Coachella Partiers Are Outraged By The Festival's Food Prices
Coachella has somewhat of a reputation for being a playground for the affluent, what with even the basic weekend passes starting at $549 and luxury camping packages that go up to five digits. Once you get through the doors, the festival isn't done nickel-and-diming you to death, although perhaps Jackson-and-Benjamining would be a more accurate term. Case in point: The food prices, which are ridiculously steep by anyone's standards. One of the cheapest things you can get to eat there is a slice of pizza for $11, while even a hot dog will run $13. Want a sandwich? Try $16 for plain grilled cheese or $17 for fried chicken. Even fries and onion rings may be priced upwards of $12.
Needless to say, people are venting their discontent with Coachella food prices all over social media. One TikToker paid $23 for a plate of hibachi chicken with noodles and $26 for three sliders accompanied by a small pile of tater tots. In one of the more egregious examples of price gouging, chili cheese fries cost a whopping $24 for what is essentially a glorified side. A TikToker who purchased this dish declared it to be "amazing," but the commenters were more amazed by the cost (and not in a good way). One person called the prices "abysmal," while another went with "daylight robbery."
Drinks in the desert don't come cheap, either
Coachella takes place in the desert, so festival-goers are going to get thirsty, no doubt about it. They'd best be prepared to dig deep into their pockets (or credit line) to pay for the privilege of quenching that thirst, though. Even a simple bottle of water costs $2, while even something basic like coffee or lemonade may run you $10 or so. One TikTok video with nearly 3 million views shows a festival goer complaining of having to fork over $64 for two coffees and two burritos.
@jackietanti the shittiest part of coachella 🙃😵💫
Indulging in an adult beverage or two at Coachella represents a serious investment, as a simple mixed drink like Red Bull + vodka can cost $26. For the budget-minded, beer is just over $15. Coachella's booze tents, however, were the site of a new product launch as Hello Soju chose the festival to debut its new line of spiked seltzers. Exciting? Well, maybe not so much. A TikToker who paid $18 for this canned cocktail described it as "very mid." Commenters on this video, too, were shocked by the price, with one person opining that "18 dollars for one canned drink is insanity." Others were less outraged, though, as they noted that all festivals tend to be overpriced and remarked that these prices aren't really out of line by West Coast standards, anyway.