Coachella Weekend 1 concluded with a historic performance by the festival’s first Latina headliner Karol G and now, attendees are sounding off online about their experiences and offering advice to Weekend 2 festivalgoers. Alongside the mixed reactions to Justin Bieber’s YouTube-fueled set, a key concern has emerged: the three-day festival is now more expensive than ever, including the food.
General admission tickets start at $549 for Weekend 1 before taxes, and with shuttle services and on-site camping, can top more than $800. Nearby accommodations are often inflated during April’s festival season and those driving into the fest are also facing a recent surge in gas prices amid the ongoing war in Iran.
Festival food prices are similarly inflated, with some fans reportedlypaying $30 for a chicken sandwich and fries combo meal or upward of $40 for two slices of pizza and a beverage. While many attendees budget for food and related festival costs, Coachella also employs an estimated 10,000 temporary workers who rely on on-site food vendors.
Many food and beverage vendors are traveling in from across Southern California and beyond, and face their own financial challenges, including labor, plus the same rising gas and grocery costs that festivalgoers contend with. A CBS price tracker found that food costs have increased by 19.7% since January 2022, so if you paid $16 for a sandwich at Coachella four years ago, it’s likely to cost at least $20 now.
But you can still find a satisfying festival meal that won’t break the bank. During Weekend 1, I skipped the multicourse Outstanding in the Field dinner series and Nobu omakase in favor of discovering more accessible options, like bean-and-cheese pupusas, pork belly ramen and a foot-long hot dog. Here are five great meals I had at Coachella for $20 or less before taxes.
1. Aji verde burger at Softies Burger in Indio Central Market, $17
The former Smorgasburg vendor launched its bricks-and-mortar in USC Village last summer, so it’s used to cranking out nonstop orders for college students. Word must have gotten out about the burger joint’s first appearance at Coachella, as it was swamped with lines all weekend. Its popularity might also be thanks to a few under-$20 menu items, including the signature aji verde burger with a quarter-pound beef patty, white American cheese, grilled onions, pickled jalapeños, lettuce, tomato and house cilantro-garlic mayo on a Martin’s potato roll. The classic Cali burger that mimics In-N-Out’s off-menu animal-style burger is available for the same price.
2. Chicken pesto crepe from Gabino’s Creperie in Street Food Alley, $18
The cheesy griddled crepe from Gabino’s Creperie was one of my favorite bites over the entire weekend, brimming with chicken, pesto, crunchy lettuce, cherry tomatoes and slices of red onion. It’s filling but not too heavy, a perfect festival lunch. The entire menu is under $20, with BBQ chicken and chicken Caesar crepes and a veggie sandwich rounding out the options.
3. Loaded prawn chip nachos with charred chicken from Double Dragon BBQ near the Mojave Stage, $18
I can’t shut up about these loaded prawn chip nachos. It’s the only way I want to eat nachos moving forward. Truthfully, it eats more like a salad, with the puffy chips piled with Sichuan cucumber and woodear mushroom salad, fermented bean curd aioli and your choice of protein, though you’ll have to opt for the charred chicken in order to remain under budget. Rib-eye steak increases the price to $23.
4. Crunch wrap at Cena Vegan’s Taco Party in Street Food Alley, $18
Former Smorgasburg vendor Cena Vegan is usually limited to catering services, so I knew I had to stop by when I saw it on the food and beverage lineup at Coachella. The crunch wrap outsizes the version you’ll find at Taco Bell with flour and hard shell tortillas, beans, tomato, lettuce, sour cream, cheese and seasoned ground “beef” crumbles. Here you’ll find a handful of options under $20, including a Mexican-style street dog for $15 and a burrito for $20, plus a munchies box that’s fit for a group with two crunchy tacos, one crunch wrap, tortillas and nacho cheese for $30.
5. Buldak Hotzilla Dog from Sumo Dog in Street Food Alley, $20
Everything on Sumo Dog’s menu is $20 or less, from a bacon-wrapped hot dog banh mi to loaded tots and the limited Buldak Hotzilla dog ($20) created in collaboration with the Korean hot sauce brand. The Hotzilla dog — a similar Godzilla version is available if you want to skip the heat — features a foot-long link on a squishy bun that’s topped with miso beef chili, togarashi cheese sauce, wasabi relish, pickled peppers, spicy mayo teriyaki sauce, furikake, jalapeño and nori.
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