SPEEDWAY, Ind. — If you are one of the 135,000 people that has snagged a ticket for this year’s Indianapolis 500, you can expect to see a few changes when it comes to getting a beer or something to eat while at the track.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is tweaking its system to serve you in order to keep fans distanced and safe. Paul Bonney is the regional manager with Levy Restaurants which operates all the concessions for IMS.
“We’re really excited to have our fans back. It’s been a long time coming,” he told WISH-TV.
Among the changes will be that fewer concession stands will be open at the track with the reduced crowd, but the majority of the concession stand closures will be on the in-field since there are no fans allowed to watch the race from the infield this year.
Levy and its partners will staff 121 food and beverage locations this year, down from 192 in 2019.
Bonney also said not every type of food will be available at every concession stand.
“It’s just not at every location,” Bonney said. “Whereas in the past you’d have a Philly cheesesteak at every concession stand, you might have it at every other one (this year) so they can focus on the core business that builds our industry.”
No cash will be accepted for payment either, everything must be done by credit or debit card.
Bonney said that if you don’t have either readily available there will be “reverse ATMs” stationed all throughout the track where you can insert cash into the machine and it loads it onto a debit card that you can even use after you leave the track.
