While drivers sped around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) during the Indy500, fans at the track experienced another kind of thrill: a revamped menu showcasing bold flavors and local favorites.
Aramark Sports + Entertainment, now in its second year as the official food and beverage provider for IMS, delivered a dining experience aimed at enhancing every aspect of race day.
The lead chef behind the culinary effort emphasized the importance of innovation in creating a memorable race weekend.
“At Aramark, we pride ourselves in being innovative,” said O’Brien Tingling, Aramark Regional Executive Chef. “It’s about showcasing on race weekend some new menu items for all the fans that’s coming through the doors here. We can tell you not only in the public food areas but also in the premium areas we have an amazing array of innovative new menu items that our culinary teams have been working on in the last few months behind the scenes to create.”
The refreshed menu included specialty items at Refreshments Express in Pagoda Plaza, such as the Pretzel Brat with pale ale beer cheese and the King Corn Dog, made with jalapeño and cheddar bratwurst. Breakfast options like loaded tots and biscuits & gravy gave early arrivals a hearty start to the day.
Beyond the trackside concessions, Aramark partnered with local vendors to spotlight Midwest flavors. Fans enjoyed empanadas from CheChori, slow-cooked barbecue from Nelson’s BBQ and pizza from Abbiocco Pizzeria. Spark Coffee, a Speedway-based café, made its IMS debut with fresh brews available at the Museum Café.
For fans in premium suites, the culinary offerings included elevated dishes like mustard rubbed filet, provence chicken breast and scalloped potatoes with gruyere cheese. These additions reflected Aramark’s focus on delivering a high-end dining experience that matched the intensity of the race itself.
“It’s about understanding the local community,” Tingling said. “Our culinary team indulge themselves in making sure we understand when the fans walk through these doors they can see something amazing, they can see something new they can see something innovative as well to match that race on the track.”
To learn more about Aramark and their services, visit Aramark.com.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
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