The organizers of the West Coast Taco and Beer Festival in San Francisco are now accepting refund requests after widespread complaints from attendees. The festival, held over the weekend, had promised unlimited tacos and bottomless beer samples but fell short of expectations for many guests.
Yi He, Ph.D., a marketing professor at CSU East Bay, criticized the event for overpromising and underdelivering. “The event organizer was trying really hard to attract attendees but definitely overpromised and did not deliver,” He said.
The festival, held at The Midway, featured a $50 ticket price for access to taco and beer tastings. However, many attendees reported that the free food and beverage options were depleted shortly after the event started. Matt Jenkins and his fiancée, who attended the festival, were dismayed by the experience. “After the first 20 minutes, all of the free options ran out. We waited in line for an hour only to find that there were no free tacos available,” Jenkins said.
Online reviews and social media posts echoed these concerns, with numerous attendees expressing frustration over long waits and insufficient food. One attendee noted, “We were in by 1:15 p.m., but there were never any free taco samples.” Another lamented, “Spent an hour waiting to get in, only to be told that they had run out of food.”
The venue, The Midway, stated that it had only rented space to the event promoters and is encouraging them to address the issues. “We are encouraging the promoter to either refund the attendees or find another way to make this right,” The Midway said in a statement.
The West Coast Taco and Beer Festival’s issues are reminiscent of the Bay Area Taco and Beer Festival held in San Jose in 2019, which also faced problems with food availability and management. Brandon Mozley, CEO of Live Free Events, who manages both festivals, had previously stated that all sales were final. However, in light of recent feedback, he has announced that refunds are now being accepted.
For those seeking refunds, it is advised to dispute charges through credit card companies, as specific refund procedures have not been detailed by the organizers. The next scheduled event is set for San Jose at the end of August. Organizers have indicated that while entry prices have been reduced, food will incur additional charges.
