Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever...

[Tin]

Found this interesting and am noticing it more and more. I have not ever seen staff really enforce the whole "bagged lunch you have to eat downstairs" policy but I'm willing to bet you will see more places doing this. I think I probably saved about $400 this season by bringing food and buying a 48oz Nalgene.

http://www.powdermag.com/stories/brown-bags-welcome/

 

[AdironRider]

Found this interesting and am noticing it more and more. I have not ever seen staff really enforce the whole "bagged lunch you have to eat downstairs" policy but I'm willing to bet you will see more places doing this. I think I probably saved about $400 this season by bringing food and buying a 48oz Nalgene.

http://www.powdermag.com/stories/brown-bags-welcome/

I really have zero qualms with this. I would also argue that by and large, the quality of the food available by the resort has vastly improved compared to ten years ago, so it is a better value proposition somewhat, and I don't blame them for not wanting bag lunches taking up valuable real estate in the lodge during lunch hour. Do you get upset that sports venues don't allow brown bag lunches? Or any other venue where this is par for the course?

 

[skiNEwhere]

Ski food a good value? Ha!

 

[AdironRider]

Ski food a good value? Ha!

Comparatively yes. 10 years ago you still paid 10+ for a burger, only it was truly shit. Now, you're still paying a lot, but at least most areas are providing grass fed local beef (like here in JHole), etc. Its not the dollar menu, but its not as bad as it was. Still expensive though, so more of a value in comparison than, "man what a bargain!"

 

[skiNEwhere]

I'll give you that. Unless it's Jay Peak, which as of the last time I was there (09) was terrible

 

[WWF-VT]

From the title of this thread I thought it was going to be yet another waste of time on Mad River Glen not allowing snowboards. There is a lot comedy in the comments on the Powder Mag story.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Hey, we haven't had a "Why doesn't MRG allow snowboards" thread in a long time!

 

[MadMadWorld]

I'll be there tomorrow protesting

 

[ss20]

Those "no brown bag" zones are enforced just as much as lifties enforcing the "bar down required" rule on the chairlifts.

 

[hammer]

What ski areas in the northeast relegate brown baggers to the "basement"? Maybe I don't go to fancy enough places but I've never had an issue.

Maybe we would have run into a problem at Deer Valley, but that's one place where even at ski area prices it's worth it to buy the food there IMO.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Eating it on the chairlift....Grey area

 

[steamboat1]

What ski areas in the northeast relegate brown baggers to the "basement"? Maybe I don't go to fancy enough places but I've never had an issue.

Pico, they even have signs in the cafeteria area. They do have a nice basement though.

Food in the pub upstairs is awesome & reasonable.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Comparatively yes. 10 years ago you still paid 10+ for a burger, only it was truly shit. Now, you're still paying a lot, but at least most areas are providing grass fed local beef (like here in JHole), etc. Its not the dollar menu, but its not as bad as it was. Still expensive though, so more of a value in comparison than, "man what a bargain!"

Agree 100%.

In fact, I save so much money Skiing On The Cheap, that the gf and I usually eat lunch at the nicest option at any resort we ski at. We wouldn't do that if the food stunk. I recall days of my youth when tinfoil wrapped dried out chicken sandwiches and shoeleather hamburgers for $7.50 were about your only options. That's not the case anymore.

Generally speaking, for $9.99 to $12.99 you can get a fantastic lunch at most places, including all the below where I've eaten recently, in order of how I'd rate the food:



Jay Peak - Alice's Table
Smuggler's Notch - Green Peppers
Plattekill - upstairs by the bar
Elk Mountain - Winter Garden Restaurant
Sugarbush - Tavern
Gore - The bar



Two exceptions:
Shawnee Mountain - ate atop the mountain, which IS the "nice" option, and it's nothing great. Not terrible, but nothing special.
Whiteface - Again, the bar/lounge area isnt awful, but it's nowhere near as good as the above options.

 

[JDMRoma]

What ski areas in the northeast relegate brown baggers to the "basement"? Maybe I don't go to fancy enough places but I've never had an issue.

Maybe we would have run into a problem at Deer Valley, but that's one place where even at ski area prices it's worth it to buy the food there IMO.

BrettonWoods, its upstairs for brownbaggers and Cannon, in the Peabody lodge its downstairs.
BWs food is crazy expensive and I usually will only eat there if Im desperate and Cannons lodge at the top isnt bad, not as overpriced as BW.

 

[Smellytele]

With a family of 5 with 2 teenage boys eating on mountain food is way too expensive. $12 burgers plus $5 fries plus a $5 drink and we are talking over 100 bucks. Rather pack some good turkey and fixings and other stuff for under $30 for all (then spend money on beer )

 

[hammer]

With a family of 5 with 2 teenage boys eating on mountain food is way too expensive. $12 burgers plus $5 fries plus a $5 drink and we are talking over 100 bucks. Rather pack some good turkey and fixings and other stuff for under $30 for all (then spend money on beer )

When skiing with kids we used to bring bacon and/or lunchmeat and make sandwiches for lunch. Now we just go with PB or PB&J sandwiches about half of the time.

One thing we usually do is avoid beverage purchases unless we are eating at the sit-down restaurant. No need to spend over $2 on a soda.

Will have to remember about Bretton Woods and Cannon, bought on-mountain the times we went so I didn't know about the brownbagger policy.

 

[4aprice]

Skiing with kids and without kids are 2 different things when it comes to eating. With the kids we brought our lunch. At Camelback they are pretty rigid with brown baggers taking up tables for paying customers (I don't blame them). We also pushed the rules. Have also purchased a seasonal locker in their Fireside Club, every season we've been there. Its and old restaurant converted to a locker room and the bar is intact and the ski area provides bar stools so people can sit down and eat. We used to bring in things like crock pots of soup, pennie makers etc. The area got wind of that and pretty much cut off our electrical use with the exception of a microwave. (once again I don't blame them). Then the ski team worked out an arrangement where the mountain gave us access to the Valley View Room off the East Side Bistro for us (and some other seasonal programs) to eat bagged lunchs. So that's been our routine.

Skiing with the wife, we tend to avoid the cafeteria and hit the pub if an area has one. Had a very enjoyable lunch at Okemo's pub and really enjoyed the Miester (Sp?) Hut at the top of Cranmore (ok small café). Out west its either the café somewhere on the mountain or the parking lot.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[snoseek]

Am I the only one that goes to the car for lunch?

I'm ok with keeping the brown baggers separate as long as there's somewhere adequate. Usually those spaces are empty. Bonus for ski areas that provide a microwave. Double bonus for Loveland Colorado, they embrace us cheap bastards with grills, ovens, microwaves and hot water.

And yeah I agree overall ski area food has improved a bit. I don't buy lunch often but when I do I generally seek the best place around. The markup is in the end much more reasonable....Not cheap but better quality food. Cafeteria is a nono, food usually not great, mark up high.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Am I the only one that goes to the car for lunch?

I'll do it if I'm at a ski area where my car isn't 6 miles away that I need to get to via a bus.

Loveland, a-basin, winter park and to somewhat of a degree, keystone are notable for having close parking

Double bonus for Loveland Colorado, they embrace us cheap bastards with grills, ovens, microwaves and hot water.

Yea, Loveland is awesome. Their pay food isn't marked way up either. I almost think they could charge more for food seeing as their profit margins are very thin.

 

[legalskier]

What if you do a hybrid lunch, i.e. bring a sandwich but buy drinks & sides from the caf?