Welcome to Stadium Eats, a Delish series where Jackie Iadonisi takes you to the best stadiums in the country to showcase the fans and most importantly: the food.
When I was thinking of where to start my Stadium Eats journey, I looked no further than GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Home to the Kansas City Chiefs (Super Bowl winners in 2020!) and home to the best tailgate in the NFL, or so the fans say. Besides being known for their killer BBQ, the Chiefs take home the crown for being the loudest stadium in America. When the venue is at full capacity—76,416 people—the crowd mimics the sound of a jet flying 100 feet over your head.
With all that screaming, cheering, and shouting, you know they have to have some amazing food and drinks to keep fans fueled. After trying 15+ of their best menu items, I've decided these seven cannot be missed.
BBQ in the Arrowhead Parking Lot
Tailgating is KC fans' religion, and their devotion compels them to get to the stadium as early as ten hours before the game! Chief fans come so prepared that they even bring their own pop up porta potties, 30 inch barrel smokers, and enough food and drinks to feed an army. It has been said that the best place to eat BBQ in Kansas City is in the Arrowhead parking lot and I can attest to that. It didn't take long before I received an invite to join someone’s camp. A huge shout out to Brian and his friends for their incredible hospitality, feeding me the juiciest pork loin I’ve ever had!
Kingdom Classics
It's not a football game without the classic game day offerings! Kingdom Classics offers hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, and beers that you can grab yourself with self check-out technology. Instead of running mid-game to a concession stand with an absurdly long line, Arrowhead stadium eliminated the problem with new ordering technology that scans your food for you, making the check-out process super quick.
The Mac Shack’s Burnt Ends Mac & Cheese — $14.00
Kansas City is one of the world’s greatest BBQ meccas, so of course I had to visit the infamous Mac Shack to try their Burnt Ends Mac & Cheese. After one bite I was instantly transported to heaven! The cavatappi noodles were creamy and cheesy. I love that they were generous with the amount of burnt ends they gave you, too. The meat was topped off with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce and fried onions, easily making this my favorite dish of the day.
John Dough Pizza Co. — $11.75
At John Dough, they keep it simple with signature cheese, pepperoni, or white-base pies. If you have too many options, chances are the line will be held up by someone with a complicated order (no, not looking at *you*). I love the simplicity of their pizzas, as they are the perfect balance of saucy, cheesy, and crispy with customizable self-top afterbakes.
Top Taco’s Over The Top Nachos — $18.00
They are called "over the top" for a reason! These Korean BBQ-style nachos are so massive they had to be served in a pizza box. It is the perfect dish to share with a friend, but I recommend grabbing a stack of napkins. Things are definitely going to get messy.
The Coop’s Chicken Tenders & Fries — $15.00
The chicken tenders are made fresh at the stadium. They dip the chicken in a tempura batter topped off with panko crust, making their strips crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. I also love how they give you such a big portion so you get your money's worth.
The Chairman's Club
If you want an elevated experience at the stadium, The Chairman’s Club is the way to go. If you don't want to rent out an entire suite, you can purchase an individual ticket to the Chairman Club, which gives you access to the suite level and access to incredible food. They have everything you can think of, shrimp cocktail, chocolate cake, crispy chicken sandwiches… truly everything.
Here is an insider tip! Every game the stadium pays homage to the opposing team by serving a dish that is representative of their city. When I went, they were playing the Green Bay Packers, so the dish of the day was a Wisconsin Cheddar Dog that was filled with cheddar *inside* the hotdog. So cool!
Watch Stadium Eats on YouTube now.
