Target Field
How To Save Money On Minnesota Twins Tickets
Posted by Kurt Smith
If a Minnesota Twins game at Target Field is in your plans, good for you…it’s a great ballpark! You will need tickets though obviously, and if you’re on a budget, you’ll want to save money on Twins tickets, or find a great deal on great seats.
I’m here to help! Below I’ve listed a baker’s dozen tips to help you save $$$ on Twins tickets. You can probably find something that will help here…use that money to try a great food item!
There’s a lot here, so I’ve broken it down for you…
Minnesota Twins Ticket Alerts
The Twins Website
The Twins Box Office
Third Party Tickets (Gametime, SeatGeek, etc.)
Ticket Upgrades
Seek Low Demand Games
Use The Minneapolis Weather
Facebook Groups
Kids Club Memberships
Bring Your Friends
The Twins Pass
Wait Till The Last Minute
The Twins Community Page
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #1) Team Ticket Alerts. This is, with any team, my #1 tip for finding deals on tickets. Do this: subscribe to the Twins’ e-mail ticket alerts. It also doesn’t hurt to request text alerts and follow the team on social media outlets too.
There’s multiple benefits to Twins e-mail alerts…they’ll inform you about ticket deals, of course, but they’ll also tell you about giveaway nights, discounts for certain folks like military members or students, and other specials like $1 hot dog night.
You’ll also know when tickets go on sale for the season…useful when you want to score good seats for a high demand game at face price. For a July weekend game against the Cubs, face price might be your best deal. Always get the ticket alerts, lots of good stuff!
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #2) The Team Website. Buying from the Twins website is convenient of course, but pay attention to the newsletter for deals. You’ll pay fees of course, so if you want to compare prices with third party sites, go all the way to the checkout screen.
The Twins offer a number of deals for fans, like senior and student discounts, half-price tickets for veterans, and special savings days. The 612 Saturdays (named for the Target Field area code) are popular…$6 drinks, $1 snacks and $2 food items. They list their specials here.
You can filter by month, day, time and opponent to choose a game…which I’ll talk about in a bit. Depending on demand, tickets could still be cheapest buying from the website if you can’t go to the box office.
Speaking of that…
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #3) The Twins Box Office. The Twins have an ample number of ticket windows at Target Field; even on game day you shouldn’t have to wait long to buy tickets.
The Twins don’t sell paper tickets anymore, but they will put electronic tickets on your phone through the MLB Ballpark app. They’re very nice and patient with folks who have trouble with the technology.
With no ticket fees (a significant expense), the box office is a cheaper alternative if it’s convenient enough for you. The Twins don’t often sell out, so even on game day it’s usually a viable option.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #4) Third Party Sellers. Again, the Twins don’t sell out a lot of games, so you can often find deals with brokers like Gametime, StubHub, SeatGeek, etc. Gametime is my favorite…see why here.
Remember that most all third party sites include fees; you can usually set the listings to show you the full price. If you can’t go to the checkout screen to compare. The fees DO make a difference.
Usually for low demand games, tickets will cost less on third party sites, but not always. It’s best to shop around and compare with Twins website prices.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #5) Seat Upgrades. You need the MLB Ballpark app to get tickets onto your phone anyway; but you can also upgrade your seats once you get into the game.
So try buying the cheap seats, and then see what’s available once you’re in. You might find a better deal than usual on high end seats. This is especially the case for April games, which don’t draw well. Worth a look.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #6) Choose Low Demand Games. You can find tickets on third parties for well below face price if you pick the right game. The Twins use dynamic pricing, so you might even find deals on their website.
The Twins draw the smallest crowds in April and May, and weekday games sell fewer tickets than weekends. You can also choose games against teams that don’t pack them in. A game against the Rockies or Rays will sell fewer tickets than a game against the Cubs or Yankees.
April games draw so poorly (and probably with good reason) that the Twins didn’t even sell upper level seats in April of 2024. So if you can deal with the cold (I’ll help you with that), April is a great time to save big on third party sites.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #7) Use That Weather. Minnesota especially features some weather that keeps fans at home, but that can happen in the summer too.
If you live in the area and are flexible about when you can go to games, check around when the weather isn’t conducive to baseball. They have very cold and windy nights in Minneapolis, but they do get some blazing hot days in the summer too.
There’s ways to duck out of the elements, by the way. The Roof Deck in left field has multiple levels of shaded and heated areas. The Twins Pub on the Terrace level is also out of the elements, and you can watch the game from the Truly On Deck restaurant if you snag a spot early.
Premium seat holders might sell their wares too, by the way. And high end seats include access to climate-controlled clubs, great on a cold (or hot) day. Great opportunity to score a deal.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #8) Facebook Groups. Season ticket holders can’t go to all the games, and a few of them unite to spare buyers from ticket fees that no one likes.
You can join a couple of Facebook groups where Twins season ticket holders sell their extras without fees. Here are three: the Minnesota Twins Ticket Marketplace, the Minnesota Ticket Exchange, and Minnesota Twins Tickets.
I presume they vet their sellers and verify them, but obviously exercise caution. That said, you can very often find a decent deal if you check on game day. (Remember the low demand and weather tips!)
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #9) The Kids Club. The Twins have a T.C. Sluggers Kids Club for your little ones. For a small price, the kid gets cool swag like a backpack, sunglasses, and a lanyard. Most of all, they get ticket discounts.
Membership includes a free ticket for every April home game except Opening Day, and half price tickets for Sunday games through the year. You need to be there with the kid obviously, but that’s still a savings over full price for both of you.
Besides that, Sundays are great days for the kids, especially with running the bases after the game and half off kids meals.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #10) Bring Your Friends. If you can persuade your fellow Twins fans to go to a game with you, the Twins will help you out. In addition to slightly cheaper tickets, they don’t charge fees for groups of 20 or more.
The Twins also offer cheaper prices for 501c3 organizations and student gatherings too, so if you’re involved in a charitable function, maybe you can suggest a game and talk up discounted tickets for Twins baseball.
On top of that, if you’re a group organizer, you get all kinds of other perks too. Take some batting practice!
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #11) The Twins Pass. This one’s for locals, but it’s a great value. The Twins Pass allows you to attend every home game for a month for one reasonable price.
The Twins say you can “watch the game from any of Target Field’s variety of outdoor and indoor social spaces on all levels of the ballpark”. In other words, it’s a standing room ticket. But there will probably be empty seats you can use…and the Twins aren’t tough on seat poaching in the upper level especially. There’s also the roof deck in left field too, with plenty of good spots.
And remember the upgrade…you can check for a deal on a better seat once you’re in the ballpark.
Even as standing room, the Twins Pass pays for itself with four or five games. Go on all the giveaway nights, and you’ll make out pretty well.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #12) Wait Till The Last Minute. As game time gets closer (say, about an hour before first pitch) and season ticket holders can’t sell their extras, tickets can drop significantly in price on third party sites.
Some third party sites…I believe StubHub does this…will drop the prices automatically at a certain time before the game. Gametime also specializes in last minute tickets, but you can find deals elsewhere too.
This strategy works best for one or two people, and if the game you have in mind isn’t that important. Single tickets especially are easy to find deals for as game time gets close.
Save Money on Twins Tickets, Tip #13) Check The Community Page. Most people probably don’t think of this, but for Twins tickets, try checking the Twins’ Community page. Sometimes you may find something that you can use, while helping your fellow human to boot.
For example, as I write this sentence, you can apply for Twins tickets through a grant for underprivileged kids to attend games. There’s also a program called Learning Through Baseball, that include a BOGO ticket deal for a 2024 game. And the Twins love military folks as much as the rest of us, with ticket offers for veterans.
You could also sign up for the Twins Community newsletter (the form is on the Community page); they might hold charitable events and programs that include tickets.
Who knows, you may be encouraged to coach youth baseball.
There you go my friends…13 ways to save money on Twins tickets, and enjoy Target Field with some extra money for the great food items and souvenirs. Feel free to drop me a line with any questions or comments, and check out other great tips on this blog!
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Best Target Field Food For 2024 | Minnesota Twins
Posted by Kurt Smith
Going to a Minnesota Twins game and don’t know what to eat? I get it…it’s a tough decision. Target Field food ranges from sausages to soul food bowls to cheese curds. It’s also a great place to get a taste of local favorites.
Below I’ve listed 16 items you can try out, with helpful photos…there’s plenty more, especially in the restaurants, but these are some favorites with Twin Cities natives.
Here’s the list if you want to skip anything:
Kramarczuk’s Cheese Brat Sausage
Red Cow Ultimate Burger
Tony O.’s Cuban Sandwich
Murray’s Steak Sandwich
Wings & Mac From Official Fried Chicken
Banh Mi Brat From Union Hmong
Walleye Burger from Lord Fletcher’s
Mac and Meat From East Coast BBQ
Chicken Tikka Bowl From Hot Indian
Jerk Chicken Soul Bowl
La Tapatia Chicken Tacos
Bussin’ Birria Tacos
Cheese Curds from Curds-N-Cakes
Baked Potato (w/Stuff)
Papa Pete’s Mini Donuts
Parcelle Smoothies
Bring Your Own! – Pizza Luce, Candyland, etc.
Okay, let’s get started with some tasty food pics!
Target Field Food, Tip #1: Kramarczuk’s Cheese Brat Sausage
Kramarczuk’s Polish sausages have been a favorite of Twins fans since the opening of Target Field. For that matter, they’re pretty popular in Minnesota. Kramarczuk’s Deli is a northeast Minneapolis staple…they will actually turn your meat into sausage if you bring it to their deli.
As for the ballpark brats, they’re nicely spiced and have a good snap; the cheese brat especially is a win. You can add sauerkraut, onions and peppers. Ask them to pile extra toppings on for you…that’s what Kurt does!
By the way, no disrespect intended to the Schweiger Meats hot dogs here…the quarter pound beef Big Dogs and Dinger Dogs are no slouch. Just saying that with Kramarczuk’s in town, you have an excellent alternative to ballpark classics.
Target Field Food, Tip #2: Red Cow Ultimate Burger
If you want a break from being vegetarian, stop at the Red Cow stand for an Ultimate Burger. Red Cow has six locations in the area (not counting Target Field), where you can find a bigger variety of burgers if you like them here.
The Ultimate number is a seasoned Certified Angus Beef burger with Red Cow sauce (which I’ve read is a smokier style of ketchup), Wisconsin cheddar cheese and of course lettuce, tomato and onion. As ballpark burgers go, it definitely works.
You can also order 60/40 sliders, which are made with 60% beef and 40% bacon and then topped with more candied bacon, cheese and beer mustard. Nothing like a bacon-bacon cheeseburger.
Target Field Food, Tip #3: Tony O.’s Cuban Sandwich
You know who Tony O. is, right? Of course you do…Tony Oliva is the free swinging Hall of Fame Twin who was among the best hitters of the dead ball era. With Oliva being Cuban, of course, the Twins had to have a stand selling Cuban sandwiches named for him. I’ve read he sometimes makes appearances, but I wouldn’t count on it.
That said, the Cuban sandwich is very popular among Twins fans…it’s a pressed Panini-style sandwich with roasted pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. It’s not like you need to meet a Twins superstar to go for that. The roast pork alone easily bats .400. (But yeah, it’s cool to meet Mr. Oliva. He’s a super nice guy by all accounts.)
Target Field Food, Tip #4: Murray’s Steak Sandwich
So who’s Murray and what makes his sandwiches special? They’re actually not a Philly-style sandwich shop…Murray’s steak house restaurant is actually just steps away from Target Field. They call themselves the “Home of The Silver Butter Knife Steak since 1946.” (Capitalization theirs.) This is high end beef my friends.
Their Target Field offering…also available at the Mill City Grill stands…is choice juicy sirloin with caramelized onions and cheese, on a ciabatta roll with a side of garlic toast. You can add peppers to your steak there, I believe.
I did read a complaint from a reporter that it’s missing the au jus and the horseradish sauce isn’t as good as at the home base. Personally that wouldn’t stop me, but remember the restaurant itself is just a couple blocks away.
Target Field Food, Tip #5: Wings & Mac From Official Fried Chicken
It’s official…ballparks need fried chicken. Official Fried Chicken at Target shows how to do it. Their new offering as of 2024 is dry rub Buffalo wings with white cheddar mac and cheese. Not that that’s all they’ve got…their chicken sandwiches are a good value by ballpark standards, with tasty wedge fries (costs extra).
Yes, Official Fried Chicken is a brand…they built a very barebones website to say one thing…we’re your Target Field chicken. They point out that you can order from your seat with the MLB app. I believe you can do this with all the food here, but I bring it up because they box your food and make it available in warm ovens, which is pretty cool.
The Official wings are marinated, breaded, and pressure-fried. I hear they offer decent heat and are juicy. You can also get creamy ranch dipping sauce…mix that with your white cheddar mac and cheese. Baseball just gets better.
Target Field Food, Tip #6: Banh Mi Brat From Union Hmong
Every so often I reflect on the days of boring hot dogs and popcorn for baseball food, and reading about a Banh Mi brat is one of those times.
Union Hmong Kitchen is the creation of Chef Yia Vang, with two locations in the city. He knows his stuff…especially since by consensus he pulled off the Hmong style brat quite well. Vang says fans visit the actual Union Hmong after trying the food at Target Field. +1 Twins…that’s what ballpark food should be about.
The Banh Mi Brat is a Hmong sausage with pickled jalapenos, carrots and cilantro, and creamy garlic aioli sauce. Incidentally, I believe Kramarczuk’s makes the brat, so 2-for-2 here, although Vang adds his Hmong seasonings.
Anyway, try this out for something very different yet still classic baseball. And check out Vang’s story on Wikipedia, it’s fascinating.
Target Field Food, Tip #7: Walleye Burger from Lord Fletcher’s
One of the foods that natives suggested to me in my visit to Minneapolis, aside from the Jucy Lucy, was walleye fish. You can do that here. The Lord Fletcher’s walleye burger is at the Land of 10,000 Lakes Bar in the outfield.
It’s seared walleye with some lemon zest, and the breading is made with almonds, parmesan and herbs. The patty is topped with lettuce and smoked tomato tartar sauce on a brioche bun. With the breading and the rolls, I’d be wary of this if you’re watching your carbs. I’ve also read complaints about a disproportionate fish to bread ratio.
That said, you can visit the actual Lord Fletcher’s in Spring Park, if you want to get a feel for them before risking your hard-earned ballpark budget. (It’s just $19 there!) The place gets pretty good reviews from the public, and it’s located on the shore of Lake Minnetonka.
Incidentally, you can also try walleye cakes from Mac’s Fish at the Town Ball Tavern restaurant. I still don’t see a Jucy Lucy there though.
Target Field Food, Tip #8: Mac and Meat From East Coast BBQ
The East Coast BBQ stand is your place for the BBQ options every ballpark needs these days. East Coast BBQ has two locations, including Nelson’s Market in St. Louis Park and a food truck at the Meadowbrook Golf Course. Perfect pedigree for BBQ ballpark food.
The new mac and meat dish is cheesy elbow macaroni with their signature chicken, rib tips or pulled pork on top. The focus is the meat, of course, but this is comfort food at its best. You’ll need a fork and napkins, of course, and be ready for sneaky heat in the BBQ sauce.
If you’re wondering why “East Coast” food is here in a Midwest ballpark, good question. For the record, according to MPR News, East Coast a blend of southern-style BBQ with flavors from Baltimore, Missouri and Arkansas. East Coast if you draw out the “o”, I guess.
Target Field Food, Tip #9: Chicken Tikka Bowl From Hot Indian
I haven’t eaten a lot of Indian food in my life, but I’ve always enjoyed it when I did. At Twins games (unlike most MLB ballparks, I should add), you can try the chicken tikka bowl…or other offerings…from the Hot Indian stand on the lower concourse.
The chicken tikka bowl is spicy curry chicken with potatoes and some crunchy slaw, with mild spices. You can add spicy sauce to it. It’s a nice filling meal and on the healthy side…this is a gluten-free option if you are among the unfortunate celiacs among us.
I made fun of vegans a little in the Red Cow bit of this post, so in fairness I’m adding that Hot Indian has some vegan offerings too, like their Vegan Channa. Believe it or not, I’ve got your vegan back!
Target Field Food, Tip #10: Jerk Chicken Soul Bowl
In case you weren’t aware in a ballpark featuring Kramarczuk’s, Red Cow and Union Hmong, you can get jerk chicken at Target Field too. More specifically, a jerk chicken bowl from Soul Bowl, with spicy pineapple jerk sauce and a side of sweet plantains and yellow rice.
That is, Twins fans are aware of Soul Bowl of course…it’s been around Target for a while. Soul Bowl is the creation of chef Gerard Klass, who brings the jerk chicken and other soul food specialties to Target Center and the Minnesota State Fair too. Oh, and their 4th Street location in the city.
It’s not just jerk chicken here by the way, this is your spot for other soul food greats too, like collard greens, mac and cheese, and those plantains.
Target Field Food, Tip #11: La Tapatia Chicken Tacos
I didn’t have a good enough pic of the La Tapatia tacos, so the nice folks there let me borrow one. Tacos are a great ballpark food, and La Tapatia’s adobo chicken tacos represent well. You have a choice of street-style tacos with lime juice and pico de gallo, or Cali-style with sauce, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce. Both with juicy and tender chicken.
La Tapatia is yet another local institution; they have a location in Roseville serving made-to-order Mexican street food, and a food truck too. It was founded by Martha Ponce in 2016, who brought her Guadalajara-style cooking to Minneapolis. Indeed, reviewers of the place use the word “authentic” a lot.
These are made with corn tortillas, so I presume they would be gluten-free, although the Twins don’t list them as such. You can also find these in the Thrivent Club.
Target Field Food, Tip #12: Bussin’ Birria Tacos
The Twins are aware that people need more taco choices, so they offer Bussin’ Birria tacos at Hrbek’s restaurant.
Bussin’ Birria is a real place too…well, kind of. Their main outpost is in the Mall of America, so they’re a train ride away if you’d like to try more of them. They source ingredients from Mexican-owned local businesses, “because they do it best”, and who am I to argue.
The tacos here are made with shredded braised beef (brilliant), with cheese, onions, cilantro and lime wedge. The bonus, so people say, is the consommé dipping sauce. The consommé, I gather, is why these are in Hrbek’s restaurant vice the concourse.
I don’t know that there’s a big debate over who’s better between La Tapatia or Bussin’ Birria, but the real winner is the Twins fan!
Target Field Food, Tip #13: Cheese Curds from Curds-N-Cakes
The problem with cheese curds in a lot of taverns is that they tend to be small nuggets of cheese. Well, okay, maybe that’s not a big problem, but the Curds-N-Cakes people still took the initiative to address it. These hefty cheese curds are available on the second deck behind the Legends Landing.
The Curds & Cakes folks are, like Soul Bowl, mostly dedicated to sports venue food. Their foods are fresh and never frozen, and they get their cheese from the Ellsworth Creamery in Wisconsin, if that helps you over the top with the decision.
This stand also offers corn dogs, deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and other dessert options for that State Fair feel, but trust me, the cheese curds will catch your eye.
Target Field Food, Tip #14: Baked Potato (w/Stuff)
This isn’t a food thing you’ll find a replica of in the city, but I’m including it here because it’s a great idea for those April night games at Target Field. The smashed baked potato at T.C. Tater is topped with chopped brisket, bacon bits, beer cheese (kind of like Velveeta), green onions, and/or sour cream. I should add, it’s a sizable potato!
If nothing else, it’s a filling piece of warm food. I saw quite a few people walking around with these in my Target Field visit (and it wasn’t that cold outside), so I expect they’re a popular item. I believe you can choose your toppings, so pile them all on and cover the major food groups.
Okay, now we’ve covered sandwiches and sides, so here are a couple of dessert items for you:
Target Field Food, Tip #15: Papa Pete’s Mini Donuts
The mini donuts at the Papa Pete’s stand in Target Field are so popular that you’ll probably be waiting in line for them. But you do get to watch donuts being made, which is always cool when you’re about to walk away with a bucket.
So who is Papa Pete? He is the grandfather of the founder of the company, and apparently he was pretty good at making donuts too. Papa Pete’s is also doing well enough just serving sports venues, and donuts is all they do. It’s all they need.
I don’t need to tell you that fresh and hot homemade mini donuts are worth waiting for at a game, but Papa Pete’s cinches it. They locally source their ingredients, and mix them together and fry them right in front of you so you can oversee the quality control.
You can add chocolate sauce, caramel, or hot honey to dip your donuts in, but they’re plenty good enough on their own.
Target Field Food, Tip #16: Parcelle Smoothies
And you thought you were going to read about funnel cakes, right? Yeah, Target Field has that stuff, but I wanted to give the Parcelle smoothies a shout for healthier sorts. Parcelle is an “organic clean eating café”, with a location on East Hennepin Avenue, and they avoid pesticides and herbicides in their food, in case that’s a concern to you.
Their smoothies here are available in two flavors as of 2024. The C.R.E.A.M. smoothie is collagen peptides, with aloe, strawberry, banana, coconut milk, dates and agave syrup. The BluePrint features blueberry, avocado, banana, blue spirulina, vanilla protein, coconut milk and agave.
Okay, maybe it’s not the first thing you think of for ballpark dessert, but you have to digest the Red Cow burger somehow, right? And in fact by most all accounts they’re quite tasty, so you can give them a shot over the funnel cake sometime.
Target Field Food, Bonus Tip…Bring Your Own! – Pizza Luce, Candyland, etc.
Yes that’s right, in case you didn’t know, you can bring a 16*16*8 bag into Target Field, and fill it with almost anything you like. The only prohibited items are alcohol, and colored drinks that would be easy to mix alcohol in. That’s a good-sized bag, so there’s possibilities.
Twins fans tell stories about bringing in entire pizzas from the Pizza Luce location downtown, which offers better selection and prices than the one at the ballpark. (I saw a few fans doing this.) Or the brick oven pizza from Number 12 Cider just up the road from the ballpark. There’s quite a few takeout joints downtown, so you can plan your parking accordingly with SpotHero.
One of those fan fave fill-up stops is Candyland on 7th Street, also just minutes from the ballpark. They unfortunately don’t sell peanuts, but you can load up on fresh made cheesy popcorn and a host of other ballpark snacks. I wouldn’t call it a huge money saver, but there’s a lot of stuff here for sweet teeth.
So there you go…Ballpark E-Guides has your financial back!
There’s my list of fantastic food items at the home of the Twins. Yes, I know, I neglected to mention Stepchld sweet potato fritters at Truly On Deck, the vegan brat from the Herbivorous Butcher, and the crazy drinks at the Town Ball Tavern. Well, actually, I guess I just did. There’s a lot of great stuff here, so hopefully this helps.
One more thing, if anyone from the Twins is listening, I love your ballpark, but you’ve got to get a classic Jucy Lucy in the concourse. Someone get in touch with the people at Matt’s Bar or the 5-8 Club stat. That would complete the Twin Cities food representation. Just saying!
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