How much do you eat at parks?

Those pretzels are like prison food compared to ours. And what is up with all the garlic fries out there? Is there a vampire problem at night?

Depends ENTIRELY on the food the park has available....if I'm going to SDC/DW or a Busch park, I'd rather eat what THEY have (and encourage other parks to provide THAT kind of fare...;)). I'm on vacation, so I'm less likely to have a problem with higher prices (the park's cost IS higher than outside, too, oer the converstaion a few months ago), but more inclined to be concerned about quality...those parks that feed me well, get me to buy more food...:)

*Props to SWSA and SFFT for the food at our events, it was WONDERFUL...not entirely unexpected at a busch park to have "good eats", but I found it hard to believe *any* SF park has THAT kind of goodies, small wonder their employees were so happy...:)

I don't know who came up with the non-clever idea of pouring garlic crap over fries. CP did it last year but I don't think they offer it this year. All it did was smell, didn't taste like anything. Garlic salt is fine, but not that liquid crap.

Speaking of seasoning on fries.

I remember a couple years back when Kiddieland(small park near Chicago) sold fries and had a small stand with McMormick seasonings that you could choose to put on the fries.

That was the best thing that ever happened to a french fry (or freedom fry). :)

Anything with garlic I love, but I do agree with Jeff about that that liquid stuff.....try it once and hated it.

Garlic salt rocks!

-Tina

I am in the majority that doesn't eat in a park. At the major parks we may get a little snack to tide us over, but thats about it.

We always take our mini cooler(fits in our backpack)and stock it with water. Thats plenty to last us until we leave to get something to eat.

I agree with others that there are parks that offer great food. Knoebels is a standout among others, but there are plenty of parks that I have yet to visit to experience.

When we are staying away from home we just leave, and get food at a place outside of the park. Then we visit a decent place(usually a chain) for dinner.

I'm always determined to not waste money on over-priced park food, especially at my home park.

But it seems ever visit to IOA, even if just a 2 hour one, I need to get a Lemon Slush and Churro. Oh well, 8 bucks down the drain, in the form of 40280982 carbs.

Cedar Point still has the garlic fries.

I have to agree with Tina that I always pack a cooler and eat very little in the park itself. I might eat one full meal there, and I ususally don't snack in between. Actually, last year was my first year staying at the Hotel Breakers. I wound up eating at the TGI Friday's because it was actually cheaper than CP's food and better for you. The first night I was there, I went to Coasters. For a burger, fries, and a drink, it was about $13-$15 whereas for a chicken sanwich, fries, and a drink at Friday's was about $10. I would not have guessed that it would be more expensive to eat at CP than Friday's.

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coasterqueenTRN said:
Ya need water, Overkill. It's good. Drink it....lots of it! It's great on the rocks. ;-)

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I'm going to agree. I usually splurge on one of the parks mondo, extra large, colorful, complete with a belt clip, featuring a new ride, collector cup. It costs me a decent chunk the first time around, but I'm the one laughing during the afternoon when I have a nice cup holding ice cold water at my side.

I know that I can get free water at any stand at nearly any park on the planet, but those little shot glasses don't do the trick, espeically when I'm waiting for ride XYZ.

I tend to have one "big" meal at a park, and depending on the park, a few "snacks".

At CP, it's generally Midway Market for the big meal, but I'll also grab a frozen custard in Frontier Town or some cheese fries at the Happy Friar during the day. If it's an especially hot day at any park, I'll get a lemon chill or other frozen fruit concoction, especially if I anticipate standing in a long line.

I don't think I eat any more than I would on a normal day at home, but I always come home a pound or two lighter from all the walking!

stop? to eat? but that would take away too much ride time! I usually don't eat much at parks, other than something like dippin dots. can usually get 1 water and refill the bottle from fountains. when we go to parks near home, with the kids, we always pack a lunch and just catch dinner somewhere on the way home. but I can easily go a whole day without eating for the right rides!

As I've mentioned in the thread over on PointBuzz, I used to eat plenty of junk at parks -- I know it's not healthy, but I'm not there often, so I consider it a treat.

Nowadays, however, I have to be FAR more careful about what I select. Not strictly on a cut down on the fats basis, but on a gluten "allergy" (not strictly accurate, but close enough term for this discussion). That eliminates vast gobs of artery-clogging goodness at parks, from funnel cake to cheese on a stick.

I'm still not adverse to having a good grilled sausage (sans roll) or french fries, though.

I understand the many reasons to NOT eat at a park, but for me park food is part of the experience.

FREE WATER!!!!!!!

I used to eat at the parks, but was afraid I would no longer fit on MF or S:ROS, so I stopped :)

Actually, unless desperate, I spend almost no money on food at the parks. A pretzel or soda here or there but that's about it. We typically leave a cooler in the car in the parking lot.

Next week I am going to try the Kennywood fries and funnel cake at BGW though, just because I heard they were pretty darn good.

It depends on several factors. I try to avoid amusement park food unless it's a park with some specific favorites. If there's a place within walking distance, great. If not, I'll probably just get something to snack on.

One thing I usually try and do now is bring water. I drink a lot of water generally so saving on having to buy it at parks saves a lot of money.

Of course, there are times when there's nothing nearby and you're going to be at the park a while. In that case, I'll just find whatever I can that looks decent and hope for the best.

The great thing about parks in Japan and S. Korea was that we just brought our own food a lot of times. We saved a lot of money that way too!

We actually did try some of the food at Seoul Land and Lotte World. They were pretty decent.

I always get plenty of liquid regrshments. Everything from soda, lemonade, water and most importantly beer.

When I'm at CP and up at the main entrance area riding Raptor and such I always stop in for 2 or 3 quick beers. Even though overpriced they sure do taste great on hot and humid summer days. Of course then a bunch of water is necessary to avoid dehydration.

As far as food goes I usually only eat one big meal while at a park. I really don't have anything special at any park that I have to get when I'm there. Just whatever sounds best when I'm ready to eat. Although a funnel cake is a must for the walk back to the car at the end of the day.

wow, an entire thread devoted to park food, and Knoebels has not come up once yet! Anyway, thats the only park where we actually eat entire meals when we go camping, other then that its a quick burger or pizza with a soda at other parks!

If CP's garlic fries even approached the Gold Standard of Gordon Biersch's (now available in the Midwest in Columbus, I see) then I'd buy them by the ton. Fresh garlic. Hot fries. Good stuff. Don't even get me started on garlic powder (and by extension, garlic salt.) That stuff is insipid. Unfortunately, the stuff they serve at CP is well below insipid. I had forgotten the "garlic" fries, but now that I'm reminded---ick.

(And yes, GB's GFs can be served in a bulk foodservice setting---they used to be sold in Candlestick Park at Giants games, at a stand near the cheap seats, no less.)

I try not to eat any of the greasy, carby stuff at amusement parks any more. Me and my friends usually leave and go to a nearby restaurant. If there are none (like in Marine World's case) we have a heavy breakfast and stack up on gatorade for the whole day. After that we usually have dinner in Berkeley (and pray that there is no traffic on I-80). I think the last good sit-down restaurant I hit was Midway Market at CP back in 2002.