Are the food and drinks at UK racecourses meeting the expectations?

Food In The Spotlight

With Royal Ascot During spring and early summer, especially around high-profile racing events like the Derby meeting, the buzz on social media often revolves around the cost of attending these prestigious gatherings, especially since recent spotlighting by the Racing Post on the steep prices for meals and beverages at the tracks.

These days, with prices soaring not just for the major race days but also for regular outings to local tracks, more punters are assessing the value, especially when considering other, more cost-effective local sports options.

Having been a regular at race meetings since my childhood, even recalling a snowy day back in 1998 when the small yet mighty Dom Samourai won the Greenall’s Grand National Trial for Martin Pipe, I’ve noticed how the expenses for essentials like drinks, burgers, noodles, and sandwiches have surged, especially noteworthy since relocating to France, where racecourse dining is remarkably cheaper. Haydock I must admit my recent insights into UK racecourse catering come mostly second-hand after COVID, with my only visit being to Plumpton last November, aimed at a fun outing with friends.

UK Experience

I didn’t sample the food at Plumpton and was a bit let down to learn that the noodle stall was missing. While I sipped on a few non-alcoholic beverages, my companions indulged in occasional alcoholic drinks. Paying £2.50 for a Coca-Cola or Pepsi stands decently against French courses where a can typically costs 3 Euros.

From what I’ve experienced in other sporting events across non-league football, rugby league, and ice hockey in the UK, the admission fees alone present excellent value for money, with catering often more economically done in-house than at racecourse venues.

UK tracks already cater to a degree, like the stable lads' cafeteria highlighted in recent news, where while the food might not be upscale in appearance, it's at least priced to suit, thanks partially to employer subsidies for stable staff.

Continental Comparison

Perhaps my view of the sport is a tad nostalgic, but while facing long lines is typical in summer, the food here is budget-friendly. It’d be hard to shell out 10 Euros for a burger at a stand, while dining at a UK racecourse restaurant might cost over £75 compared to a more reasonable 25 Euros elsewhere.

Grabbing a standard coffee with milk, latte, or Americano might usually cost around £2.50 back home at a café, but racecourses are increasingly upping charges for these basic refreshment staples.

Outsourcing? 

Over the past decade or so, the catering approach has shifted, moving away from internal setups like simple coffee urns, as external companies now operate presumably under contracts.

Given this backdrop, it's not entirely fair to blame the racecourses outright. A vendor charged £1,000 just to set up wouldn't find selling £2.50 teas and coffees viable, especially with customers having limited choices.

One rationale for hefty entrance fees fans suggest transpires from endurance—four to five hours of engagement versus about 90 minutes for football or 80 for rugby.

Yet, that argument depends heavily on embracing experiences like visiting the paddock or winners’ enclosure as part of the fun, a minority view I advocate, especially for those who enjoy racing with friends and likely consume considerable alcohol.

Does pricing impact those visitors? With racing’s popularity, I wonder. Charges for drinks might occasionally deter the typical race fan, yet people still pay upwards of £30 to watch moderate graders compete on the course.

Considering all this, racecourses must strive for offerings that echo some value; there’s no reason smaller meets in winter can’t offer hot beverages affordably.

However, with weekend crowds at bigger events and music nights showing steadfast numbers, significant shifts seem unlikely soon.

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