McDonald’s Wants People to Take Their Food Into Baseball Stadiums, So I Tried It

McDonald's is targeting a new group of potential customers — sports fans who try to bring their own food into stadiums.

But how easy is it to actually take outside food into a professional baseball game? Here's what happened when I tried it.

Can You Take Outside Food Into Wrigley Field?

McDonald's has dropped the McValue Pack, a limited-edition "stadium-friendly" bag that comes with Chicken McNuggets, a McChicken and a McDouble. The idea is that the meal is placed in a clear bag that makes it easier for stadium security to see you're bringing in outside food.

The chain describes it as a "ballpark hack."

mcvalue pack bag from mcdonalds

Admittedly, I was a little suspicious that this would actually work and that stadium security would be cool with people bringing fast food into a game. So I gave it a try.

I took a pair of clear McValue Pack bags into Chicago's Wrigley Field during a recent game just to see how easy it was. It turns out, no one seemed to care much that I was carrying two bags filled with McDonald's food.

Wrigley Field has a fairly fan-friendly policy for bringing in outside food. Die-hard Cubs fans sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley even schedule an annual potluck when they bring food during the team's final home game of the year.

Yes, they seriously bring dishes to share with others as they wait for the first pitch.

Rob Carroll photos

Seriously, before this, I was pretty sure awkwardly stuffing a flattened cheeseburger in my pocket would be my best option for getting outside food into the ballpark. Both my 5-year-old daughter and I walked right through the gates with our food,

And those Chicken McNuggets came in clutch when she was bummed the Cubs were losing 4-0 after the first inning.

child eating mcdonalds wrigley field

Besides being able to skip concession lines inside the ballpark, I also appreciated McDonald's including bags that made it easy to collect all of your trash after the game.

As a parent who was already lugging around multiple bags of souvenirs (yes, I am a pushover when it comes to my kid wanting things), drink bottles and a backpack full of additional supplies, it was nice to have a way to get rid of our garbage to make a little more room around our seats.

Rob Carroll photo

How to Get McDonald's Stadium-Friendly Bags

McDonald's has a couple different ways to snag one of their new stadium-friendly McValue Pack bags.

READ MORE: 13 Wild Facts Only True McDonald's Chicken McNugget Fans Know

The chain is giving the bags (and food to put in them) to fans attending baseball games in the following cities on July 22:

BOSTON

McDonald's: 540 Commonwealth Ave. (near Fenway Park)

• Secure the Bag: 6:10 pm ET
• Game time: 7:10 pm ET

CHICAGO

McDonald's: 3610 North Clark Street (across from Wrigley Field)

• Secure the Bag: 6:10 pm CT
• Game time: 7:10 pm CT

SEATTLE 

McDonald's: 2401 4th Ave South (near T-Mobile Park)

• Secure the Bag: 11:40 am PT
• Game time: 12:40 pm PT

Those who are unable to attend the games will have the opportunity to purchase their own McValue Pack bags from GoldenArchesUnlimited.com for $2.99 starting at 9 a.m. ET on July 24 while supplies last.

The site serves as McDonald's online marketplace for swag and unique promotional items.

Keep reading to see photos of vintage McDonald's items used throughout the chain's history to promote its menu.