Kennywood's Potato Patch fries coming to Heinz Field for Steelers, Pitt games

The Steelers and Kennywood are teaming up for fries: Potato Patch fries.

After collaborating for the Steel Curtain roller coaster and Steelers Experience at Kennywood, Heinz Field on Pittsburgh’s North Shore will serve the park’s beloved Potato Patch fries. They’ll come with with Heinz Ketchup and real cheese.

“We have such a wonderful relationship with Kennywood,” said Nick Sero, corporate communications manager for the Steelers and Heinz Field. “With the Steel Curtain being the tallest roller coaster in Pennsylvania and the most inversions in the world, we welcomed teaming up with the Potato Patch fries, a staple at Kennywood.”

The Potato Patch signature fresh cut fries will be available in the Fed Ex Great Hall. They will be offered in several versions, including original as well as with cheese sauce, gravy or bacon cheddar fries. The stand also will serve chicken tenders.

“With the Steelers moving into Kennywood this summer, it made total sense to bring our most popular product to Heinz Field for fans to enjoy this fall,” said Mike Henninger, Kennywood food and beverage director. “We expect our fresh-cut Potato Patch Fries to be a perfect stadium snack.”

Guests can try the fries at Sunday’s Steelers Family Fest at Heinz Field. The fries also will be available during University of Pittsburgh football games.

Also new on the menu this year are tacos. The stadium will open Los Tacos, which will serve everything from vegetarian to meat-filled tacos in traditional shells as well as bowls. The El Rios Bachas and Tacos has Pollo Bochas, seasoned chicken, rice, corn, black beans, shredded lettuce, salsa Verdi, shredded cheddar, queso fresco, black olives, jalapenos, cilantro sour cream and scallions.

The Filete El Rio Bochas is seasoned sirloin, rice, corn, black beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, pico de gallo, shredded cheddar, queso fresco, black olives, jalapenos, cilantro sour cream, and scallions. There is a vegetarian option.

A Smallman Street sandwich is roasted banana peppers, Smith’s shaved hot sausage, fried eggplant, marinara, and whole milk mozzarella on a toasted Kaiser roll.

The California turkey burger has guacamole, mango salsa, garlic aioli, on a wheat Kaiser roll. The Porchetta sandwich is porchetta, provolone cheese, roasted broccolini, oil poached tomatoes on a fresh roll.

“We try to make sure everybody has an option,” Aramark executive chef Jason Whitecotton said. “The food experience is very important. We want fans to enjoy the game and also have food they like. It’s all part of it.”

Wigle Whiskey is also in the mix. The Pittsburgh-based company will serve a special Black and Yellow signature bourbon drink. It was introduced at a pop-up during the Garth Brooks concert in May, and it was a success, said Meredith Meyer Grelli, co-owner of Wigle Whiskey.

“We can’t tell you the ingredients,” Grelli said. “This is a meaningful partnership for us. The Steelers are the most iconic brand in the region. We were head-over-heels to work with them.”

Fans can relive former Steelers Super Bowls and learn about the Terrible Towel thanks to Pittsburgh-based YinzCam.

It is a company that has more than 100 professional and college sports team apps and works in augmented reality. From the Terrible Towel Wall that debuted last season to this year’s experiences at the Super Bowl, fans can feel close to the action, Sero said.

There will be predictive gaming where fans can guess which play the team will run during the game to accumulate points and win prizes. Fans will be able to stream all Steelers games through the Steelers mobile app – within about a 75-mile radius.

For the first hour after gates open, new food specials will be available in the Fed Ex Great Hall and West Main Concourse, which includes $8 for a Smith’s hot dog, chips and 16 oz. pop or $8 for Heinz Field nachos and a 16 oz. pop.

Digital ticketing also will play a larger role this season. The stadium will not access screen shots of barcodes or printed out paper tickets. These measures will cut down on fraud, Sero said.

Fans can access tickets through the Steelers app and and save them to their phone “wallets,” Sero said. The only paper tickets accepted will be those issued by the Steelers.