Kentucky Derby mint juleps are the world’s signature sports food, beverage staple
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs — and with the race will come a tradition that extends to the concession menu.
The iconic race boasts a signature drink — a mint julep, a cocktail made with Old Forester, simple syrup, fresh mint and crushed ice — that reflects bourbon’s status as a staple of Kentucky culture. More than 125,000 mint juleps were consumed by fans during Kentucky Derby weekend, according to the race. The derby isn’t the only sporting event associated with a signature concession item, either. Here’s a look at the mint julep and some notable sports/snack pairings:
Kentucky Derby and mint julep
The bourbon-based cocktail is probably the most well-known sports drink of all, and the mint julep has been associated with the Derby since the 19th century. Even before its association with Churchill Downs, the cocktail was a staple of the Bluegrass State, known for its quality bourbon.
In 2025, the going rate for a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby was $22 (plus tax). Runners with loose change can also choose a $1,000 julep (served in a polished pewter mug) or a $5,000 julep (served in a 24-karat gold-plated silver mug), with proceeds from each limited-edition version of the drink going to charity.
Wimbledon and strawberries and cream
Wimbledon is another sporting event with a famous food structure, but the top item on the menu of the famous tournament is its strawberries and cream bowl, which draws impressive lines of customers every year.
The tradition dates back to the first editions of Wimbledon in the late 1870s and focuses on the event’s time on the calendar. Taking place in July, the competition would take place during the short window of the year when strawberries would be available in England.
Baseball and crackerjack games
Serving up one snack as a tie-in to an entire game sounds ironic at first glance, but it’s hard to deny Cracker Jack’s case as baseball’s illegal snack.
The snack — a combination of peanuts and caramel-dipped popcorn — takes its name from the 1908 song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” which has long been a staple of seventh-inning meals across the country. And while modern ballparks feature almost every food imaginable, the more than 100-year-old Cracker Jack remains a staple.
The US Open and the honey deuce cocktail
The refreshment array at the US Open is second to none. The event’s website lists an amazing 39 different places to grab a bite to eat or drink, with food options ranging from barbecue to lobster rolls to ramen. The crown jewel in Queens, however, is the honey deuce cocktail. The drink combines vodka, lemonade, raspberry liqueur and honeydew melon balls — and by 2025, the US Open sold more than 740,000 of them (via Gray Goose).
Masters and Masters menu
At The Masters, the iconography is not in the food or drinks themselves (although that is very memorable too) but in the prices.
Despite a seemingly endless waiting list for tickets to the event — and therefore an endless amount of demand once inside Augusta National — the Masters menu (and its prices) remains frozen in time. A pimento cheese sandwich will set the consumer back $1.50. Bottled water on a hot Georgia day? $2. The Masters’ bargain prices are one of the most popular traditions in the sports and dining area.
Super Bowl and wings
Admittedly, this may be a stretch. Super Bowl parties, infamously, come with plenty of food and drink. But if you were to pick one staple, you’d be hard-pressed to ditch the wings.
Just check the numbers. According to a January 2025 survey conducted by Statista, chicken wings ranked as the most common food eaten on Super Bowl Sunday in the United States. The National Chicken Council revealed that Americans will eat 1.47 billion chicken wings before Super Bowl LIX this past February.
