Food at Marriott's Great America

[NorCalDude]

See, I'm the opposite. I like the fact that GA has original food locations instead of chains like SFGA. Because it would suck paying like $2.50 for a Caramel Frap. at a Starbucks outside of GA and inside the park you pay like $5. Although I wish GA did have some more variety.

[PGAsecurity99]

See, I'm the opposite. I like the fact that GA has original food locations instead of chains like SFGA. Because it would suck paying like $2.50 for a Caramel Frap. at a Starbucks outside of GA and inside the park you pay like $5. Although I wish GA did have some more variety.

The only reason I will disagree with you is because, if GA had brand name venders for some of their food (not all) they would then have to conform to the quality standards of those venders. Where as, with their own food brands, everything is over cooked, bland, or just plan disgusting. If people are willing to pay $3 for a Coke from a machine inside GA, and that same Coke is $1.50 at 7-11, then I don't see why they wouldn't be willing to pay $5 for a Grande frappachino. It's the convenience of it. Besides, the reality is they would never do it anyway. I tried convincing PGA when I worked there 8 years ago.

[PGA ROCKS]

I actually agree with Norcaldude. I think that SC having their own food in the park is a good thing because it makes the park seem more original.

Well, let's put it this way. Imagine Marriott's Great America having places like Burger King in it. That would surely take away the charm of being a theme park. To be frank, I actually like the food at the Santa Clara park. Their chicken strip platter (served w/ fries) may cost 8.65, but dang does that chicken taste good!

No matter what, that's my opinion.

[PGAsecurity99]

The chicken strip platter must be new. I haven't been their since 2005. Last time I was their though, the burgers were dry, the frys and corndogs were over cooked, and the pizza at Pizza Orleans was skimpy on topping.

[PGA ROCKS]

Well, in 2005 that's when I tasted the chicken strips. Now it's like a tradition to get it every time I go.

[Mr. D.T.]

I'm guessing that the official platter for GA is the Flags' Famous Chicken Strips. That's what we call it in Gurnee. They have it at almost every food unit and we sell that stuff like crazy! But I do miss some of the food the park USED to have which was better. The seasoned fries are all but gone, and the New England Cafe is now Ben and Jerry's. Why would people spend a lot of money for Ben and Jerry's?

[dpxtreme]

I love the pizza at GA. There's two kinds of pizza they sell. They sell the individual slices at Pizza Orleans, Nicktoons Cafe, and Pizza Luigi in the food court. That's the good pizza. The pizza I think is nasty is the 4 cheese personal pizza in the place near Hometown Grill next to Whitewater Falls. The the spicy chicken basket is kick a$$.

[Cheesehead Dave]

IIRC, they were selling Papa John's branded pizza at Pizza Luigi's when we were there this year.

[coasterfan71555]

For me, my favorite food memory is of the Hometown Grill, where the funnel cake place has been for many years now. The burgers and fries there were top-notch, the outdoor seating next to Willard's Whizzer was fun! I remember sitting there, eating lunch, and watching the trains going up on the spiral lift hill. And, another treat at the Hometown Grill was the real Cherry Cokes, Sprites, etc. Real cherry syrup in the Coke was so special, much better than the commercial versions available today. When I long for a taste of that, Steak 'n Shake still does that, as does Johnny Rockets. Whenever I walk through Hometown Square, I remember the good food and good times at the Hometown Grill!

[dpxtreme]

At least the Great America in Santa Clara still has their Hometown Grill.

[WestBurbs14]

My favorite food memory was having the chicken and apple dumpling, particularly the latter, at Maggie Brown's Boarding House.

The Hot Shoppe was great, too. The root beers were served in frosted glass mugs, and the first year, they were only a nickel each! And there was a certain efficiency to the operation. The attendant would empty the place and then usher in a number of people equal to the number of seats in the room. Folks would plop down their nickels, and then everyone would guzzle. The newly refreshed crowd would leave en masse, and then the next group would enter.

I remember a subsequent year when the drinks were a quarter, and then, as another poster mentioned, the format changed entirely. Eventually they switched to the typical Coke multiplex, with the liquid served in paper cups, and prices typical of theme parks. I can't blame them, but it was sure nice to have the cheap suds in those first years.

[Tidal Wave]

Although its not a Marriott time period place, I really like Fiesta Fries right between Raging Bull and Giant Drop. Thats the only thing I get there anymore because everything is just so expensive. I go to Busch Gardens or Epcot for good park food now.