The 2026 Excellence in Concessions Awards have officially celebrated food, drink and hospitality achievements in sports and entertainment places. From stadium menu ideas to green programs the yearly awards show how concessions play an important role in making the fan experience better.
This years winners show big changes happening in stadiums, arenas and old music halls. They celebrate ideas in cooking, new service technology and special event experiences.
Hospitality improvements are still a part of big venue upgrades and concert experiences. At the Honda Center in Anaheim, California—currently getting a $1 billion upgrade as part of the OC Vibe development by the Anaheim Ducks—new self-serve drink stations were praised for their technology. At the time the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles got recognition for its Vinyl Room, a special place for music fans.
In sports and tournament food Yankee Stadium got the menu award with its Mini Dessert "Chicken" Bucket, which mixes two classic concession items. At Credit One Stadium in South Carolina the First Serve Cocktail—made for the Credit One Charleston Open tennis event—sold than 25,000 units in just nine days.
Special event ideas also made an impact, like the New York bodega-style BodeGAGA Experience at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle during a Lady Gaga show. On the side Miamis Kaseya Center was praised for its Rescue A Reef project, which helped reduce waste and have a positive effect on the environment.
A trend in concert places all over the country is food items named after WME music head Kirk Sommer. Places have menu choices like Captain Kirk’s Top Dog, Kaptain Kirk’s Macho Nachos at The Bill Graham Civic Kirk Sommer’s Fried Pickles, The El Kapitan Kirk Nachos and Kirk’s Killer Queso. Promoter Seth Hurwitz of I.M.P. Offers Kirk’s Summer Sundae, at Merriweather Post Pavilion which won this years Editors Choice award.
