While I decry the outrageous prices at RFK Stadium ($6.50 for a Miller Lite!) the August 2006 issue of Washingtonian Magazine does illuminate the life of a RFK vendor.
In their One Mistake and You’ll Be Selling Soft Pretzels for $5 missive we learn that the 40,000 hot dogs sold annually at RFK are distributed by vendors who fight over who sells what under a strick pecking order determined by who sold the most from the last home stand.
The hawkers also work on commission, between 12 and 15 percent of the units (not the full value) of what they sell and the 60 hawkers make about $150 at each game.
In light of the $6.50 Miller Lite’s, I’m not surprised by this choice quote
“If it’s real hot out, I’m definitely selling water,” [Clarence Rucker] says. “But with hot dogs you can’t go wrong. Everyone comes to the baseball park to get a hot dog.”
Now just how much are those hot dogs? And are they really worth it?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
