent quantity and quality will pay big dividends.
Order on the left, your taco is made from right to left and then you go to the right to get (if you want it) a sour cream container and napkins. (The SC container is a small cup with a lid that you need to peel off in order to try to scrape it out of a round container with a fork.)
I am not blaming the people who work in these stands. I'd guess they do what they are told.
I will not buy another hot dog. One was enough. I will not buy popcorn, even if I had done the "buy the original tub, get it filled free" because it's not fresh.
I am not swayed by "state fair" corndogs and lemonade. How many people really want to relive the Iowa State Fair by consuming lemonade at $5 a cup and a corndog at a basketball game?
What happened to the pizza? I'm amazed at the people I'm acquainted with who bemoan the lack of pizza slices at bb game this year. The Hy-Vee location (across from Johnny's) wasn't open until this past week. That menu shows sandwiches, drinks and pizza. But that doesn't really matter when it's not open.
I could rant more, but I'll close with this:
To Jamie, Nick Britton and others who have a say in this: Offer a good item in an established list of categories (items that will work being prepared or heated on site -- corn dogs and popcorn are NOT on that list -- and publicize that along with season ticket mailings and online news releases. Make a map of what's available where and include with the season ticket mailings. Post removable maps in the outer concourse of what's available where. Offer special deals throughout the season. Especially for the games that fall close to a regular meal time.
To Levy or whichever company gets the contract: Hold trainings for the workers and demonstrate (and offer trial opportunities) to the workers what is expected for each product/item sold.
Consistency is key. Right now, the product varies so much from station to station that when people complain about an item they receive, it's too easy to say, "But that was just that night in that particular station." and make no changes.
Good and consistent quantity and quality will pay big dividends.
Guys, I have a great idea. Now, try to stay with me here but this is the foolproof plan I've come up with in regards to the concessions issues:
If you don't like the food, eat prior to coming to the game.
I know it's crazy and out of left field, but I think it might just fix this problem.
In all reality, if you can't make it through a two hour game without eating, you have bigger issues to deal with than the temperature of your hot dog or overcooked popcorn.
If you don't like the food, eat prior to coming to the game.
I know it's crazy and out of left field, but I think it might just fix this problem.
In all reality, if you can't make it through a two hour game without eating, you have bigger issues to deal with than the temperature of your hot dog or overcooked popcorn.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Good point. It would be wrong for people to spend money enjoying a night out. It is even more wrong for them to expect that they get some quality for their money.
I wish the red part of the clone cone was strawberry flavored. mmm, strawberry soft serve...so good...only had it once, but miss it so bad.
We're talking about popcorn and ice cream cones here. It's not like they are dropping $50 on surf and turf or a premier plate of dilled talapia.
The whole conversation on the topic is so ticky-tack it's hilarious, I mean come on, it's arena food, what are you really expecting? At the same time, you're paying to go see a basketball game, the food is just an extra if you want to pay for it - if you don't like it, don't buy it.
Am I the only one that finds the hilarity in a group of grown *** men complaining about ice cream cones?
Here's an even better thought: sneak in your own food.
God forbid that someone would like to put a small amount of money in ISU's coffers from concession sales....and they dare to ask for minimum value for their money.
This is like a real, honest-to-God for-profit business ignoring their customers when they say "I'd buy more stuff from your store, but to be honest, your food tastes like a**".
People attending an ISU basketball game are already predisposed to want to put money in ISU's coffers, but Jamie & the athletic department can't just put collection buckets at the doors and sweep up the profits: They have to offer value in exchange. If that means they stop serving stale popcorn, rubbery hotdogs, corndogs with runny batter and flat sodas, then that's just what they need to do to keep the concession revenue coming in.
Calling people who want minimum value for their concession dollars fat slobs who can't stop stuffing junk into their pieholes is a REAL smart marketing move. Or not.
I find that not complaining isn't the polite thing to do...instead it just makes those in charge think "things are going A-OK, keep it up!" It took years of ******** & moaning to get ISU to put ANY port-a-pots in the lots around Jack Trice for the football spring game, but now they have them. I suppose the quality of the concessions will take the same sort of write-in campaign.
And then JP will call a presser and label the fanbase a bunch of cheapskates for depriving ISU of concession revenue. Besides, have you ever tried to explain to a child that stadium food is crap? No, you buy the damn popcorn/hot dog because your kid is hungry.
You know what's more hilarious than a bunch of grown *** men complaining about ice cream cones? A "concession cop" complaining about a bunch of grown *** men complaining about ice cream cones.
For real? What kind of business doesnt value the feedback of their customers. Many people will want to get concessions from time to time. I certainly dont hit concessions at every game, as it gets expensive, but there are times when the game is around a mealtime and between that and the drive up to ames and picking anyone up that might be coming with, i might not have had a chance to grab that meal, so concessions prices are worth it, if the food isnt asstastic.
I apologize, I had no idea some people had such a passion for bags of popcorn. Good luck on your quest to topple these concession tyrants and pave the way for change.
Viva en la concesión resistencia!
When the concession revolution happens, you'll be the first one up against the wall, you capitalist running dog swine!
It's actually a very simple concept. Nobody's complaining about the high cost of concession food, they're just ****** that nobody gives a damn about preparing it with a minimum amount of effort. As was already addressed earlier in the thread, the food itself is a very minor component of the cost of these items. It's all about service.
If an organization doesn't care enough to fix shortcomings in their concession system, then what else are they slacking off on? Building maintenance? The potholes out in the parking lot? Providing enough security to help get vehicles out of the parking lot quickly after the game? None of those things directly affect the bottom line like concessions do, so why should ANYONE give a damn about them and expend any effort?
If the manager at your local QT can motivate the sub-literate Iowa fans who put those hot dogs and meat wraps on the roller heater every morning to do their job properly, why can't the ISU athletic department do more to help "motivate" their concessions subcontractors? It's not like we're selling our food at a lower markup than the guy at QT gets. Hell, we're probably getting two or three times the markup that they get from our captive audience.
If an organization doesn't care enough to fix shortcomings in their concession system, then what else are they slacking off on? Building maintenance? The potholes out in the parking lot? Providing enough security to help get vehicles out of the parking lot quickly after the game? None of those things directly affect the bottom line like concessions do, so why should ANYONE give a damn about them and expend any effort?
If the manager at your local QT can motivate the sub-literate Iowa fans who put those hot dogs and meat wraps on the roller heater every morning to do their job properly, why can't the ISU athletic department do more to help "motivate" their concessions subcontractors? It's not like we're selling our food at a lower markup than the guy at QT gets. Hell, we're probably getting two or three times the markup that they get from our captive audience.
Just for that, I'm going to make sure that the bullet you get to eat is half-cooked and stale. And we'll charge you $4 for it, just because we can. After all, it's not like you're going to drive over to Iowa City and eat a Hawkeye bullet over there, right?
And don't even THINK about asking for jalapenos with your bullet. This isn't a five-star concessions revolution, you fat slob.
Last edited:
Did you guys ever have the hot dogs at the Football games? Let alone not being hot, mine wasn't even warm, it was a frozen dog. It felt like it they just took out of an ice bath.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
That bullet will probably be made from a hard, crusty pretzel, and then you'll feel that the price you paid was too high.
