"Sneak in food if you can": Why music festival food is so expensive and how to eat for cheap

To some, the warmer and longer days signal the beginning of summer. But to others, they signal the inception of music festival season, which is already underway following Coachella — the music and arts festival that annually takes place in Indio, California, every April.

Following this year's festivities, many concertgoers took issue with Frank Ocean's disappointing headliner performance while some took issue with a more pressing matter at hand: the festival food. The main complaint wasn't the lack of vendors, the lack of diversity in cuisines or the taste of the foods available at Coachella's festival grounds. Rather, it was the sky-high food prices, which many felt were unjust considering the measly portion sizes.

According to Insider's Callie Ahlgrim, a simple fried chicken sandwich cost $17 before tax and tip. A slice of pepperoni pizza cost $11 and came with 30 minutes of wait time. Grilled cheese, which Ahlgrim said "was the most disappointing meal we've ever had at the festival," was available for a whopping $16. Additional toppings, like bacon was available for $6 extra while tomato was available for $4 extra.

A side of onion rings were $14 while crinkle-cut fries were $12. A turkey burger meal, which was essentially just a small burger with less than a handful worth of fries, cost a whopping $33 in total. And let's not even get started with coffee, which was served in small cups and priced at $10 each, plus tip.

The list of foods and their egregious prices go on and on.

Simply put, music festival food is far from cheap, but while it can be infuriating to pay extra moolah after dropping hundreds (maybe even thousands) on tickets, lodging and outfits, there's actually a reason why food and drinks are quite pricey on festival grounds.

Jessica Perjes, co-owner of Tacotlan, a Chicago Mexican restaurant that sold food at Sueños Festival in 2022, told Takeout that foods are sold for a hefty amount because event organizers will take a cut of whatever vendors sell at the event. The specific cut is solely based on the size of the event. Patrick Rathbone — a Washington D.C.-based food truck owner who was at Bonnaroo — said organizers of the music festival took a 30% cut (on top of Tennessee's 9.75 percent sales tax), per an article from Inc..

Of course, there's also the expenses of food prep equipment, food safety equipment, utensils, transportation and the manual labor involved. "You need pop-up tents, power cords, water hoses, and other stuff you just wouldn't need if you were a food truck rolling around the city," explained Rathbone.

If you're wondering why food truck vendors would go through the hassle of selling their foods only to receive measly compensation, there's a simple answer for that: brand awareness.

Thanks to social media, vendors can easily attain publicity, which means more business, which also means more profits in the long run. It's a simple formula, despite the hardships behind it. And it's a risk vendors are willing to take in hopes that customers will remember the meal they had and come back for more in the future.

Coachella's lineup of foods was shocking, but it definitely wasn't as bad as the Fyre Festival hoopla, where cheese sandwiches were served in Styrofoam containers and gourmet meals, which were promised, were nowhere to be found. That being said, expect similar priced meals, foods and drinks at upcoming festivals, including Governors Ball (Jun. 9 – Jun. 11), Bonnaroo (Jun. 14 – Jun. 18), Lollapalooza (Aug. 3 – Aug. 6) and more.

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Though it may be difficult, budgeting is not impossible while attending a music festival, thanks to a few tips and tricks from avid festivalgoers on Reddit. At Governors Ball, attendees can expect to spend $30 or more on food per day. But if you're looking to cut back on some of those expenses, user u/sobasedjorge suggested packing protein bars, which will keep you satisfied for longer.

"Eat a heavy breakfast. Sneak in food if you can. Last year I had Taco Bell burritos," said user u/bluevero. "The vegan spots are cheap and not crowded. I have made sandwiches too. There are free snacks every day, chips, candies, ice cream and other stuff."

For Bonnaroo-goers, user u/the-bong-lord recommended enjoying a few packed meals and a few festival meals to even out your budget: 

"I bring food to eat but nothing crazy. I usually get 1 meal a day inside the venue. A lot of times I just get a smoothie cause I want something light. I bring breakfast food usually. Bacon and eggs, fruit, kombucha. It's nice having a premade meal like rice and beans or pasta salad for when you get back late at night and need to refuel."

Music festivals are a pricey affair. And while there's reason behind all the madness, there's also options to enjoy your experience to the fullest — all while staying on a budget and well fueled.