This is the beginning of my 9th year as a portable vendor at Wrigley. Orientations for the 2012 concessions and merchandise vendors are about half over.
For the first time, these orientation meetings were held in the United Club above Captn Morgans. Previously they were held in the building north of the ball park on Clark in a parking garage / warehouse. This set a much nicer tone to start the season. However, this venue change was more out of necessity than kindness. The Cubs are moving the front offices from the ballpark to that building, which was visible passing by the windows.
Where the vendors will gather before games is not determined, and it may impact the location of the bike check. There's speculation that the vendor assignments will be moved behind the Taco Bell.
Food and beverage prices probably won't be set for another month, but if the trend of the last 45 years holds, they'll remain cheaper than the Cell. No word on any new products, though they promoted that the Northside Twist pretzel was an answer to a Double Jeopardy question this off-season.
There's a thorough focus this year is on sanitation, which hasn't always been so. After Wrigley, the Cell, and Soldier Field all were "hit hard" in the last 12 months by city inspectors, compliance persons are going to visit much more frequent and require more attentive documentation. Additionally, stand workers that prepare food are getting two full days of food-prep training. This is really a new way of thinking.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
1 recs | 81 comments
Thanks for posting and good to know the safety of consumers is a priority with Wrigley food.
So much for the notion you just show up and work a game, a lot goes in behind the scenes.
mrcubsfan - February 6, 2012
Great stuff
Love getting this kind of behind-the-scenes look.
Brett Taylor - February 6, 2012
I wondered what was going on with the bike check building - I had seen a lot of construction going on there last few months
Glad to hear it’s for the front office folks and not for an expansion of their ticket scalping operations.
ballhawk - February 6, 2012
Can you shed some light on how much income vendors receive per item, etc?
I always tip my beer guys .75-1.00 per beer based on the year/price, but when I see “exacters” (as they tend to call people who don’t offer a tip) I wonder how much $ a vendor can make in those cases.
Also, how do vendors select the product they will vend that day? Seniority? Whoever shows first, etc?
If it’s a state secret, I understand.
Fukudometer - February 6, 2012
It's not a secret state, but I don't know all the facts.
Here’s what I do know,
We vendors signed a new contract last year that gives us a percentage of what we sell rather than a per item amount, which was nice considering we’re groaning every time prices go up just like the customers. Seat vendors earn a larger percentage than us portable vendors, but I’m not sure how much off-hand… I wanna say portables get 7-8% while the seats get 10-11%. Therefore, your regular seat vendors get ~ $0.73 per $7 can beer, while us at the portable (1-2 person stands) get ~$0.52ish for the $6.50 draft beers. There is no hourly rate… it’s strictly commission and tips, so THANK YOU!!! for your tips… they mean a whole lot to us on days when we sell 30 beers in 40 degree weather.
As for products, it’s a combination of seniority and luck on any given day for the seat vendors. Based on weather and expected attendance, the concession company Levy Restaurants tells the union stewards how many of each product they want and where. These assignments usually start getting handed out when gates open. For the most senior vendors, they get the same product (Budweiser), same location every day, and will be the first seat vendors in the park. For those on the cusp, say 1995, they may get Bud a majority of the games but may be left with only Old Style. Going down the line, first to last choices are generally beer/hotdogs/hot chocolate/ peanuts/water/cracker jacks/gatorade, though this is subject to vendor preference. Cotton candy is sold by a different company. Sections are divided into 100 level, 200 level, and upperdeck. NO SWOOPING! When the seat vendors are done selling, they checkout and have to leave the park.
When vendors show up, they get a lottery ticket by union year. For example, let’s say there are 30 vendors for that game that started working in 2003. When each 2003 vendor signs in, they get a number 1-30. When they start handing out assignments and make it to 2003, lucky #1 from that year gets his/her choice of product and location based on what’s left. After almost 10 years, 2003s are likely to get beer 50% of the games, though rarely Budweiser.
For portables, it’s a little different. We’re at the same spot, every game. We show up an hour before the game, and it usually takes until an hour after the game to pack and clean and check out with the bank before we leave. Spots are generally offered by seniority as they become available, which is much less frequent.
section229beer - February 6, 2012
Awesome
I’ve always been very curious about how the commissions work for vendors. Thanks for the thorough answer. I’ll have to come downstairs and get a beer from your stand (I’m in 529 and get my suds from Lester and Steve, as well as the guys at the stand near 531).
Although I’m curious to hear any feedback from the Tuesday $3 beer nights. We had to sneak our $3 beers from the stand behind home plate and pour them in our large vendor cups so we wouldn’t anger our regular vendors.
I’m also a fan of draught vs. can, and since they are both 16oz, but draught is 50 cents cheaper, I prefer the stand suds.
Fukudometer - February 6, 2012
It'd be great to meet ya,
but I won’t recognize you without the Fukudometer!
section229beer - February 7, 2012
Fukudometer has great seats
The only thing I would change would to be 3rd base side and closer to the mens bathroom
Hammer - February 7, 2012
oh and I know this too because of the OMETER
Hammer - February 7, 2012
lol
fyi I can make it to the mens room and back during a half inning switch or even a pitching change…
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
that's good
because I make it my job to not miss a pitch. It’s bad being in the bathroom and hearing Pat Hughes yelling “this ones gotta chaaaaaaance” over the radio
Man now I want a ballpark dog so bag.
BTW – I did introduce myself to you once.
Hammer - February 7, 2012
I do remember meeting you
your seats are down the line in RF, upper deck, right?
Man, those were the good ol’ days when the Fukudometer started with a 3 or a 2 instead of a 1.
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
Well - my seats may have been down the line for that game
I actually just got called to become a ST holder but moved to Cali 18 months ago. Oh well.
Hammer - February 7, 2012
another hypothesis
My thought is that the price of the beer from the seat vendors affects their tip:
Beer cost:
$6.25 = likely $.75 tip/beer
$6.50 = likely $.50 tip/beer
$6.75 = likely $.25 tip, possible $1.25 tip/beer
$7.00 = likely $1.00 tip/beer
So my thought is that vendors don’t like when beer/products end in .50 or .75?
Fukudometer - February 6, 2012
I can't speak for park vendors, but as a former bartender, it makes almost no difference.
For every person that will only leave you a $.25 tip on a beer ending in .75, there are probably 1-2 guys/gals that leave you $1.25.
Worrying about the cost of the product vs. your tip is going to cause your tip to suffer. Focus on the best service possible and you can make up that difference and then some.
As for this:
At least you aren’t the frost malt guy! But in all seriousness… I hope people tip for environmental hazards as well. It’s hard work doing what you do – it’s even worse doing it in crappy weather!
bdlugz - February 6, 2012
The frost malt used to be the best deal in the park
about 2 years ago when it was $2.50 or so.
Last year the best deal was Odouls…. cheaper than water. Plus, Odouls has this awesome Chicago music video going for it!!!
section229beer - February 7, 2012
bdlugz makes a great point about service first,
but round number beer prices are not friendly to vendors. Having done some informal polling, bartenders outside the ballpark tend to get tipped (any amount) on 80-90% of transactions. Seat vendors tipping transactions % is similar, depending on the game, 70-90%. Portables, especially the last two-three years, have gotten tipped on 50-70% of transactions. That tipping percentage drops significantly at the concessions stands, especially because they take credit cards.
I don’t do this job for the money, and that makes it easy for me to concentrate on good service. Cost of product vs. tip comes into play though when Cubs lose, the weather sucks, all the customers are in a bad mood, and you go through >$30 in quarters (instead of keeping them as tips). By the end of these days, I’m generally muttering about what no tip means to a customer whose just spent $49 on a round of beers.
However, the joy of an 81 game home schedule and crowds up to 42,000 people means that even when I have a bad day, every thing can change overnight. Criminy, the setting of my work is Wrigley Field, and Cubs games or wicked concerts. I love working there, love interacting with (most) all the different crowds, and have developed great relationships with a lot of people.
section229beer - February 7, 2012
I may be a rube, but it never even occurred to me to tip at the consession stands.
We usually go to the ones in the upper deck by the rooftop area. It’s like how I wouldn’t think of tipping at McDonald’s. The vendors- yes- we tip them. But if I’m getting up and getting the stuff myself (and missing half an inning in a long line to do it)…well, it just never even crossed my mind that I was supposed to.
katie casey - February 7, 2012
Agreed.
It’s never crossed my mind either and I don’t think it should be necessary unless you get over the top good service.
And that leads me to a different point, I hate that the walking venders make all their money off of tips and commission. Tipping is to reward good service, not to pay the persons wage. The idea of tipping in our society is so far off of it’s original intention.
(rant over)
cubswynn - February 7, 2012
surely you realize that tipping in America is customary
whereas in other countries it isn’t, and they pay their servers, etc. a wage proportionally higher than say, an American waiter.
This is reminding me of Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs….
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
Of course.
And that’s my point, I shouldn’t be the one responsible for paying someone’s wage.
cubswynn - February 7, 2012
I don't believe in tipping, I believe in over-tipping!
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
...
katie casey - February 7, 2012
believe it or not, this is big in New Jersey...
…Southern New Jersey, that is.
ballhawk - February 7, 2012
It's always struck me as incredibly cruel.
shoemile - February 7, 2012
Me too.
katie casey - February 7, 2012
speaking of big in New Jersey
Hammer - February 7, 2012
uh oh - could this be the beginnings of another "-ography" thread?
Somewhere BLou is shaking his fist at someone…
ballhawk - February 7, 2012
Allow me to illustrate that.
daver - February 7, 2012
To say I don't miss the man is an understatement
Emelie - February 7, 2012
Tipping is to reward good service, not to pay the persons wage.
If they made even minimum wage, I might agree with you. A lot don’t.
drewishdrewid - February 7, 2012
I tip very well, probably better than most.
So let me just make that clear.
But you are missing my greater point, which is they should make more to cover their wage. On top of that, if they provide good service they should be rewarded for that. Those two things shouldn’t have to be mutually exclusive.
cubswynn - February 7, 2012
can I say thank you for your tips!
also most people who work for tips pay all (like me) or most of their own health insurance, I get no paid vacations or sick days. I appreciate from the bottom of my heart those tips and do my absolute best to try and give the best customer service I can, and I think most of us do. In a tipping business, I think customer cost is determined more on employee benefits than anything. If my employee gave me benefits they would charge the customer more for the service.
cooliogirl47 - February 7, 2012
*should be my "employer" not employee
cooliogirl47 - February 7, 2012
I usually...
tip whatever the excess change would be for a walking vendor. Despite the absurd price of beer, I figure I can at least compensate him for saving me the time/hassle of getting up to get one.
But I will never, ever, tip a guy at a vendor stand. Why would I tip a guy to do his job, which is to hand me the beer that I’m buying? It kind of pisses me off that the Cubs don’t pay these guys an hourly rate. I wonder if that’s the norm at sports events or if the Cubs are unique.
kanderber - February 7, 2012
Exactly.
cubswynn - February 7, 2012
yeah, but a lot of these vendor stands (beer stands near mens rooms in the ud, for example)
are privately owned. They pay the Cubs a fee to have the stand. They don’t receive an hourly wage from the Cubs.
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
it's a norm
section229beer - February 7, 2012
Is there a difference between stand vendors and concession vendors?
For example, the 2 delightful guys who run the Bud and hot dog stand outside section 530 are there every game, and have been so for years. (which is what I believe would describe your job)
vs.
The people at the huge concession stands behind home plate who sell everything from helmet sundaes to beer to popcorn.
Are the “stand” guys working for commissions vs. the big concession stand workers paid hourly?
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
the big concession stand workers are paid hourly
section229beer - February 7, 2012
Good stuff, thanks for sharing!
kanderber - February 7, 2012
Don't bury the lede - I'm glad to see they're moving the front offices!
Or, at a minimum, adding some office space in a 2nd location.
Over the past few years, several posters here defended the Cubs’ having the smallest (or 2nd smallest) front office in MLB b/c they didn’t have the office space to add more staff.
That was a silly argument, of course – the Cubs can easily add office space in any number of locations, and there’s no law that says everyone has to be in the same building. Theo has immediately added headcount, and he appears to be adding square feet as well.
This won’t mean 2012 wins, of course, but it is further evidence that the Cubs are finally becoming a 21st century MLB organization.
D98 - February 6, 2012
I took part in one of those arguments. It was obviously absurd to think the size of the Cubs front
office could or should be confined by the size of a park built in 1914. Good to see the organization being dragged out of the primordial goop. Down the road we may be seeing flippers slowly turning into legs.
the nth - February 6, 2012
Theo is probably...
…thinking what I’ve always thought. The office space at Wrigley could be better used for fan related things, rather than employee office space.
cubswynn - February 6, 2012
Plus the new employee office space, i.e. the bike check building, is that much closer to Wrigleyville Dogs...
ballhawk - February 6, 2012
That's not just Theo's thinking.
That’s been the Cubs’ plan for almost a decade, since they first started designing the triangle building.
Al Yellon - February 6, 2012
Yeah, but to Theo's credit, he isn't going to sit around and wait for the triangle building.
the nth - February 7, 2012
Well Theo isn't the first guy in the history of business to move to bigger office space.
Let’s not equate this to signing Yoenis Céspedes at half the price that other clubs were offering. It’s just office space.
P.S. I’m working from home today through a virtual desktop. Not a modern miracle.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
This is absolutely true.
So then the question is, what took so long?
shoemile - February 7, 2012
What took so long to move, or to hire the people?
The move is irrelevant and we already knew that the Cubs have expanded the front office.
Other possible reasons
1. Move away from Crane Kenney.
2. Theo likes the wings at Yak-Zies across the street.
3. Closer to Metro for a set with Buffalo Tom between deals at the 7/31 trade deadline.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
Well they're moving now because they need the space.
Did they not need it before? Why has it taken so long for the FO to expand?
shoemile - February 7, 2012
If you're looking to bash Hendry, just go ahead and do it
Maybe he had tighter budgets under the Tribune and could not expand the staff. Maybe he felt more comfortable with a smaller team.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
But Ricketts took over and they still had the small FO.
I’m looking for an answer. Perhaps your last sentence is it.
shoemile - February 7, 2012
Meant to also say
Under the Tribune, Hendry may not have been able to expand. Or he may have been more comfortable with a smaller staff.
-But with Ricketts, I think they wanted to learn about the baseball business before they started to make any drastic changes. Some owners would come in and clean house. I don’t think that is Ricketts’ style of management.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
So then it's possible Hendry wanted to expand, but Ricketts told him no?
shoemile - February 7, 2012
I have no idea
I never heard any reporting on that. The only pre-Epstein hire that I remember was Ari Kaplan.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
Geez, Shoe.
The Ricketts have owned the Cubs for two years. What, did you expect a hiring binge on day one?
Al Yellon - February 7, 2012
Of course not.
Never did. Day 400? Perhaps.
shoemile - February 7, 2012
Then you would probably have a very different front office
If Ricketts hired a new President of Baseball Operations before the 2011 season, it would not have been Theo Epstein.
And it there wasn’t a new President, then the hiring would have been left to Hendry.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
Agreed D98,
learning about the front office relocation was the most interesting part of the orientation for me, the fan. But I gotta represent the vendors, eh?
I got the impression that ALL of the front office (baseball & non-baseball) will be moving out of the ballpark. There was no word about what would be moving into the ballpark offices, though that could be the first step of a major lower bowl renovation. ALso, no word about whether the bike check will stay where it was.
section229beer - February 6, 2012
Thanks for the insight here. I have always wondered how this aspect of Wrigley worked.
D98 - February 6, 2012
This is cool, but did they give you the top secret Press Box wireless network key?
subtle - February 6, 2012
I had it...
…until my phone crashed. If you really want it that bad, go on the wrigley field tour. They had it laminated and posted in the press box for anyone to see. I thought I would use it all the time but it turns out I’m not on my phone much during a game.
cubswynn - February 7, 2012 via mobile
I don't know why...
…but, right off the bat, this made me laugh:
I’m picturing the set of one of those 80s heavy metal videos, with chains hanging from the ceiling and grime all over the windows. Just the kind of place you want to put a bunch of people who handle food.
Thanks for sharing – it’s nice to read about the emphasis on sanitation. Gotta ask: Was there any specific mention of black slime?
daver - February 7, 2012
"Black Slime" is a great name for an 80's heavy metal band, coincidentally.
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
Any insight into any bargain days?
Curious if the Cubs told you about any concession bargains like last year. In 2011 they had:
Monday – free t-shirts in the bleachers
Tuesday – $3 beers
Wednesday – $1 hot dogs in the bleachers
I won’t be surprised if the Cubs didn’t mention this for 2012 – keeping it in their back pocket.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
Thursdays are bring your least favorite former Cub to the game
Hammer - February 7, 2012
Neifi better keep his Thursdays open all season long.
shoemile - February 7, 2012
no word.
Heck, they don’t even know how much individual items will be.
Last year, most of those promotions weren’t announced until May when everyone was pretty sure it was going to be a long, terrible year.
section229beer - February 7, 2012
Thanks for the insights
I kind of expected that, but thanks for the confirmation.
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
i find this thread
remarkably entertaining and insightful
DartmouthCubsFan - February 7, 2012
When is Wrigley Field going to get some good microbrewed beers?
F*ck this piss tasting PBR, Old Style, Miller Lite, Bud product, BS…….
Where’s the Bells Beer, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium Brewing Co, heck where’s the hell is even the Goose Island Beer?
section229beer, can you please ask Tom Ricketts to get some friggin’ good beer at Wrigley! PLEASE. This beer connoisseur truly dislikes the current beer selection at Wrigley and would love a better selection from which to choose and I’d be willing to pay more for it as well, and I bet there are a lot of fellow beer connoisseur Cubs fans just like me who would like the same……
magicblue - February 7, 2012
during a slow inning....
…pretend you’re a smoker, get your hand stamped in the RF corner, hoof it over to Goose Island, grab a Matilda, Sofie, or any Belgian offering. Stub back in the Capt Morgan club. Done and done.
And, if the Cubs are down by 8, head the other way and stop in Sheffield’s for some Left Hand Nitro Stout or some Stone Double Arrogant Bastard.
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
but seriously
no margins in microbrews when you have to douse the masses. I usually pregame with some buds at Sheffield’s and Risque Cafe for some awesome brews, then don’t have to shell out $8 for a macrobrew at the game.
Fukudometer - February 7, 2012
I'd rather pay $10 for a Bell's pint at Wrigley than $7.50 for a Heineken
I’ve purchased kegs of Bell’s and it comes out to something like $2.50/beer. It’s hard to believe there isn’t a good enough profit margin. I’m not saying the seat vendors should carry bottles of Bells around with them, but there is no reason at all why there isn’t at least one stand in the ball park where you can go get a pint of some quality brew. I’ve been to several ball parks and you can buy quality beer at a lot of them. At Miller Park, for example, you can get New Glarus Brews among others.
I usually pre-game with some pints at GingerMan and I’ve done the hand stamp/re-enter thing a few times when short on cash, mostly walking over to one of the close taco joints and getting some grub to bring back in the ballpark. But I don’t think it’s worth it for a beer. If I’m going to leave a game early, it means the Cubs are getting blown out and I wouldn’t even bother going back in.
Heck, a few times during April and Early May games a couple of years ago, I’d wear a hoodie and a winter jacket over it and stash 2-3 bottles of microbrew in the center pouch of the hoodie. I’d buy a pint from a vendor and refill it with the beers i brought. I was never searched or anything. That was pretty inefficient as I’d end up drunk by the 3rd inning because I wanted to drink the microbrews before the got warm, LOL……..
magicblue - February 7, 2012
Believe me,
I’ve asked for many things over the years. It certainly behooves me to optimize what I’m selling, and as a person who enjoys lots of beers, I wish we had more too. When they gave us Guinness for the NW football game, even Tom Rickett’s bought one of those from me. I can see the Goose Island Wrigleyville from my stand, but they haven’t carried that in the park since 2003.
I remember last year learning on this site that Old Style may not be back. I think that’s been resolved, but there was also mention at that time from my higher ups of possibly bringing in Goose. They’re owned by Bud now and all.
Larry Bell is a regular at the same stand as mine on the third base side.
section229beer - February 7, 2012
Many of the Goose Island beers have been surpassed by Half Acre, Two Bros, Revolution,
Three Floyds etc. It would be nice to see vendors carrying those pint cans of Daisy Cutter in their cases.
And as for those who haven’t been tipping at the stands all these years? Yikes! Nice to have you aboard now.
the nth - February 7, 2012
Those would be pricey pints
From Binny’s Beverage Depot:
Old Style = $19.99/case of 16 oz cans
Half Acre Daisy Cutter = $52.99/case of 16 oz cans
RiskyBusiness - February 7, 2012
It's not the pour cost, it's the beer promotion dollars
Hello,
Long time local dive bar and BCB readers, first time poster.
The actual cost of the beer they pour inside the stadium is almost certainly a tiny, tiny part of the equation. Virtually every major sports venue negotiates ‘pour rights’ for both beer and soda which combine with stadium advertising dollars (i.e. “Bud Light bleachers”) to make sure that certain beverages are the primary ones poured.
Just from googling around, here is an insanely detailed site on a New York School District that stood to get $37,000 in just the first year from giving Pepsi pour rights at their schools. Presumably add several zeros to that to figure on what a Major League Baseball team gets.
We love our Half Acre, and our Bells, and our Three Brothers, and our other craft brewers, and they all seem to be doing well, but I doubt any of them have even a spare $37,000 to throw towards pouring rights. Plus, for a small bar like us it’s hard to even get some of the more popular craft beers because we only take 2 kegs a month and they try to get their limited production into the bigger and more craft dominated spots. If the Cubs did somehow start pouring Half Acre it would just make it that much harder for them to meet demand from the little joints unfortunately.
And FWIW – the beer truck drivers gossiped constantly last fall about Miller Lite knocking Old Style out of Wrigley Field, which obviously fell through. Chicago is the only major market where Miller Lite outsells Bud Light, so even while the Old Style stays for now, bet on more beer wars around the Friendly Confines in the years ahead.
Always enjoy reading the comments on BCB, hope the above wasn’t too far off topic.
Cheers,
Nisei Lounge
Nisei Lounge - February 14, 2012
Here's that link again
Oops, E-poster, forgot the link.
If you really want to read up on pour rights at even the high school level, here you go:
http://www.hydeparkschools.org/Admin/pouringfaq.shtml
Cheers.
Nisei Lounge - February 14, 2012
Thanks for the post and the link, very informative.
Al Yellon - February 14, 2012
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