Atlanta Falcons slash concession prices at new stadium

ATLANTA, May 16 (UPI) -- Sometimes a new menu means higher prices, but that won't be the case for the Atlanta Falcons at its new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Falcons are rolling out a "fan-first menu," where several items, including beer, are available at a reduced rate.

Soft drinks [with unlimited free refills at self-serve stations], Dasani bottled water, hot dogs, pretzels, and popcorn will all cost $2 at the new stadium. Pizza, nachos, waffle fries, and peanuts can be had for $3. A 12-ounce domestic beer will set you back just $5. All prices will be in effect for Falcons games, Atlanta United soccer games, and all other events in the new stadium, which opens downtown in 2017.

"(Falcons owner Arthur) Blank says again this pricing is not a one-year wonder. It's a core philosophy to say thank-you to fans. #RiseUp," the Falcons tweeted Monday.

"We'll be able to feed a family of four at our games for $27," Steve Cannon, CEO of the AMB Group, the family of businesses owned by Blank, told ESPN. "That's 60 to 70 percent cheaper than our competitors."

Last season in Atlanta, hot dogs were sold at $5.50 and soft drinks went for $4, both marks lower than the average lowest cost for the items in the NFL, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"We look at it as a very fan-friendly pricing strategy that in many ways reflects what a fan would pay if they were on the street...as opposed to using our captive experience to up the price," Falcons president Rich McKay told AJC.