News Article: Bell Centre enhanced "client experience" aka hot dogs on steroids

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LeHab

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Aug 31, 2005
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As part of Molson's promise to improve "client experience", the highly anticipated food court called M2 Marche-Montreal will officially debut on Thursday.

M2 est un grand espace comptant plusieurs places assises et rassemblant huit comptoirs-restaurants de tout acabit, développés par Yves Lowe, chef exécutif du Centre Bell. Au menu: tacos aux crevettes pop corn, sandwich de porc effiloché avec de la viande fumée sur place, inspirations autour des boîtes à bento japonaises, poutine «poulet au beurre», pokés et sushis... Tout sera fait sur place, par la brigade de cuisiniers. «Les gens sont de plus en plus raffinés et on doit s'adapter à cette réalité», estime le chef.
À cela s'ajoute un grand bar central proposant 16 bières en fût différentes et des cocktails originaux préparés par des mixologues, comme le «Rose sûre», à base de vodka, sirop aux canneberges, thé aux rose et jus de citron, par exemple. Le comptoir Snac'Qc proposera quant à lui divers snacks pour manger sur le pouce ou apporter à son siège.

Autres nouveautés
À cette nouveauté s'ajoutent d'autres améliorations, notamment dans les coursives des 2e et 6e étages - dont deux nouveaux bars, afin de répondre plus rapidement à la demande - ainsi que, cerise sur le sundae, un tout nouveau lounge, le Mythik. L'espace, situé dans l'ancien musée des Canadiens, sera accessible uniquement aux détenteurs de billets de saison ainsi que, sur réservations, aux groupes. Très élégant, le lounge de 250 places mettra de l'avant une carte des cocktails très élaborée, plusieurs vins en importation privée ainsi qu'une carte de plats à partager qui variera selon les saisons, explique le chef Lowe. Pensez huîtres fraîches, tataki de boeuf, pieuvre grillée, etc.
Fait non négligeable, le Centre Bell continue à mettre de l'avant dans ces nouveaux espaces sa politique écoresponsable Vert le but!. Tous les contenant de nourriture sont donc compostables et les verres, recyclables. Les pailles en plastique sont désormais chose du passé, et sont remplacées par des pailles compostables, remises sur demande seulement.

Le Centre Bell renouvelle son offre alimentaire | Iris Gagnon-Paradis | Gourmand

If a regular beer was North of 10$, how much will this new menu cost?

[update] Here is an English article:

Canadiens unveil new food and drink offerings at the Bell Centre: M2 Marché and Mythik

Molson — the team president, CEO and owner — was on hand Tuesday morning for the official launch of what they are calling the M2 Marché-Montréal, a high-end food court and bar on the M2 level of the Bell Centre just below the main floor. There are eight food counters, that serve an eclectic menu that includes tacos, burgers, poutine, freshly made pasta dishes, and poke bowls. There’s everything from poutine with braised beef shoulder and mustard caviar to a Japanese Bento box lunch with beef teriyaki to pasta with braised veal, mushrooms and truffles, to a butter chicken taco.
The Canadiens spent $18 million on the food and drink upgrade, which includes not only the M2 Marché-Montréal but also a new lounge The Mythik, which is located where the old Canadiens museum used to be. It holds 250 seated and 400 standing, and it also serves food, with a menu that includes fresh oysters and beef tataki. The lounge will only be open to season-ticket holders for hockey games. For concerts and events, the public can use it, but by reservation only, for before or after the concert. The M2 Marché is only open event nights and will open at 5 p.m. You can only go there if you have a ticket to the game or concert.

The NFL’s Atlanta Falcons made headlines last year when they drastically reduced their concessions prices. For years many fans complained about the price of food and particularly beer at the Bell Centre. But Molson defended their prices.
“We benchmark ourselves with the National Hockey League and the National Football League and the NBA and we’re right in there within that range,” said Molson. “It is expensive for sure but we try not to be more expensive than our competitors out there. (The Atlanta Falcons case) is really interesting one and there’s lots of studies that will go out about that one. Football’s a different sport. There’s tailgating. I think part of that strategy might be to attract people who are typically tailgating.”
 
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Habs 4 Life

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Mar 30, 2005
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It's about time that an owner in the beer business will finally give his clients more options than that crap they had
Hopefully the lines aren't too long and crazy. I'll find out on Saturday....
 
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Milhouse40

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MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
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I'll happily report on the smoked meat and the beer if I can get some financing. Hard pass on the Butter Chicken Poutine, despite @admiralcadillac cries.
 

Lshap

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Jun 6, 2011
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“We benchmark ourselves with the National Hockey League and the National Football League and the NBA and we’re right in there within that range,” said Molson. “It is expensive for sure but we try not to be more expensive than our competitors out there. (The Atlanta Falcons case) is really interesting one and there’s lots of studies that will go out about that one. Football’s a different sport. There’s tailgating. I think part of that strategy might be to attract people who are typically tailgating.”

Hey Geoff, nice to know you're 'studying' the Falcons' model of lower pricing. I'm sure you're looking to give something back to your loyal customers after they've shelled out big dollars for tickets. I'm sure you've hired a team of researchers for this study who are right now looking at different ways to save us money -- your way of saying thank-you for continuing to buy your product.

Seriously, this mentality of gouging makes me ill. I see it in entitled employees and politicians happy to spend other people's money, I see it in shortsighted business owners who are happy to prey on customers in need, and I see it in legacy orgs like the Habs, that will grab every last dollar they can in the belief their product is irreplaceable.

New food is great. Lower prices is better.
 

LyricalLyricist

Registered User
Aug 21, 2007
37,909
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Hey Geoff, nice to know you're 'studying' the Falcons' model of lower pricing. I'm sure you're looking to give something back to your loyal customers after they've shelled out big dollars for tickets. I'm sure you've hired a team of researchers for this study who are right now looking at different ways to save us money -- your way of saying thank-you for continuing to buy your product.

Seriously, this mentality of gouging makes me ill. I see it in entitled employees and politicians happy to spend other people's money, I see it in shortsighted business owners who are happy to prey on customers in need, and I see it in legacy orgs like the Habs, that will grab every last dollar they can in the belief their product is irreplaceable.

New food is great. Lower prices is better.

To be fair, a business' objective is to get you spending more.

Generally speaking: It is better to up the value of the item and increase the price than reduce prices.
 
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Lshap

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Jun 6, 2011
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To be fair, a business' objective is to get you spending more.

Generally speaking: It is better to up the value of the item and increase the price than reduce prices.
Sigh... you and your &%$@#* logic. :laugh:

Yeah, I get it. But at least give your customers the illusion of value. Give them a discount on X and sneakily raise the price of Y. Sure, business is about profits, but when it becomes profiteering you risk a backlash. Orgs -- no matter how big -- ignore customer service at their peril. Hockey tickets aren't gasoline. Unlike filling your car, we can easily stop going to games, which is what I've done. I didn't spend a dime on the Habs last year and won't this year, and I'm hardly an activist. If Molson continues to be perceived as blatantly taking without giving back, he'll generate more bad will and more people will stop going to games.

Habs need to realize they aren't an essential service and stop acting like a spoiled legacy brat.
 

LyricalLyricist

Registered User
Aug 21, 2007
37,909
5,814
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Not when people are quitting on the product. Molson went halfway and didnt raise prices.

Yet.

Sigh... you and your &%$@#* logic. :laugh:

Yeah, I get it. But at least give your customers the illusion of value. Give them a discount on X and sneakily raise the price of Y. Sure, business is about profits, but when it becomes profiteering you risk a backlash. Orgs -- no matter how big -- ignore customer service at their peril. Hockey tickets aren't gasoline. Unlike filling your car, we can easily stop going to games, which is what I've done. I didn't spend a dime on the Habs last year and won't this year, and I'm hardly an activist. If Molson continues to be perceived as blatantly taking without giving back, he'll generate more bad will and more people will stop going to games.

Habs need to realize they aren't an essential service and stop acting like a spoiled legacy brat.

I'm no marketing guru but a lot of businesses have loyalty programs and things that would generate more traffic while giving back to loyal customers. Thing is...the habs are such a specific case I can't think of anything of that sort.

That's why their guys get big money...so they can figure this out.
 

LeHab

Registered User
Aug 31, 2005
15,957
6,259
Hey Geoff, nice to know you're 'studying' the Falcons' model of lower pricing. I'm sure you're looking to give something back to your loyal customers after they've shelled out big dollars for tickets. I'm sure you've hired a team of researchers for this study who are right now looking at different ways to save us money -- your way of saying thank-you for continuing to buy your product.

Seriously, this mentality of gouging makes me ill. I see it in entitled employees and politicians happy to spend other people's money, I see it in shortsighted business owners who are happy to prey on customers in need, and I see it in legacy orgs like the Habs, that will grab every last dollar they can in the belief their product is irreplaceable.

New food is great. Lower prices is better.

I think the strategy here is to cater to your wealthy customers by offering more gourmet options. The business folks who own seasons tickets and can expense meals on business accounts and the rich one who don't really care about prices anyway. The guy who barely affords a ticket is not likely to shell another $100 on concessions. Heck you have to be a season ticket owner to be allowed there in the first place.
 
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habsfan909

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Feb 20, 2018
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So 18$ million... that's right around the total cap room from last season and this one combined...
Would be nice if we could improve the on ice product sometime.
 
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11Goat11

Inside her
Feb 18, 2006
2,109
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I am going with the fam on Nov 3rd against Tampa. Looking forward to trying the new food and paying a fortune as there will be 4 of us...

After these first 2 games the boys have played I do feel better about it though as at least it should be an entertaining game. I will need to check the What to do in Montreal thread to get some tips on food and entertainment as I haven't been in a few years.
 

Lshap

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Jun 6, 2011
27,390
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Montreal
Kosher Foods?
If you're a strictly observant Jew or Muslim, my guess is you wouldn't eat anything on the menu because the food area isn't kosher/halal.

I have a friend who's a STH and observant Jew who I should ask this question to...
 
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