Veganchella and sticker shock
Coachella’s plant‑based scene got praise for vendors like Cena Vegan’s Barbacoa Nacho Boat and Maciel’s vegan offerings, including vegan bao, deli sandwiches, sushi and dessert options. (nationaltoday.com) (dailybulletin.com) (themirror.com) (breezyscroll.com)
Coachella 2026 attendees found more vegan options inside the festival this weekend, even as food prices kept climbing across the grounds. (coachella.com) The festival’s official food pages say vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available across the site, and Coachella’s 2026 dates run April 10-12 and April 17-19 in Indio, California. (coachella.com 1) (coachella.com 2) A roundup published April 13 highlighted Cena Vegan’s Barbacoa Nacho Boat, Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher & Deli’s Smokey sandwich, Maneatingplant’s Fried Shroom Bao, GoKoku’s vegan hand roll, and churros from El Moro Churrería. (nationaltoday.com) Coachella has spent years turning festival food into part of the attraction, not just a concession stand. Its 2026 food program promotes chef-driven dishes, specialty drinks, and a four-course “Outstanding in the Field” dinner in the VIP Rose Garden. (coachella.com 1) (coachella.com 2) That upscale pitch collided with a flood of attendee posts about menu prices from Weekend 1. BreezyScroll, summarizing receipts and social posts from April 10-12, reported loaded fries at about $28, noodles at about $23, burritos at about $23, and smoothies and specialty drinks at $17 to $25. (breezyscroll.com) The same report said a full day of eating could reach about $150 per person, with examples including a $26 fried chicken mac-and-cheese fries order, a $25 Caesar salad, $19 tacos, $18 dumplings, a $17 smoothie, and a $24 banh mi. (breezyscroll.com) The Kitchn reported that some attendees also noticed shorter food lines this year. It cited menu photos from the festival showing a Dave’s Hot Chicken sandwich-and-fries combo at $30 and noted that outside food and beverages are not allowed into the venue. (thekitchn.com) Coachella’s own materials frame that tradeoff as part of a broad on-site dining program with restaurants, bars, grab-and-go concessions, and premium add-ons. The result is a festival where plant-based eaters had more to choose from in 2026, but not necessarily a cheaper day in the desert. (coachella.com)
