Food & Drink at Olympic Prices!
Olympic fever has gripped many within the UK and we’re all hoping that the weather holds up its end of the bargain to bathe us in sunshine as we watch the games. However if you’re one of the lucky few who were able to snatch up tickets for the myriad of Olympic events, then you might want to brace yourself for a shock.
You might be looking forward to seeing a lot of gold on show during the Olympics – but you’ll certainly need a lot of it to afford some food and drink within the venues!
You won’t stomach these prices…
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (thankfully abbreviated to “LOCOG”) have announced the prices that will be charged for food and drink at each Olympic venue, and suffice to say the prices are eye-watering. A 300ml bottle of official Olympic sponsor beer Heineken will set you back £4.20, which equates to a staggering £7.23 for a pint. This is more than double the standard price for a pint of beer in the UK which stands at £3.17!
It gets worse, if you’re like me and you’re a massive fan of cod and chips then look away now; as the dish will be retailing at a ridiculous £8, whilst even bite-sized meals such as a humble Cheese and Lettuce sandwich will set you back £3.80.
Looks Delicious.....at £8 - flickr: stopherjones
Despite the fact that an average family enjoying a day out at the Games will expect to spend over £40 on food and drinks (not including any souvenirs), LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton thinks that the pricing is reasonable. “We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain. We believe that our prices are more than comparable to those found at other major sporting events” he said.
However, leaving aside the conundrum of McDonald’s food being served at a sporting event, these food and drink prices seem to fly in the face of the economic benefits that the Games are promising to the Eastend of London; particularly if they put off locals from spending their money at the events…
Luckily, we at hungryhouse will be enjoying the Olympics down the pub where we can order in a regular priced beer. How will you be enjoying the Games?