ACL Fest 2026 Food: Everything We Ate on Day 1 and What It Cost

Five food orders, a round of drinks, $133. That is one day of eating at ACL Fest 2026 for the two of us, on Friday of Weekend 1. Here is every order, what it cost, and what to know before you go back to Zilker Park for Weekend 2, October 9 to 11.

Everything We Ate and What It Cost

Every price below is what we paid at the window on Friday, October 2. Food came to $92 across 5 orders. The plates run $11 to $24, so budget about $20 a person per meal before drinks.

• Steak Frites, $24 — Salt & Time. Seared steak bites over fries with a heavy spoon of chimichurri.
• Double with Fries, $24 — JABS Burgers & Fries. A double smash burger with melted cheese and a full tray of seasoned fries.
• 2 Grilled Steak Tacos, $16 — Veracruz All Natural. Grilled steak, purple cabbage, onion, red salsa and a green crema.
• Strawberry Banana Açaí Bowl, $17 — Blenders & Bowls. Açaí topped with granola, strawberries and banana. The cold break of the day.
• Ice Cream, $11 — Amy's Ice Creams. An Oreo scoop in the Amy's cup. The Austin classic, and the easiest way to cool off.

Follow @theatxweekly on Instagram

The Drinks Were a Third of the Bill

Drinks came to $41 of our $133. That is the line most festival budgets miss. A canned cocktail or a beer inside the park costs about as much as a plate of food.

• 2 waters, $6 — Two bottled waters. The free water stations around the park cost nothing.
• Surfside, $18 — A canned Surfside cocktail from a festival bar.
• Miller Lite, $17 — Beer at the bar. Miller Lite also sponsors a stage on the Great Lawn.

$92 on food, $41 on drinks. Refill at the free water stations and the drinks line shrinks fast.

Where the Food Is at ACL

The festival lists more than 70 food vendors this year, split across 3 areas. Knowing which one is closest to the stage you are camping at saves a long walk.

ACL Eats is the main food court, between The Big Tent and the Tito's stage. That is where most of our orders came from. ACL Sweets sits near the Snapchat and Bonus Tracks stages, by the Barton Springs East entrance, with Amy's, Bananarchy and Tiff's Treats. ACL Eats South is on the other side of that entrance, near the BeatBox stage and the Merch Palace.

Still on Our List for Weekend 2

We did not get to everything. These are on this year's vendor list and next on ours: Chi'Lantro's kimchi fries, topped with caramelized kimchi, spicy pork, sriracha and their Magic Sauce. Hawk's Hot Chicken. Steamies Dumplings. KG BBQ, Cuantos Tacos and Show Me Pizza. We will add what we eat to this post as we go.

Before You Go Back for Weekend 2

Register your wristband before you go and you can pay for food, drinks and merch with it. Vendors also take mobile payment. Use the free water stations to keep the drinks bill down. If you want a souvenir, the festival's signature cocktail, The Set Break, comes in a keepsake cup. Roaming hawkers sell popsicles and ice cream around the park, so you do not have to leave your spot for something cold.

Prices are what we paid on Friday, October 2, 2026. Menus and prices can change between weekends, so check the board at the window. The full vendor list is on the festival's food page.