Former Collingwood premiership player Dane Swan questions disappearance of roaming food vendors at AFL grounds

Former Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan has drawn attention to a changing match-day experience after posting on X that roaming food vendors — once a familiar sight selling meat pies and cold drinks at Australian football matches — are largely gone from many professional sporting grounds.

Swan, 41, a member of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership team, said he was “ridiculed (by friends) for not realising that people don’t walk around footy stadiums selling hot pies and cold drinks anymore.” He added: “I genuinely would like to know why they don’t these days? It’s outrageous they don’t.”

Responses from fans and regular match-goers were swift, with many explaining that the disappearance of walking food vendors is largely down to health and safety regulations and food-temperature requirements. One user noted that carrying a tray of hot food around a stadium raises concerns about maintaining appropriate serving temperatures and hygiene standards. Other replies cited logistical and regulatory changes that have altered how stadiums manage food service.

The trend of phasing out roaming sellers at some venues reflects changes in stadium operations and public-health oversight in recent years. While roaming vendors were once a staple of the match-day atmosphere, several grounds have moved to fixed kiosks, concession stands and licensed outlets within seating areas. Those changes have been framed by venue managers and public-health authorities as efforts to ensure consistent food safety standards and to manage crowd movement and security, though Swan’s post did not identify specific grounds or official statements.

Swan’s remarks prompted broader discussion among supporters about the match-day experience, with some lamenting the loss of traditional elements such as on-the-spot pie purchases, and others supporting the tighter controls on food handling. The conversation underscores differing priorities among fans: nostalgia for familiar stadium rituals versus modern concerns about food safety and venue regulation.

The debate follows a wider shift in event management that has seen sports venues update operations in response to evolving public-health guidance and regulatory frameworks. For supporters seeking traditional offerings, many grounds continue to sell pies and similar items at fixed concessions, but the era of vendors circulating between rows appears to be diminishing at a number of professional stadia across Australia.