How food plays a role in the UNC game day experience

Funnel cake dusted with baby blue powdered sugar. One dollar hot dogs. Both are staples at Boshamer Stadium. 

And like drinking from the Old Well or watching a UNC-Duke game, North Carolina fans have strong traditions surrounding their game-day food across all varsity stadiums. Whether it's popcorn, a warm soft pretzel or a barbecue sandwich, many fans believe their food choices are as much of a tradition as the game itself. 

For sophomore Lydia Chepelsky, her Bojangles “legend” began her first year at UNC while she was in Kenan Stadium. 

“The first year that [my friends and I] started going to football games, when we would buy Bojangles, the team would score,” Chepelsky said. 

A tradition was born just like that. 

“Whenever we have a football game, we always get Bojangles,” Chepelsky said. 

But this ritual is limited to Kenan Stadium. While Bojangles is a staple for Chepelsky during the football season, it isn’t available at the Dean E. Smith Center for basketball season. 

Although there are a lot of food options found across all stadiums at UNC — such as hot dogs, popcorn and pretzels — certain foods are special to each stadium: Fried Oreos at Boshamer and Dunkin' Donuts at Kenan. The larger venues also tend to host selections from local restaurants, like Merritt's Grill and Alpaca Chicken.  

Courtney VanNote,a junior at UNC and public relations coordinator for Carolina Fever, said when she hits up the concession stand, her most frequent order is a Bojangles chicken supreme combo, especially at games on Dorrance Field. It's convenient, according to VanNote, even if it isn't the healthiest. 

For some, the food experience on campus starts long before any fan steps inside a stadium for game day. 

Many Tar Heels start their football day tailgating at the Bell Tower Block Party, and enjoy food that cannot be found at concession stands. Sponsored by Modelo and Coca-Cola, the party opens four hours before kickoff and hosts food trucks, games, the Bell Tower Walk — where the football team enters the stadium — and other entertainment. 

North Carolina fans have the opportunity to reserve tents surrounding the Bell Tower. People who purchase tailgate packages can choose to include different items such as chairs, tables, coolers, TV media packages and, most importantly, catering and beverages. But some prefer to bring their own food. 

Sophomore Emily Dickerson’s family hosted two tailgates during the 2024-25 season and provided their food at both. The family's tent was filled with breakfast staples and Jersey Mike’s sandwiches, none of which can be found inside the stadium.  

“You drove up and could drop [food] off right at the bell tower,” Dickerson said. 

Due to the costs of tents, most tailgating at the Bell Tower consists of families and alumni while many of the students choose to tailgate at fraternities or local house parties. 

While game day concessions are a tradition for many, the food often comes at a steep price, especially for college students. 

“It's definitely too expensive, for pretty much anything,” Chepelsky said. “Waters are literally eight dollars.” 

So, some students choose to fuel up before stepping into the stadium, which is often less expensive for those on a budget.  

When VanNote was a first-year and sophomore with a meal plan, it was difficult to justify the cost of concession stand Bojangles. 

"I would just go get a plus swipe at Bojangles rather than buying it at the concessions because it's included in my meal plans so I am not having to spend that extra money when I can get it when it's already paid for," she said.

Even though the price of stadium snacks may leave some looking for alternatives, one thing remains the same: whether it’s the pregame tailgate at the Bell Tower, a lucky Bojangles order or a funnel cake at Boshamer Stadium, food plays a central role in the UNC game day experience. 

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com