Ole Miss Tailgating Takes The Stress Out Of Filling Your Tent on Gameday

Behind the Scenes of Ole Miss Tailgating 
by HottyToddy.com
Enjoy the twelfth in our series of Tailgating Traditions articles sponsored by Ole Miss Tailgating where you can even order Raising Cane’s® and Chick-fil-A® for your Grove Tent! (Click the Ole Miss Tailgating logo below to see the menu and order!)

Everyone knows that the Grove is the best tailgating scene in all of College Football, between the food, the drinks and the fans, the 10 acres of land is a place like no other on a Fall Saturday.

Every patch of grass is covered by a tent, and every tent is filled with food. Where does all the food come from you may wonder? While many people cook and bring their own food, there is another option that eliminates all of the hassle. Ole Miss Tailgating has everything a tailgate needs with everything from the food to the ice for your drinks, to the Sternos, table cloth and cutlery. Serving over 450 different tents a week, the process of getting it all done is no easy task. 

Beginning in August, orders are placed for home games throughout the season. However, orders can be placed up until 5 pm on the Wednesday before game day and that’s when the real work begins. After all the orders are counted, production begins. Orders are sent out to vendors immediately, and deliveries are then counted and separated. Thursday is spent taking deliveries and preparing for the weekend. On Friday, cold foods and trays are prepared in an effort to make game day run smoothly. No matter what time kick-off is the Ole Miss Tailgating crew is up bright and early in an effort to get all of the hot food prepared in time. 

“For an early game, the crew will get here around 4 a.m to cook all of the hot food orders,” Angelia Gragson, Catering Manager, said “When we did a breakfast for SEC Nation VIPs which meant the whole crew was here around 2 a.m so that was our earliest morning.”

Whether it’s their best-selling “Oxford Chicken Strips” or chicken and sausage jambalaya, Ole Miss Tailgating has a menu with something for every tailgater. Since Ole Miss Tailgating works through Aramark they are also able to offer popular national brands such as Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane’s and Einstein’s Brother’s Bagels.  This gives people the chance to enjoy their favorite items without having to fight game day traffic pick-up their food. 

While appealing to local Rebel fans, Gragson mentioned how it serves those who come from out of town to enjoy the Grove. 

“You don’t have to track across campus with food.  You can drive to the Grove and pick it up here.  It’s so easy!  It’s especially nice for parents coming from out of state. It’s one thing if you live in Oxford and you can prepare food in your own house, but if you come from another state and are staying in a hotel it’s not that simple, so we are happy to take that pressure of people.” Gragson said. 

All of the prepared food is backed into the tent by catering vehicles throughout the day in the Grove to ensure that food stays fresh and safe. Ole Miss Tailgating is the first and only Certified Green® catering company recognized by the Green Restaurant Association in the state of Mississippi.

The Ole Miss Tailgating tent is located conveniently in front of the Student Union. Orders can be picked up directly from the tent, or delivered to your tent for just $50 more while orders of $400 or more receive free delivery. 

For Ole Miss Tailgating’s complete menu and information about how to place an order, click here. 

Enjoy our previous Tailgating Traditions Stories from this season!

Week 1: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: The Looser Family 

Week 2: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: “The Real Thing” Tent

Week 3: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: The “Zebra Tent”

Week 4: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: Jim’s Place In The Grove

Week 5: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: The Cossar Family Tent

Week 6: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: “Our Spot That Ever Calls” 

Week 7: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: Arizona Rebels

Week 8: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: The Bauer Family and “GAVY’s Gang” Tent

Week 9: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: “Tailgaters With Attitude” Tent

Week 10: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: The Tupelo Tent

Week 11: Ole Miss Tailgating Traditions: “Our 10 Acres of Heaven” Tent

Steven Gagliano is a writer for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com.

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