VOL 26 ISSUE 37, Sept. 15, 2025
The Savannah Bananas brought their signature brand of baseball to Petco Park in San Diego on Sept. 5-6, and Delaware North matched the energy with a banana-themed menu that delighted fans and drove strong food and beverage performance.
The two-game event drew nearly 79,000 fans. The Bananas crowd showed a clear preference for food and non-alcoholic beverages, which made up 88% of total sales – a notable shift from the Padres’ typical mix, according to Delaware North’s onsite leadership team.
Among the standout items was the Banana Lumpia – a decadent dessert roll filled with banana, chocolate, hazelnut and mazapan butter, topped with horchata whipped crème. The item was so well received that it earned a spot on the menu for Filipino Heritage Celebration night the following week, where it again proved to be a fan favorite.
“The numbers don’t do it justice,” said James Perry, Delaware North’s assistant general manager at Petco Park, crediting the culinary team for delivering on a complex build. “In total, we sold more than 5,000 banana-themed specialty items in two days – which is a considerable number for a non-traditional food item.”
Other top-selling specialty items included the Savannah Bananas Souvenir Soda Cup (1,335 sold), Banana Pudding Helmet (600) and Banana Cotton Candy (489). The Adobada Plantain Chip Nacho and Banana Split also performed well, rounding out a menu that was as playful as it was flavorful.
The event also garnered strong media attention, with coverage from Fox 5 and Yahoo! Sports highlighting the creative collaboration between the Padres and Delaware North.
“We’re thrilled to have matched the Bananas’ energy with a menu that was just as unexpected,” said Dan Butler, Delaware North’s general manager at Petco Park. “It was a great showcase of our team’s creativity and ability to deliver memorable experiences.”