Padres Offering "Five For $5" Concessions Plan During '09 Season

The Padres and food provider Delaware North Sportservice, looking to create more affordable food and drink options for fans, are offering a "five for $5" concessions special for the '09 season at Petco Park. Fans can buy a regular all-beef hot dog, a 22-ounce soda, a bag of peanuts, a bag of popcorn and a chocolate chip cookie for $5 at Friar Frank stands throughout the ballpark. The savings is about $8-10 compared with what those items would normally cost separately at the park, said Padres Exec VP/Ballpark Management Richard Andersen. If customers want to substitute a 14-ounce beer for the soda, they pay $10 for the five items. In addition, Sportservice is reducing by $0.50 the price of domestic and premium bottled and draft beers, he said. Andersen also noted the club has reduced the price of tickets for 8,300 seats from $40 to $30 in the field and upper levels, and from $28 to $23 for upper reserved seats, he said. The Padres announced the price drops at a news conference yesterday (Don Muret, SportsBusiness Journal). In San Diego, Peter Rowe notes an "all-you-can-eat pavilion will be established in right field during all games, with a menu of hot dogs, veggie dogs, nachos, popcorn, ice cream and soda." Padres Exec VP/Business Operations Jeff Overton said the concessions plan is "about staying relevant." Overton: "What we are trying to do is attract repeat customers. You could have fewer people in the ballpark with high prices or more people with reduced prices" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/4).