Dream Food Fest — Attraction in East Rutherford

Depending on various factors like company, timing, weather, and expectations, your experience can range from enjoyable to disappointing.

PARKING Parking at the American Dream Mall can be straightforward if you do your research. There are multiple entrances to Parking Deck A, not just the one marked "American Dream." I parked within 5-10 minutes using an alternative entrance. You can pay for parking before leaving at kiosks inside the mall, the ticket reader upon exiting, or via QR code on your phone. The fee is $5 unless there's an event at MetLife Stadium.

TICKETS General admission costs $18 (including service fees and tax). VIP tickets are not worth the extra cost. They do not allow you to keep your wristband upon leaving. I scrapbook! I have proof /colormiamazing on IG. It's not rocket science. Use a whole punch next time!

LINES Arriving early is crucial to avoid long lines. While it was empty when my friend and I arrived at 5 PM, lines grew significantly later in the evening.

FOOD There's some people saying that they bought food that was $5. WHERE? They had no prices out in the open. Things were not transparent. Everything I waited in line for, ended up being a minimum of $10! Skewer with barely any meat: $10 Twisted potato: $10 Candied fruit on a stick: $7 for 3 pieces, $12 for 5 pieces Mocktail boba bear: $10 (regular cup), $20 (bear bottle) Gyro: $10 (one of the few worthwhile items) Many vendors didn't provide receipts or text notifications for purchases, making it hard to track spending.

MERCHANDISE Everything is expensive and not worth it! The variety of non-food merchants was limited, and most only accepted cash. I do expect vendors who come to these things to support cashless transactions through Venmo, PayPal, or Square.

POSITIVES Bringing your own water bottles was allowed, which helped me stay hydrated with my 64 oz Hydroflask. There was some seating with a nice breeze. I used a regular bathroom before I went inside the fest, and it was the best decision I made for myself. Because for the entire 3-4 hours that I was there, I didn't need to use any portapotties. I also used the mall facilities upon leaving. The music was enjoyable, and I plan to check out the artists.

OVERALL For the second year in a row, this event was poorly organized. Friends who attended last year reported sold-out food and non-functional card readers. My phone service was very slow after 7 PM, likely due to the crowd size. We left at 8:30 PM to avoid traffic and had gotten Five Guys for takeout. The Dream Food Fest staff refused to let us keep our wristbands, which was frustrating.

I'm rating this event 2 stars. Despite some enjoyable moments and great company, I wouldn't return. Foodies should steer clear, and influencers hyping up this event should reconsider. I believe the festival's poor management doesn't reflect American Dream Mall's overall corporate culture, which I still support. However, I don't recommend the Dream Food...

Yikes. Talk about a rip off. This food festival has over 120 vendors from the NJ/NY/PA areas and let me tell you... SAVE YOUR WALLET because it is not worth your money.

If you purchase tickets online ahead of time, general admission is close to $20 (including tax + a random fee) and "VIP"admission is $57. Ticket prices go up on the day of. Parking is $5, which is a nightmare in itself. So before you even eat, you're already paying either $25 or $62 JUST TO PARK AND ENTER THE FESTIVAL.

So I made the dumb mistake of buying VIP. It's advertised as having extra perks like expedited entry, premium bathrooms, reserved seating areas, 2 complimentary beverages, stage access, and a swag bag. It's all a joke lol. The reserved seating area, stage access, and premium bathrooms aren't close to being anything special. The complimentary beverages are only lukewarm Dasani water, coke, sprite, and lemonade. The "swag" they give you is a tote bag with a magnet, fan, pin, and crackers. NOT WORTH $57.

To make matters worse, most of the vendors are expensive or selling full meals... Yes, it's great that there are over 120 vendors but how are we supposed to enjoy a food festival when there are outrageous prices or large portions?! We want smaller portions/quick bites or sample sizes at reasonable prices so we can enjoy the food and support these businesses.

The cherry on top? I spent $22 on an incredibly mediocre jerk chicken cheesesteak and $10 on the worst bubble tea of my life... which I will get into on individual reviews. I'm giving two stars for the kind staff managing the event, decent variety of cuisines, quick lines, and no large crowds.

A disappointing experience overall. Ya live...

Agree with everyone else, this event was a DISASTER. It was hazardous and dangerous for any living person in attendance. People brought their families on a weekend when the weather was exorbitantly hot to be met with nothing but a major lack of organization and rampant disregard for safety. Between the mayhem that was parking when you finally parked you had to wait in a long line that no one was manning, again under blazing sun. No one to direct you and no water or shade. Upon entering the “event” space which was terribly set up, the check in agents had no idea what they were doing and then the kiosks didn’t even properly work. Seating was not as ample for the size of the crowd and worse was getting around and ordering. This was by far the worst event I’ve ever attended and I didn’t even have the chance to eat a single bite because i was seriously concerned for my safety. Between health concerns and actually no baggage check this was just horrendous. I would highly discourage anyone and everyone from ever visiting...