The Detroit Lions have been grinding their way up the NFL standings for years now, earning a lot of buzz. But a new, bizarre ranking just dropped, and it shows there’s one area where they still have some serious work to do. The Lions landed at No. 19 in a league-wide review of press box food, placing them squarely in the bottom half of all 32 NFL teams. Yeah, you read that right. Ford Field’s grub got put on blast, and it’s definitely not the kind of power ranking head coach Dan Campbell is gonna post in the locker room.
Ford Field’s Menu: Mixed Reviews and Early Departures
During the review, Detroit’s pregame spread included a salad with tomatoes and mozzarella, lemon garlic green beans, Bolognese with cavatappi, and grilled chicken with Alfredo and penne. There was also Texas toast and assorted dessert bars. The feedback? Decidedly mixed. The chicken Alfredo got some reasonable marks, but the Bolognese didn’t fare so well. And the Texas toast? Critics were unimpressed. What’s even wilder is the report that the entire pregame spread, including the desserts, was pulled well before kickoff and replaced by hot dogs. Halftime brought nachos with cheese sauce, while pulled chicken sandwiches were offered after the game. One bright spot was warm apple cider, which was reviewed well and might have kept them from sinking even further down the list. Just for some perspective, Dallas, the Cowboys, finished No. 1 by a massive margin, rolling out prime rib, chicken, mac and cheese, multiple salads, and sandwiches before the game, then hitting a completely different halftime menu with cheesesteaks, wings, nachos, and a brisket taco setup. Detroit wasn’t even playing in that league.
From 30th to 19th: Progress, But Not for the Fans
Now, there’s a sliver of good news for the Ford Field kitchen crew. This isn’t the absolute worst press-box food ranking the Lions have ever received. Back in 2020, a ranking had Detroit tied for 30th, with only their Thanksgiving spread getting any real praise. That earlier assessment slammed their ordinary baked chicken, rice, and salad, plus the lack of substantial halftime or postgame meals. While these rankings came from different outlets and evaluators, so you can’t exactly call it an “official” six-year climb, it does show that being mediocre is way better than being trashed as one of the league’s worst. It’s also super important to remember that what reporters get upstairs is very different from what fans can buy. Ford Field’s regular concessions offer a much broader assortment of stadium food, and they’ve actually rolled out specialty menus for big events. Before the 2025 divisional playoff game, for example, they had double-smashburgers, cheesesteaks, taquitos, and loaded mac and cheese.
So, this isn’t an indictment of eating at a Lions game. It’s strictly about the food for the reporters covering it. The Lions have really turned their football operations around in the past few years, becoming one of the more respected franchises. But reaching the top half of the press-box buffet rankings, it seems, remains unfinished business.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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