‘That’s a bigger scam than Man City!’ Arsenal ridiculed for charging £50 for full English breakfast with a watercress garnish in their Emirates hospitality lounge
Arsenal were mocked online after a £50 full English breakfast served in the Emirates Stadium’s Heritage hospitality lounge was pictured with a watercress garnish. The criticism drew attention to the cost of football hospitality and revived familiar jokes about expensive matchday food and the atmosphere among corporate guests.
The plate included a fried egg, two sausages, a mushroom, a tomato, bread, beans and watercress. Stephen Power, who shared the image, later said the food was high quality and enjoyable, though commenters called the price excessive. The Heritage package starts at £999 per matchday, while another Arsenal hospitality option begins at £2,499; Arsenal were contacted for comment.
- Arsenal’s £50 breakfast drew online ridicule.
- The plate included watercress alongside the traditional fry-up.
- The diner said the food tasted good despite the criticism.
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Arsenal's Emirates Stadium offers premium hospitality packages for supporters attending matches, starting at £999 per matchday and ranging up to £2,499. These packages provide corporate guests and affluent fans with dedicated lounges, premium seating and complimentary food and drink throughout the match.
Individual items sold within these hospitality areas have attracted attention, particularly their pricing structure and perceived value. A full English breakfast served in one such lounge drew online discussion about the relationship between the cost and what supporters receive.
This reflects wider debate about hospitality pricing at Premier League clubs and how these premium experiences are positioned. The discussion sits within broader conversations about football affordability and the costs associated with attending matches at top-flight clubs.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Premium hospitality at football stadiums operates under different economics than casual catering—the £50 covers not just breakfast but high-quality ingredients, professional service, and exclusive access to premium seating and matchday amenities. The Heritage package itself costs from £999, meaning the breakfast is one component of a comprehensive luxury experience aimed at corporate clients who understand they're paying for exclusivity, not value-for-money. The person who shared the image acknowledged the food was genuinely high quality and enjoyable, and critically, no one is forced to purchase hospitality packages.
The case against
Whilst premium pricing at major venues is understandable, a £50 full English breakfast represents a significant markup even by hospitality standards. An equivalent meal at a quality restaurant costs around £15–20; Arsenal's price is roughly two to three times higher. This disparity raises fair concerns about corporate excess at football clubs and the gulf between premium and ordinary supporter experiences, with the watercress garnish becoming emblematic of perceived price inflation that seems divorced from proportionate value.