How a cheese sandwich at the Masters is still $1.50 in an era of price hikes

## Summary
Sports How a cheese sandwich at the Masters is still $1.50 in an era of price hikes April 9, 2026 2:16 PM ET By Rachel Treisman Concession stand sandwiches range from $1.50 to $3 at the Masters this year. Andrew Redington/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Andrew Redington/Getty Images The Masters went viral well before its first tee time on Thursday, as patrons — aka spectators — arrived at the Georgia golf tournament to concession prices seemingly straight out of the days of yore. They've been on the menu since the first tournament in 1934, when they cost 30 cents each, the equivalent of over $7 today — meaning the price has actually gotten better since yore. "From the items offered to the price paid, Masters morsels are a mode of concessions consistency," the tournament said on Instagram Tuesday. Here's why prices aren't changing The Masters' website explains that in its early days, most patrons came to town only on a day trip due to a "dearth of hotel rooms in Augusta." The purposefully no-frills menu "allowed for the low prices and also provided a means to prepare the food in resident Augustans' kitchens," it says. (The sandwiches were made by a series of local caterers before the tournament moved all concessions on-site in 2013.) The menu has evolved slightly over the decades.

## Article Content
Sports
How a cheese sandwich at the Masters is still $1.50 in an era of price hikes
April 9, 2026
2:16 PM ET
By
Rachel Treisman
Concession stand sandwiches range from $1.50 to $3 at the Masters this year.
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
The Masters went viral well before its first tee time on Thursday, as patrons — aka spectators — arrived at the Georgia golf tournament to concession prices seemingly straight out of the days of yore.
It's not that the prices have suddenly dropped. It's that they've managed to stay low for decades, even as inflation and war in Iran send the price of many other
goods skyrocketing
.
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The Augusta National Golf Club's hallmark pimento cheese sandwiches cost just $1.50 this year, as they have
since 2002
. They've been on the menu since the first tournament in 1934, when they cost 30 cents each, the equivalent of over $7 today — meaning the
price has actually gotten better
since yore.
"From the items offered to the price paid, Masters morsels are a mode of concessions consistency," the tournament said on Instagram Tuesday.
This year's various meat sandwiches, breakfast items and desserts — like the Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich — cost no more than $3.00 each. The priciest offerings, cans of beer and wine, will run you a whopping $6.00.
In fact, a particularly indecisive or snacky attendee could buy one of each of the 27 menu items for a grand total of $78.75.
"After paying elevated prices at other sporting events, this is actually a real pleasant surprise to actually pay these prices," spectator Monica Johnson
told NPR
last year. "I don't even remember these prices in childhood."
NPR has reached out to tournament organizers for more information. Many have spoken publicly over the years about the importance of keeping their menu simple and affordable.
"We take certain things very, very seriously. Like the cost of a pimento cheese sandwich is just as important as how high the second cut (of grass) is going to be," Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne said in 2007.
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The Masters'
website explains
that in its early days, most patrons came to town only on a day trip due to a "dearth of hotel rooms in Augusta." The purposefully no-frills menu "allowed for the low prices and also provided a means to prepare the food in resident Augustans' kitchens," it says. (The sandwiches were made by a
series of local caterers
before the tournament moved all concessions on-site in 2013.)
The menu has evolved slightly over the decades. The chicken salad wrap became a brioche sandwich
in 2021
; a
savory tomato pie
made its debut in 2025. This year, the new Masters Candy Bar ($2.25) is replacing peanuts, while the price of blueberry muffins and cheese straws has
gone up 50 cents
since last year.
How the Masters makes its money
One coveted lawn gnome costs $59.50, almost as much as the entire food menu added together.
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
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Andrew Redington/Getty Images
The concession deals stand in sharp contrast to the price of tickets, which is steep and climbing higher.
Getting tickets is notoriously difficult. The Masters holds a lottery nearly a year in advance, which is the only way to buy official tickets. There's also a wait list for a "
patron badge
" — but there's only a limited number in circulation, and the list is so long it hasn't taken new applications since a brief window in 2000.
This year
, practice-round tickets went for $125 and $150, individual tournament rounds cost $160 and four-day tournament badges were $525. That's
up from $450
in the last three years.
Resale tickets are strictly prohibited by the golf club, but do tend to circulate on secondary platforms, not infrequently with
five-digit price tags
. As of Thursday, for example, single-round tickets for the final three days of competition were available on StubHub starting at over $6,000, while a last-minute four-day grounds badge cost over $20,000.
And for those who do snag a ticket, taking home a souvenir can be pricey too.
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The hottest piece of merchandise this year is a khaki-clad, umbrella-holding lawn gnome that costs $59.50 — up $10 from last year.
The price hike hasn't stopped spectators from lining up to buy one (which is the limit per customer) of the roughly 1,000 believed to be made available each day, as sports business publication
Front Office Sports reports
.
This is the 10th anniversary of the first Masters gnome souvenir. They're
dressed differently each year
— alternately wearing a Christmas sweater or clutching a Georgia peach ice cream sandwich — and officials haven't confirmed or denied rumors this might be their last year on the shelves.
While

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Like the cost of a pimento cheese sandwich is just as important as how high the second cut (of grass) is going to be," Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne said in 2007.

### Areas for Consideration
- Getting tickets is notoriously difficult.

### Implications
- The priciest offerings, cans of beer and wine, will run you a whopping $6.00.
- In fact, a particularly indecisive or snacky attendee could buy one of each of the 27 menu items for a grand total of $78.75. "After paying elevated prices at other sporting events, this is actually a real pleasant surprise to actually pay these prices," spectator Monica Johnson told NPR last year. "I don't even remember these prices in childhood." NPR has reached out to tournament organizers for more information.
- They're dressed differently each year — alternately wearing a Christmas sweater or clutching a Georgia peach ice cream sandwich — and officials haven't confirmed or denied rumors this might be their last year on the shelves.
- How much other classic concessions will cost you Honey Deuce cocktails, a staple at the U.S.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers masters, tournament, cost topics. Notable strengths include discussion of masters. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1084.