I Was NOT Surprised At Concession Prices Last Night

It’s not really a secret that the prices on beer and snacks at a concert are atrocious.  I watched two friends buy a couple ciders at the stand-up bar in the Moda Center, and if I’m not mistaken, it was $28 for those two little drinks.

And whatever.  I’m not offended by that.  You signed up to go to a concert; you are subject to the whims of the venue.  That’s how it works.  The Rose Quarter makes huge profit on those nights, and they have to, because there are about 1,000 people dedicated to making sure you have a good time, and those people have to pay bills.  Nobody is forcing you to buy food or drinks at these things.  Nobody forced you to buy a concert ticket to see Kane Brown.  You don’t have “a right” to affordable food and drink on somebody else’s turf.  You don’t have many “rights” at all.  You’re on private property, and you pay what it costs.  Don’t like it?  Don’t go.

But here was a pleasant surprise…  the slices of pizza my friends bought?  $8 apiece!  Now, I’m not saying that’s the market rate for a piece of pizza.  Obviously, you can get yourself and entire pie  and some breadsticks at Little Caesar’s for that.  BUT…  I have absolutely paid $8 for a slice of pizza at a normal pizza joint.  I’ve sat down at a Pizza Schmizza or a Pizzicato and ordered a slice and dropped that kind of skrill.  So for somebody to be able to get that in the Moda Center on a show night?  That’s pretty amazing.

The mark-up at shows is ridiculous.  But that’s because it’s what drunk people will pay.  It’s the same reason a bag of Funyuns cost $6 at a 7-11.  Because drunk/high people want that, and money doesn’t matter in that moment.  Why should the vendor offer reasonable prices when their customers are willing to pay unreasonable prices for the convenience?

My point is…  props to Sizzle Pie.  That’s a good piece of pizza, and you could charge more for it.  But you don’t.  Bravo.

~Jake from 98.7 The Bull