The Masters 2024: Pimento Cheese sandwiches for $1.50, beers just $5 and the famous Georgia Peach Ice Cream only $2.50... why is the food at Augusta National so cheap?

Pimento Cheese or Egg Salad? 

That is the question that has divided patrons at the Masters for decades. 

Of course I'm referring to the two iconic sandwiches that have been sold at Augusta National since the 1930s which have become a cult classic, not just at the historic tournament, but all around the world.  

As many patrons who have made the iconic once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Augusta will tell you, the sights, the sounds and the atmosphere make the first major of the year so special. But they almost never forget to mention the food options that are available, which are in a league of their own for both quality and price. 

It is perhaps fitting that one of the greatest golf tournaments on earth has such a simple yet fantastic menu that features a variety of treats from savoury snacks to the sweet Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich. 

The menu for the 2024 Masters has been revealed, with a Pimento Sandwich costing just $1.50

Augusta is renowned for its iconic sandwich menu, with fans split on the debate between whether the Pimento Cheese or Egg Salad is better

There are around 25 items on the menu in total, all offered at staggeringly cheap prices. You can sample an Egg Salad or Pimento Cheese sandwich for as little as $1.50 (£1.19), while a beer will set you back just $5 (£3.95) and a glass of wine costs just $6 (£4.74).

For context, you could pay nearly double that price for a beer at many NFL stadiums around the US. Meanwhile anyone who has ever attended a Premier League football match will tell you that one major bugbear is how expensive and sometimes uninspiring the food options are.

But the delicacies on offer at the Masters are a far cry from that and their low prices manage to leave many fans open-mouthed year-on-year.

'Pimento Paradise' 

After entering the tournament grounds, patrpons could technically eat for a whole day and still be full for less than $20 (£15) on those prices. 

For example, you could pick up a Chicken Salad Sandwich on Honey Wheat bread for as little as $3.00 (£2.37), a bag of BBQ Chips for $1.50 (£1.19) and a beer for $5.00 (£3.95). 

Breakfast is also available up until 10am. Fans can purchase a Masters Blend Freshly Brewed Coffee for as little as $2 (£1.58) - half the price of a filter coffee at Starbucks - while a Breakfast Sandwich will set you back $3 (£2.37). 

Meanwhile, a beer will cost $5.00 (£3.95) while a glass of wine is $6.00 (£4.74). 

But amid inflation, amid rising food prices and even after the impact of Covid on the world's economy the Masters has admirably kept their food prices the same. 

'Inflation doesn't exist at Augusta National golf Club,' writes @FlushingItGolf on X (formerly Twitter) and they are certainly right.

So why is the Masters so cheap?

Having a captive audience means sports events around the world are able to charge what they want for food and drinks. And in some occasions, fans can find themselves paying a hefty price for their half-time hot dog or a post match pint.  

For comparison, at the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, a bacon bap cost $6.33 (£5.00), while a classic BLT was priced at $6.33. Over at the bar, a 330ml can of Singha beer cost $6.96 (£5.50), according to The Sun. 

But the Masters continues to maintain its low prices in perhaps a nod of respect to the patrons who spend thousands flocking to Georgia every April to watch the best players in the world battle it out on Augusta's sprawling green fairways.

Many patrons will make a bee-line for the concession stands upon entering the grounds 

Augusta National is primed to host the 2024 edition of the iconic tournament this week 

Scottie Scheffler, 2022 champion, is the favourite to pick up his second Green Jacket this year

Fans can also snag themselves  a beer for a mere $5, while a coffee will cost fans only $2

'We want the experience to not only be the best but to be affordable,' former Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said in 2007.

'And 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.' 

Steve Salaga, an associate professor of sports management at the University of Georgia, stated that there was a deliberate focus to keep golf fans at Augusta happy. 

'We have to remember, the total cost of event attendance includes travel and transaction costs, the cost of the ticket itself, as well as any parking, concessions and souvenirs purchased,' Salaga said to FOX Business.

'So one way to make the overall experience more appealing to the consumer is to keep the price of these [food and drink] products low.

'I think the affordable pricing is an appealing aspect of the consumer experience at Augusta.' 

Many have lauded the value-for-money prices that have stayed the same in years gone by 

Amid inflation and rising food prices Augusta have kept their prices for food inside the grounds low 

A patron holds up one of the famous Georgia Peach Ice Cream sandwiches at the tournament

Caramel and Peacan Popcorn is another fan favourite during the tournament weeks 

The value-for-money food offerings are also a homage to the tournament's heritage. Back in the 1930s, fans would flock from all over the United States to Augusta National Golf Club and co-founder Clifford Roberts believed that the tournament needed to create a simple menu with low prices that fans could afford.

Mass food production wasn't available to organisers back than as it is now, with sandwiches and other food items being prepared in kitchens in residents' houses who were local to the golf club. 

Since then, innovations on recipies and how the tournament packages and sells the sandwiches have been made. Interestingly the green wrappers that package the iconic sandwiches have all been designed to be biodegradable, so that if dropped onto the grass at Augusta they will disappear. 

But the food is so renowned that many who make the trip to Augusta will immediately make a bee-line for the concessions stand to pick up one of the world-renowned Pimento Cheese sandwiches. 

Some believe the affordable pricing is a nod to the fans, who pay thousands to come to the event

Even if you can't make it to the Masters this year you can order your own taster pack to your home

Even former champion Dustin Johnson believes the food is the best bit about The Masters.

'For me, I don't know if it's really a tradition, but my favorite thing about the Masters is the sandwiches,' he said. 

The good news is that if you can't make it to the Masters this year, you can order your own Pimento Cheese and Egg Salad Sandwiches to your home through Augusta National's 'Taste of the Masters'. 

While the sandwiches won't come pre-made, Augusta will send you a selection of fillings, Masters branded cups and several bags of Masters-branded potato chips and cookies to feast on during the tournament.