Posted by Julie Skaff on March 17, 2020
Where to Eat at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby® Weekend
Kentucky Derby® weekend is, by far, the busiest weekend at Churchill Downs® throughout the entire year. Thousands of people flock to the racetrack to spend two full days watching horse races, betting and spending time with friends and family.
In all of the planning excitement, many people don’t think about where they will be able to eat and drink at Churchill Downs during these long, exhilarating days. We’ve put together a list of dining options so you can be ready when hunger strikes!
Churchill Downs Dining & Beverage Options
1. Concessions
A variety of concession stands are placed all over Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks® and Kentucky Derby. Typical concession foods like chicken fingers, hot dogs, nachos and barbeque sandwiches are available to all guests to purchase. Beware, lines can get long given all the people they are trying to feed!
2. Roaming Vendors
Throughout the weekend, you will see roaming vendors walking around the venue and through seating aisles with refreshments including water bottles, lemonades, Mint Juleps and Oaks Lilies. Make sure to bring cash so you can flag them down and quickly get a drink!
3. Exclusive Hospitality Venues
Want to enhance your Derby experience, avoid long lines and eating concession food for two days straight? Securing access to a hospitality venue is the way to do it.
Most of Derby Experiences’ Official Ticket Packages include entry to exclusive hospitality venues at Churchill Downs. This means access to complimentary gourmet food and open bars all day, every day. For example, carving stations, seafood displays and roasted salmon have all been available to Derby Experiences guest in previous years.
Added bonus: Don’t forget about the private restrooms! Forget about having to wait in slow moving bathroom lines with hospitality access through Derby Experiences.
4. Premium Dining Rooms
A luxurious option for access to gourmet food and drink is to purchase Premium Dining Room Ticket Packages. Complimentary chef-prepared fare and top shelf beverages are included with a premium dining room race ticket.
Derby Experiences can provide access to these celebrity-frequented spaces, including Matt Winn’s, Turf Club Row B, Finish Line Suites and more!
Find out which Official Ticket Package works for you.
Whether you’re a sucker for chicken fingers or simply don’t want to pay $15 per Mint Julep, Derby Experiences has an Official Ticket Package that caters to anyone’s dining wants and needs. Check out our variety of packages to find out which one works for you and your Kentucky Derby group!
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