My Love/Hate Relationship with Crabfries

Chickie’s and Pete’s Crabfries have been a staple at practically every Philly sporting event for years, and I have complicated feelings about it.

When it comes to sporting events, in particular baseball, there are certain foods that have become ubiquitous with going to a game. The kinds of foods that you would almost never pass up on having because they have, over the decades, become an essential part of the viewing experience.

When you show up at a baseball game, usually the first thing most fans want is a hot dog and a beer. Doesn't matter the team or the city, if you are attending a baseball game then nine times out of ten you are going to be eating a hot dog and drinking a beer. Cracker Jacks are also a baseball staple as is eating soft serve ice cream out of a miniature baseball batting helmet.

And if you live in Philadelphia, the other food you must partake of and will be willing to wait in a long line to enjoy are Crabfries.

For those not from Philly and might have no clue what Crabfries are, a short history lesson.

First introduced at Chickie's and Pete's in the late seventies, Crabfries are crinkle cut french fries that have been coated in a special blend of seasonings (think Old Bay Seasoning) and served with a cheese sauce for dipping. And yes, that does indeed mean that Crabfries don't actually have any crab in, around or near them.

True story: I was once at a Phillies game and there were two women in front of me were all excited to finally try Crabfries. They were from Baltimore and loved crab, like most people do, and had been wanting to experience the fabled Philly Crabfries for years. But when their friend came back with a couple of tubs, they just looked at the fries, dumbfounded. One woman said “What's this? Where's the crab?” I tried to explain it's a Philly thing but I don't think they quite understood.

Anyway, Crabfries were an immediate hit and in 1998, they made the move to Veterans Stadium, then the home of the Eagles and Phillies. And as they say, nothing has ever been the same. In the years since, Crabfries have become a staple of Philly sporting events, in particular Phillies games. Lines on Ashburn Alley to get some can sometimes snake around the entire concourse, particularly if it's a sellout on a weekend.

Which brings me to my love/hate relationship with the salty snack. Every season I swear up and down that I'm not going to buy any. That there are many other things I can eat at a Phillies game and every year I end up caving at the very first game I go to, stuffing my face full of the damn things.

First of all, Crabfries are expensive. Really expensive. It can cost more than $30 if you get a tub of them and decide to drink a beer or soda too. Now, I fully realize everything at the ballpark is expensive. From parking to your ticket to souvenirs to whatever you decide to eat, a night at a Phillies game can set you back some serious money. But thirty bucks for some french fries covered in Old Bay with a side of fancy Cheese Wiz seems steep even by ballpark standards.

Then there is the fact they are messy to eat. There is just no way to try and eat the things without ending up covered in a combination of cheese sauce and seasonings. You would think they would include a fork with them to make it a bit easier but no such luck. And good luck trying to eat them and look attractive if you happen to be on a date. Not gonna happen.

And finally there is the wait. As I mentioned the lines can be ridiculously long, even after the game starts. I have noticed that at the other Chickie's and Pete's locations in Citizens Bank Park you can have better luck but it you go to the one on Ashburn Alley, bring your patience with you because you're going to need it.

But on the flip side of all that is the fact that despite all that hassle, Crabfries are totally worth it. Yes they are messy but who cares? Have you ever tried to eat a cheesesteak in one of those seats at The Bank? You end up wearing half of it. So Crabfries are really no different then any of the other foods you might enjoy.

As for the wait, the upside is that you can watch the game on the televisions all over the concourse and cheer and boo with the other fans in line. I've actually made friends while standing in line, both of us bitching and moaning about the wait. Waiting in line for Crabfries has almost become a right of passage for anyone who is at a Phillies game for the first time. I mean, who else are you going to send to get them but the guy or gal who is at their first game?

Yes, they are expensive. And if we're all being honest, they are too expensive for what you are getting. But that doesn't seem to stop that many people from buying them, myself included. Hell, the cost of a hot dog has gone way up as has the cost of just getting a beer alone. And we all spend that money, willingly handing over out credit cards and not thinking too much about it. It's the law of supply and demand. Chickie's and Pete's supply the Crabfries because we all demand them.

So yeah. I have a love/hate relationship with a food you get at Phillies games, which is a very Philly thing. And it will continue each and every time I go to the ballpark. It's become my own silly tradition and the Crabfries will win every damn time.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.