GoogaMooga’s $250 VIP Pass Is a BAD DEAL

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GoogaMooga, the Brooklyn food festival that’s terrorizing Twitter and at least one prominent New York Times critic this weekend, gave away all of its 40,000 free tickets for entry, so the only remaining option for admission is a $250 all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink pass. Yeah, it’s a BAD DEAL. Here’s why: 

Those with free tickets will pay $6-$8 for “tastes” and $9-$12 for “full plates” of food by chefs like David Chang and Seamus Mullen. So assuming you get the most expensive items, you’ll have to order about ten full plates just to justify $125 worth of your $250 ticket. Think you’re really gonna eat that much? And then you’ll have to drink an extra $125 worth of beer and wine. Outdoors. In a Park. 

And since one of our colleagues reported a 45 minute wait for an “umami burger,” we reckon you’ll be standing in line for a VERY LONG time to use up all those dining dollars. Or let’s make things even simpler: When was the last time you spent $250 at The Feast of San Genaro, or any other outdoor street fair with food and music? Never. 

Some will say I’m undervaluing freebies included with the $250 pass. You get a goodie bag (no thanks). You get a one-year subscription to New York Magazine (it’s already free on the web and at your dentists’ office). You get better viewing areas for concerts (Hall & Oates – enough said). 

Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve overlooked the culinary community factor:  Where else will you find chefs from Craft, Momofuku, Joseph Leonard, Frankies, DBGB, Crif Dogs, Mile End, Blue Ribbon, Red Rooster, Vinegar Hill House, and elsewhere all cooking in the same place? 

I’ll tell you where else: in New York [expletive omitted] City. These chefs all cook EVERY SINGLE NIGHT in the BIG APPLE in the comfort of their own restaurants. And assuming you know how to hail a taxi cab or use the subway, these restaurants are all accessible to everyone living here. And they’re all located indoors. Where there’s air conditioning. And waiters. And clean bathrooms. So why spend $250 on the downsized, outdoor version?  Sorry folks, this is most indubitably a BAD DEAL. 

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  1. heathalouise reblogged this from baddeal and added:
    CULINARY ALTAMONT
  2. baddeal posted this