KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fans packed Arrowhead Stadium Sunday morning for the first Chiefs’ home game since news broke this week of food safety violations at some of the stadium’s Aramark concession stands.
Thousands of fans poured into Arrowhead Stadium for Sunday’s Chiefs game. Football wasn’t the only thing people we’re talking about. Joe Benskin and his buddies used to eat concession stand food.
“We were kind of concerned with all the news articles about the moldy buns and hot dogs kept at bad temperatures, so we thought we’d just eat out here,” said Benskin.
An employee for food vendor Aramark alerted the Kansas City Health Department to food safety concerns he’d documented in the more than two years he worked at both Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.
Chiefs fan David Glassman said, “It takes a lot of courage to go against a corporation and the company like that, so I do appreciate that he stood up and said something, and hopefully changes are made because of it.”
Inspectors found violations at nearly two dozen concession stands at both Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums. They include rodents, insects, and improper food storage and temperatures.
“That was the first thought through my mind was I could’ve potentially eaten that at one of the games that I attended here,” said Chiefs’ fan Blake Leonard.
The health department told FOX 4 Friday that upon re-inspection earlier this month, Aramark passed all inspections. But not without raising concerns for the city’s sports fans.
“It made me really sad because I’ve come to the K and Arrowhead my whole life. I grew up, was born and raised in Kansas City,” Chiefs fan Emily Anderson said.
Leonard said, “We eat hot dogs every time we come here, or some kind of food. It’s just part of the atmosphere. So it’s just really disappointing that the food quality is not up to par and the fact that it could be potentially dangerous.”
The health department told FOX 4 they inspect each of the stands two to three times a season. Click HERE for previous coverage.
