Here's how much food costs at Coachella, from a $10 cup of coffee to $17 chicken tenders
Callie Ahlgrim
- Insider's music team attended Coachella in Indio, California for the first time this year.
- We documented our meals throughout the weekend, including the cost of each item.
There's a variety of a food available at Coachella, but many options are difficult to eat in a festival environment.
Given how many festivalgoers there are, proper seating at Coachella is limited. Many people resort to eating meals on the ground or on the go.
This can effectively rule out many of the delicious-looking options at the festival, especially if they require utensils or a steady hand.
This fried chicken sandwich cost $17, plus tip.
While this sandwich was one of the tastier options we tried, it was messy to eat and fell apart quite easily.
This slice of pepperoni pizza cost $11 and 30 minutes of wait time.
There were many pizza options at Coachella, but every line was absurdly long. This booth offered multiple toppings — cheese, pepperoni, pepperoni jalapeño, veggie, and vegan veggie — for $11 per slice.
This $16 grilled cheese was the most disappointing meal we had all weekend.
This booth advertised "loaded grilled cheese" options, but we came to realize the only toppings available were bacon for $6 extra or tomato for $4 extra.
The standard $16 option, pictured above, was served on mediocre bread that wasn't toasted all the way through.
The available sides were $14 onion rings or $12 crinkle-cut fries.
Both options were served lukewarm. Thankfully, the containers of ranch and hot sauce did not require an extra charge.
These $17 chicken tenders were basic but yummy.
They were served on a bed of perfectly crispy french fries.
This $13 "sumo dog" came topped with wasabi relish, spicy mayo, and minced onion.
This booth offered Japanese-inspired hot dogs, including one called "The Godzilla" for $18, which would cost just $11 outside of the festival.
Another booth served Chinese food, including this orange-chicken bowl.
The $17 dish consisted of orange chicken and white rice.
Some of the most egregious prices were attached to simple cups of coffee.
By 10:30 p.m. on Friday night, we were in desperate need of caffeine (Harry Styles wouldn't take the stage for another hour).
We were shocked to find that our go-to coffee drink, an oat-milk latte, would set us back $15 each.
We paid $10 each, plus tip, for this tiny cup of black coffee.
The taste was average, but the energy boost was much appreciated.
Follow along with Insider's Coachella coverage here.
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