A sold out stadium for a televised FA Cup fixture against Arsenal seemed like a perfect opportunity for business at Oxford United.
But it turned out to be a nightmare for a catering company at the Kassam Stadium which has now stopped selling burgers inside the ground.
This was on the back of criticism received online for the quality of their food following Monday night's cup game.
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A picture of a £4.40 6oz steak burger, served with cheese in a brioche bun with a blob of sauce, went viral on the popular social media account Footy Scran which rates food at football clubs across the country.
Cheeseburger at Oxford United (@OUFCOfficial)
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) January 10, 2023
💷 £4.40 pic.twitter.com/M0DsliQmtd
Farrs Catering Group, a small business that provides food at the ground, told The Times it received "shocking and upsetting" messages on the back of the Twitter post.
Bailey Farr, managing director of Farrs Catering Group, has since told the Oxford Mail the company will continue to offer burgers on the outside units as well as pies and pasties inside the ground.
He described these as being food items which the home fans "love".
Mr Farr is also working with designers of the potential new stadium to see if it will accommodate Farrs Catering Group.
Bailey Farr (Image: Twitter/@farrscatering)
Mr Farr said: "We have decided after reading the feedback from Oxford fans that, despite our best efforts, fans are not happy with burgers inside the stadium.
"We are looking at other options to fill the place of burgers now we have the additional cooking and storage capacity.
"We are very limited inside the stadium with the design of the concessions.
"I am excited to have been invited to work with the new stadium builders to help design spaces which are much better suited to offering effective and appropriate service."
Oxford United has said it will not be commenting on the issue.
Among the comments in response to the viral picture of the burger were: "I just don’t get why any club would serve something as bad as this.
"I would be so embarrassed."
Another football fan commenting on the post said: "Looks like something that's came out of Chernobyl."
But others have defended the catering company on Oxford supporters' forums, suggesting the picture of the burger had been designed to provoke a response on social media.
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Rachel Burden has also defended the food believing the burger "is not that bad".
This photo caused such upset to the catering company involved, acc to @thetimes - they've pulled out of providing burgers inside the Kassam Stadium.
— Rachel Burden (@rachelburden) January 12, 2023
But it's not THAT bad #InMyOpinion #FromMyPersonalPerspective @rickedwards1 @bbc5live https://t.co/AXMlFkhklg
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