All-you-can-eat seats

All-you-can-eat buffet at Dodger Stadium

All-you-can-eat seats, also called all-inclusive sections, are blocks of seats in a stadium or arena in which seat holders are entitled to unlimited food and drink (typically fast food and junk food including hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, peanuts, soft drinks, and bottled water) before and during a game. Typically located in less desirable areas of the venue, such as the bleachers and upper decks, all-you-can-eat (AYCE) seats are priced approximately 50% higher than seats in the same section, but are viewed by patrons as a bargain considering the high cost of concession food and drinks.

The first AYCE section was introduced at Dodger Stadium in 2007. The trend spread to 19 of the 30 Major League Baseball parks by 2010[1] and numerous Minor League Baseball parks by 2012.[2] While most common among baseball stadiums, by 2008 AYCE seats were also inaugurated in venues of other sports, including six National Basketball Association and nine National Hockey League arenas, Canadian Football League stadiums, and several NASCAR racetracks.[3] The National Football League remains the only North American major pro sports league where no stadiums have implemented AYCE seats.[4]

Luxury boxes and club seating are typically all-inclusive with unlimited food and drink during the duration of the event; however, they are not referred to as AYCE seats due to their desirable location in the venue and higher ticket price relative to other seating. Furthermore, the menu for luxury box and club seating is higher quality, ranging from buffets to chef-prepared gourmet dishes and fresh produce (as opposed to AYCE which consists mostly of fast food and junk food), and often with servers to cater to these patrons.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference si was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Williams, Doug (June 11, 2012). "All-you-can-eat sections sweep baseball". ESPN. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference fox was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "All-you-can-eat seats fill fans up – and out". NBC News. Associated Press. March 21, 2008. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  5. ^ Carman, Tim (May 1, 2012). "All You Can East packages". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  6. ^ "Premium Seats". MLB.com – San Diego Padres. 2019.