I went to PrideFest this weekend, and because Pride is held at Henry Maier Festival Park—a.k.a. the Summerfest grounds—the first thing I did was make a beeline to one of the Saz’s food stands. Why? To get Saz’s beloved “Sampler Platter,” of course. And to report on how much the thing costs this year. (Two mozzarella sticks! A bunch of cheese curds! A pile of sour cream and chive fries! And yes, it’s technically called the “Sampler Combo,” but whatever.)
I could go on and on about inflation, the brutal realities of the restaurant industry, and how everything costs too much these days, but I’ll spare you my half-baked and half-informed bullshit. Instead, I’ll cut to the chase: At PrideFest 2026, a Saz’s Sampler Platter was $14.50. And if the old “as goes Pride, as goes Summerfest” maxim proves true, that means the Platter will be $14.50 at Summerfest 2026, too.
How does that compare to years past? Well, that’s up $.50 from Summerfest 2025, when the Platter cost $14…
…which itself was up $1 from Summerfest 2024, when the Platter cost $13…
…which itself was up a whopping $2 from Summerfest 2022, when the Platter cost $11 (sorry, I apparently didn’t check in 2023)…
You get the idea. So how much did the Platter cost pre-pandemic? My records go back to Summerfest 2019, when the Platter cost a mere $8.50!
So there you go. Assuming this year’s Pride price matches this year’s Summerfest price—the carpet matching the drapes, if you will—a Saz’s Sampler Platter will put you back $14.50 at Summerfest 2026. That’s $6 more than it was in 2019, a 70% increase or so. If my math is correct.
But eh, I think it’s still worth it! Long live the Saz’s Sampler Platter! It’s a plateful of sides—delicious, delicious sides—that can be scarfed down solo or shared with friends. What’s not to love? It’s a classic Milwaukee Thing! It’s great!
Oh, and for only $11 more, you can get one of our Sampler Platter T-shirts. Happy summer, Milwaukee!
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