These Menus From Formula One Are Going Viral For Very, Very Obvious Reasons
Formula One took place earlier this month, and while the three-day race weekend yielded tons of excitement from fans, a few viral images of available menus sparked not-so-favorable reactions.
Several photos of dining options at the event recently went viral across social media, such as this one from the Miami race:
$1,000 ticket to get into the Hard Rock Beach Club at F1 on Sunday in Miami. Then you can order these…(H/T @RussFlynn_) pic.twitter.com/IDgmLxcS7D
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 3, 2024
Featured items include a $190 fruit platter with pineapple, watermelon, stone fruit, rambutan, kiwi, and coconut...
...$180 worth of nachos...
...and a $190 wing board.
Other photos show a $250 salad and $450 lobster rolls.
The pricing of hospitality food at the Miami Grand Prix 🍽[@JonathanSchaff]#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/Tz7BKJp5BE
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 8, 2023
And here's the drink menu:
For those wondering, this is the drinks menu for the hospitality 😅🍾#F1 #MiamiGP https://t.co/338LlPQ18a pic.twitter.com/GdtvYufxWg
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 8, 2023
Obviously, without further context, initial reactions ranged from shocked to incredulous.
Those prices are missing a decimal somewhere in there
— Manny Mahdichado (@Friar_Fest) May 4, 2024
One user commented: "$25 for water is actually criminal."
$25 for water is actually criminal
— Steve Alvarez Brown (@_SuperGT) May 9, 2023
However, race officials quickly corrected by explaining these menu prices reflect suite offerings designed for large groups:
“That’s actually a suite menu. So, it's lobster rolls for, like, 8 to 10 people. So, $280 for lobster for 10 people in a suite is still a lot of money. But it’s lobster. It’s not a hot dog,” Miami Dolphins CEO and Miami Grand Prix managing partner Tom Garfinkel said.
Officials seem to be aiming at making the weekend more affordable for everyday fans overall. The Campus Pass, aka the three-day general admission ticket, started at $150 per day this year — which is down compared to last year's $590 price, USA Today reports.
Likewise, concessions were offered from over 60 local vendors. “It's not lost on me that the tickets are expensive. So, I'm always talking to the concessionaire about trying to keep concession prices lower. With inflation, cost of goods has gone up, not just the cost to operate,” Garfinkel said. “We do have significant, over 65, independent kitchens on site. We have a lot of different vendors, a lot of different purveyors. We have to run power to all these sites, water, all these things. It’s expensive, but we try not to pass that off on the consumer in terms of crazy prices. People have to be able to come out and be able to eat, drink, and have a good time. And so we try to focus on those things."
What are your thoughts on the menu? Let us know in the comments.
