U.S. Open $100 caviar nuggets

The U.S. Open’s 2026 food story is no longer just about the Honey Deuce. Official tournament pages and outside coverage this week pushed a different item into the spotlight: a $100 order of caviar-topped chicken nuggets sold at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. The price landed as fans were already circulating photos of other menu boards from Flushing Meadows, including a $30 pastrami sandwich. The result was a familiar late-summer U.S. Open subplot — tennis on court, sticker shock at the concession stands. ### What exactly is the $100 item? COQODAQ’s “Golden Set” is the item behind the $100 figure. The U.S. Open’s official dining page describes it as Korean-inspired fried chicken nuggets topped with Petrossian caviar and crème fraîche, and a Sept. 2 feature on USOpen.org said Simon Kim’s stand became a viral hit in 2024 with six nuggets topped with 30 grams of caviar and crème fraîche. (usopen.org) Simon Kim is not a new addition to the grounds. The USTA said on July 29 that Kim was returning for a third straight year with COQODAQ and CQDQ, alongside a new Kimbop stand, as part of a broader food lineup built around New York restaurants and celebrity chefs. ### Where did the $100 price come from? Front Office Sports’ Stadium Eats video was cited by Bleacher Report in a Sept. 1 roundup of U.S. (usopen.org) Open concession prices. That report listed $100 caviar nuggets alongside a $39.50 lobster roll and a $38 French dip sandwich. The official U.S. Open site confirms the caviar-nugget item exists but does not show the $100 figure on the general dining index page that names COQODAQ and its “Golden Set.” The price point surfaced in media coverage and social posts built around menu boards and preview footage from the grounds. (usopen.org) ### Why were fans already talking about sandwich prices? Carnegie Deli’s official U.S. (bleacherreport.com) Open menu lists a hot pastrami sandwich at $30, hot corned beef at $29 and roasted turkey breast at $29. The same menu lists a 9-inch jumbo hot dog at $11 and fries at $9.50. GiveMeSport, in a Sept. 2 article built around a fan photo of prices at the tournament, said the $30 pastrami sandwich drew particular notice online. (usopen.org) That reaction gave the caviar-nugget story a second lane: not just one luxury novelty item, but a wider conversation about what ordinary stadium food now costs at a Grand Slam. ### Is the U.S. (usopen.org) Open deliberately making food part of the event? The USTA and Levy said on July 29 that the 2026 lineup was designed as a “winning culinary lineup” featuring New York restaurants, global concepts and celebrity chefs. The tournament added Salt Hank’s, Cosme and Miznon this year, while bringing back COQODAQ, Alex Guarnaschelli’s Fare and Masaharu Morimoto’s offerings. (givemesport.com) Danny Zausner, chief operating officer of the USTA National Tennis Center, told the New York Post in comments carried by Yahoo Sports that the Open aims to give fans a “proper New York City experience.” In the same report, he said the event serves more than 75,000 people a day for 15 straight days. ### What can fans check next? The U.S. (usopen.org) Open’s official dining guide and individual vendor menus remain posted as the tournament continues in Queens. The main draw is underway, and Bleacher Report said play runs through the men’s singles final on Sept. 13, giving fans more time to compare the menu board with the match schedule. (usopen.org) (sports.yahoo.com)