EVANSTON, IL — The new Ryan Field in Evanston announced its concessions strategy and partners for the stadium's inaugural season, outlining a plan built around faster checkout, lower-cost staples and a lineup of Chicago food brands.
The stadium said every in-stadium market will use AI checkout technology, and the food program will include what it described as Chicago sports' first $5 menu.
Stadium officials called the strategy a "Two-Minute Market," a walk-in, walk-out setup designed to get fans from the concourse back to their seats in two minutes or less. The markets will use AI checkout technology from Mashgin, which uses computer vision to recognize items in a fan's order without barcodes or a cashier line.
The rollout also ties into concourses that open directly to the bowl, with the stated goal of helping fans grab food and drinks without missing a play.
"A world-class game-day experience shouldn't be reserved for the few, it should belong to every fan," said Pat Ryan Jr., CEO of Ryan Sports Development. "Premium at new Ryan Field is a philosophy, not a tier, and that philosophy runs all the way to the concession stand: $5 fan favorites, opportunities to enjoy iconic Chicago classics, and be back in your seat in two minutes."
The $5 menu will be sold through Willie's Fan Favorites, named for Northwestern's mascot, Willie the Wildcat. The announcement said the menu will include hot dogs, burgers, nachos, popcorn and soft drinks, each priced at $5. Pricing is intended to make game-day food more financially accessible for students, families and other fans.
In addition to that menu, the first wave of concessions will feature several Chicago brands and stadium staples. The announcement listed Al's Italian Beef, Pat's tavern-style pizza made fresh at Ryan Field, jumbo Vienna Beef Chicago-style dogs, Chicago Steakhouse Burgers made with USDA Prime beef and Garrett's Popcorn.
"Financial accessibility is built into everything we're doing at New Ryan Field, and the $5 menu is the clearest proof, every fan can eat well on game day without stretching the family budget," said Ryan. "And the fan looking for something indulgent on game day doesn't have to leave the stadium to find the food that Chicago is famous for. Authentic Chicago icons , an Al's Italian beef, Pat's tavern style pizza fresh from the oven, a Vienna Beef dog with the works, are right here on the concourse at New Ryan Field."
The stadium described this as the first wave of its dining program. It said more announcements are coming, including a planned Evanston & North Shore Favorites lineup that is expected to give local businesses direct access to fans through pop-ups on game day.
"We've always believed great hospitality starts with creating dining occasions that are memorable and authentic," said Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy. "New Ryan Field puts that thinking at the heart of the stadium with each space so purposefully designed for the fan experience. We're thrilled to create a food and beverage program that celebrates our hometown of Chicago, offers something for every fan and makes game days special."
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