London Olympics To Serve 14 Million Meals To Influx Of Tourists
London tourism is booming this year, thanks to the Queen's Jubilee and the Olympic Games this summer. To prepare for the nearly 500,000 tourists and 70,000 athletes expected for the Olympics, the organizers have planned on more than 14 million meals to feed the masses.
The Associated Press reports that the games will be "the largest peace time catering operation in the world." The games will have more than 800 vendors, serving 150 types of dishes.
So what do you serve to the biggest crowd in the world? For the London games, it's mostly British fare, like traditional British pie and mash. Other meal options, reports Chatham Daily News, include jacket potatoes with bacon, chicken, and herb mayonnaise, and Scotch beef with mashed potatoes. But the cateres also emphasized international dishes to meet the tourists' desires. Said the spokesman for the organizers, LOCOG, the vendors will serve everything "from authentic Asian dishes to African Brai barbecues, Caribbean flavors to tasty Mediterranean dishes and a range of street foods from around the world."
But tourists, be warned: food during the games will be a hefty price. While LOCOG assures that a family of four can get a meal for about £40 (or $62), the drink prices will be what get you. The Daily Mail reports the average price of a pint of beer will be double the national price, hovering at about £7. The national average of a pint is about £3.17. A quarter bottle of wine will cost will cost £4.80. Bottles of any kind aren't allowed to be brought in from the outside, as organizers fear "liquid bomb" attacks.
And of course, many are concerned by the unhealthy nature of this year's Olympic sponsors, like Jamie Oliver.