Major League Baseball and Aramark Sports + Entertainment announced that fans have selected Betsy's Banana Ice Cream Sundae as the signature food item for the 2026 MLB All‑Star Week at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The choice follows two rounds of public voting, marking the first time fans directly shaped a featured culinary offering for the midsummer spectacle.
Fan participation moves beyond the roster
The interactive program, developed by Aramark in partnership with MLB, invited supporters to vote on four original menu concepts that drew on Philadelphia’s culinary legacy and America’s 250th anniversary. The winning sundae layers banana pudding and vanilla soft serve with crushed vanilla wafers, peanut brittle, hot fudge, strawberry sauce, a toasted marshmallow cloud and red, white and blue sprinkles, and will be served in a commemorative All‑Star souvenir cap.
"At Aramark, we're always looking for new ways to push the fan experience forward," said Alison Birdwell, president and CEO of Aramark Sports + Entertainment.
The fan vote extended the idea of engagement from balloting for players to shaping the in‑stadium experience. Aramark framed the initiative as an experiment in innovation — a way to turn spectators into active participants and reimagine hospitality at a major event.
Finalists and what they offered
- Betsy's Banana Ice Cream Sundae — banana pudding, vanilla soft serve and multiple toppings, served in an All‑Star cap (winner)
- Revolutionary Rib Melt — a sandwich-style offering inspired by regional barbecue
- Liberty Stack — a layered dish reflecting celebratory flavors
- Declaration Dog — an inventive hot dog concept
| Finalist | Main components |
|---|---|
| Betsy's Banana Ice Cream Sundae | Banana pudding, vanilla soft serve, wafers, peanut brittle, hot fudge, strawberry sauce |
| Revolutionary Rib Melt | Barbecue ribs, melted cheese, sandwich format |
| Liberty Stack | Layered entrée reflecting anniversary theme |
| Declaration Dog | All‑star themed hot dog |
Aramark said the program was designed to celebrate Philadelphia’s culinary history while offering fans a more immersive All‑Star Week. The company hopes the initiative will serve as a model for future hospitality activations at large sporting events, marrying local flavors with crowd-driven decision making.
As fans arrive for events across All‑Star Week, the visible presence of a fan‑chosen menu item may become another metric for measuring engagement — a reminder that in modern sports entertainment, the crowd can influence much more than who takes the field.
