How to save money on food, drinks and more at a Seattle Mariners game

Seattle boasts a stacked roster of professional sports teams. Everybody knows attending these sporting events has become quite pricey, but how much do you have to spend? As a public service to fans (and to off-put would-be ones), we’re looking into the lowest possible cost for games around town, from tickets and transportation to food and drinks at the stadium. 

The goal: figure out how much the frugal fan can expect to spend at a major sporting event in Seattle, at a bare minimum. So far, we’ve price-checked a Seahawks game, a University of Washington football game, the NHL’s Kraken and a Seattle Sounders match. Now: How much do you have to spend to take yourself out to a Mariners ballgame, along with some peanuts and Cracker Jack (or something a bit more filling), at T-Mobile Park?

The game

Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago Cubs (3-2, Cubs)

The all-in price

The least expensive ticket available online day-of for this early-season Sunday game was $40.25 after taxes and fees. Add light rail ($5); a Value Menu hot dog ($4) and nachos ($4); and a Value Menu Miller High Life ($4.50, and it’s the Champagne of beers!), and the grand total is $57.75.

Tickets

Of course, M’s ticket prices vary, with seats at this homestand versus the Cubs costlier than some (with plenty of Chicago fans there to rub our noses in it). For those who aren’t choosy about dates and realize that it sort of doesn’t matter who we’re playing, Mariners Value Games throughout the rest of the season offer seats for as low as $10 each. That’d make your grand total just $27.50 — which, in the realm of major Seattle sporting events, represents the best bang for your buck by far.

Transportation

Parking’s pricey and traffic’s terrible near T-Mobile Park on game days — Link light rail is the way to go. Pro tip: The Stadium station gets mobbed, while the International District/Chinatown stop remains relatively tranquil, just a five-minute stroll away.

Bargain bites

The Value Menu at M’s games isn’t going to win any James Beard Awards, but the price is absolutely right: $4 or less for a variety of old-school ballpark favorites, available at locations all around the stadium, conveniently listed online. You could make a meal — albeit not a very well-balanced one — of a perfectly acceptable, smaller-size Hempler’s hot dog and a serving of those nachos everyone secretly likes with the gluey orange cheese. For the sweet-toothed: churros, a chewy marshmallow bar (aka Rice Krispies Treat), a chocolate chunk cookie and more. 

The best new food upgrades

While the M’s themselves may not manage much winning, the entire food staff of The Seattle Times agrees that T-Mobile Park’s overall menu beats those of other major sports venues by a mile. Local favorites Marination and MOTO Pizza rank as stadium-food all-stars; chains including Salt & Straw contribute mightily to the roster of options; and in-house executive chef Javier Rosa holds it down at Edgar’s Cantina, Holy Smoke BBQ and more. And while a dish at one of these may run you as much as three or four Value Menu items, the stats on relative satisfaction are very good.

One highly anticipated addition this season: the Double MitchWich ($15.49, available in the automated-pay Walk-Off Markets in sections 105, 126 and 141). Chef Rosa put together this two-parter with two Mariners playing off flavors from their hometowns, with results split down the middle (and, it must be noted, the fun concept leads to a less-than-appetizing presentation). The Cubano-style Mitch Garver half rates as a savory delight, with pulled pork, ham, Swiss and pickles on nicely chewy bread; the Mitch Haniger side disappoints with chicken, marinated tomatoes, a little bacon and havarti on lackluster flatbread, topped with a hard-to-identify, pasty fried avocado wedge. Here’s hoping both Mitches have good seasons, but the Haniger side of the sandwich should get traded (not Haniger himself again!).

For total happiness, head to rookie Tamari Bar in Section 133. On the same team as local restaurant favorites Rondo, the Hi Life and Gyo Gyo En, this new T-Mobile Park addition for the 2024 season deserves MVP for its Japanese-style Area 206 curry — thick, deeply rich umami magic with a faint spicy heat. Get it with just-right-greasy batons of savory doughnut for dipping ($10.99) or crispy-coated, tender pork katsu ($19.99), generously portioned and far beyond just good-for-the-ballpark — this is hall-of-fame Seattle eating. 

Drinks

In the sports-stadium context, the M’s Value Beers program hits it out of the park for, well, value: 10 different beers, from High Life to Deschutes Fresh Haze to pFriem pilsner, priced from $4.50 to $6.50 per can, with Topo Chico Ranch Water also available for $6.50. Locations may be found all around the stadium with guidance found online. Play ball!

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story mentioned Din Tai Fung, which is no longer a vendor at T-Mobile Park.