Twisted Okie and Saffron serve up food during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Twisted Okie and Saffron serve up food during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
At the PGA Championship, fans can get free burgers, free hot dogs, and free coffee. But if they want a beer, it will cost $15.
The PGA Championship returned this week to Aronimink Golf Club with a bigger, all-inclusive food and drink program for fans.
Now in its sixth year, the Championship+ program at the PGA Championship gives unlimited free food and non-alcoholic drinks to everyone inside the venue, including fans, volunteers, staff, and media. Around 200,000 people are expected to attend this week.
Fans on social media pushed back on the beer pricing, particularly comparing it with the Masters, where a beer costs $6.
Per Front Office Sports, Alcohol is not included in the free concessions program. Beer starts at $15. Wine glasses are $13.50. High Noon seltzers are $16.50. Classic cocktails run $17, and specialty cocktails, including a transfusion, cost up to $18.50.
If you want a double drink, you need to pay an extra $6.50. A souvenir cup costs an extra $5.50. One special drink, "The Champ," made with lemonade moonshine, sweet tea, and lemon, costs $17. Another drink, "The Mulligan," made with bourbon, black tea, and lemonade, costs $18.50.
The free menu includes many food and drink options. Breakfast has biscuits and donuts. For lunch, fans can get hot dogs, Italian sausages, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and salads.
Snacks like chips, pretzels, and cookies are also free. Water, soft drinks, tea, and coffee are available at no extra cost at three food areas, including a two-story food market near the first fairway.
This year, the food and drink areas are easier for fans to access. In past years, many fans had to deal with long lines and crowded waiting areas.
How the PGA Championship Championship+ Program Has Changed Since 2021
The program started in 2021 as an optional service. Fans had to pay extra for their tickets to use them. Later, the organizers added it to the regular ticket price.
Last year at Quail Hollow Club, the PGA Championship removed scanning for food and drinks. This made it actually easier for fans to grab what they wanted and move on. The Ryder Cup, also run by the PGA of America, used the same system in September.
This year's market layouts are designed to cut the congestion that hampered earlier buildouts.
Ticket prices ranged from $199 for the first round to $299 on the weekend. The food is free, actually, and the beer will cost you more than twice what it does at Augusta.
So, with food being free out there, would you still pay $15 for a beer at the PGA Championship? Let us know in the comments!
Trending slideshow: Inside the PGA Championship Champions Dinner: History, Traditions, and Iconic Moments
Eknoor Juneja
Inside the PGA Championship Champions Dinner: History, Traditions, and Iconic MomentsFor more than 60 years, the PGA Champions Dinner has brought together past winners in a special night of stories, laughs, and shared memories. What started as a simple gathering inspired by the Masters has grown into a tradition of its own, filled with pranks, big gifts, and heartfelt moments among golf legends. Want to step inside this unique celebration and its most unforgettable nights? Butch Dill-Imagn ImagesThe Masters Tournament was created its dinner in 1952. The PGA of America adopted the same concept 13 years later to honor its own history. Unlike the Masters, where the defending champion pays the bill, the PGA of America pays for the entire PGA dinner. Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesBobby Nichols won the 1964 PGA Championship and hosted the 1st dinner at Laurel Valley Golf Club. Nichols helped set up the original format for the evening. He later noted that he felt relieved when he learned the PGA of America would cover the costs. Jack Corn/The Tennessean-Imagn ImagesThe 1st dinner featured 19 past champions, including legends like Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen. These early attendees established a relaxed environment where players could talk openly away from fans and media. The event quickly became a permanent fixture on the tournament week schedule. via UIG/ImagoByron Nelson regularly attended the early dinners after retiring from competitive golf. His presence gave younger players a chance to talk with a man who won 11 straight tournaments in 1945. These interactions turned the dinner into a place where different generations of golfers could connect. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoAt the 1st dinner, Bobby Nichols played a joke on Sam Snead by saying the past champions had to pay for their food based on age. Snead was famously careful with his money, so he stood up and started walking toward the door. The entire room laughed before Nichols could tell him it was a joke. via UIG/ImagoDuring the 2006 dinner at Medinah, Paul Azinger teased Phil Mickelson about his breakfast habits. Azinger brought up the 2002 Ryder Cup, reminding everyone that Mickelson ate a large plate of waffles right before a singles match. The story became a famous example of the playful teasing that happens during the event. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoThe dinner grew larger as tournament television ratings and prize money increased over the decades. The PGA of America began inviting executives, sponsors, and guests to the evening. The simple gathering turned into a large event with formal presentations and staging. Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/ImagoMany past champions became unhappy with the crowded room and corporate feel. Players felt they could no longer talk freely about their personal experiences with so many outsiders present. Several winners publicly complained that the event felt more like a marketing show than a private dinner. Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesThe PGA of America changed the rules for the 2021 dinner to make the event private again. Only past PGA Championship winners, the host club professional, and the current PGA President can enter the room. This change restored the original quiet atmosphere that the players wanted. Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire/ImagoThe defending champion personally selects and buys custom gifts for every past winner in attendance. Past items include personalized Gibson guitars, custom alligator belts, and luxury cigar humidors. These gifts serve as permanent tokens of membership in the exclusive club. Lynn Pennington/ZUMA Press Wire/ImagoAttendance often varies depending on where the tournament is held each year. Remote golf course locations sometimes result in fewer past champions traveling to the event. Turnout increases when the tournament visits historic venues that older champions prefer. via Icon Sportswire/ImagoWinning 1 of golf's 4 major championships creates a permanent bond between these players. The dinner remains the only time during the year when this specific group sits down together. Older champions get to share their wisdom, while newer winners enjoy the recognition from their peers. via ZUMA Press Wire/ImagoModern professional golf involves busy schedules and large management teams. The PGA of America works to ensure that new, younger champions understand the event's history. The future of the dinner depends on these new winners showing up to keep the 1965 tradition going. Jasen Vinlove/Icon Sportswire/Imago
