The Masters Pimento Cheese Sandwich has become as iconic as the event itself
There’s one aspect of the Masters that almost makes the golf fade into the background: when someone walks by holding a neatly wrapped sandwich. The Masters Pimento Cheese sandwich isn’t flashy, it’s not oversized, it doesn’t have any trendy toppings and it hasn’t changed in years. That’s exactly the point.
At a tournament known for exclusivity, tradition and a whole lot of money, the concessions menu feels both out of place and right at home. The prices are shockingly low, the options are simple and the whole lunch experience is refreshingly unfussy. You don’t need a reservation to get one of the most-talked-about foods in sports.
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At the center of it all is the Pimento Cheese Sandwich, a $1.50 staple that’s almost as recognizable as the green jacket itself. It goes viral every year, and the story isn’t just about what’s in it, but how it became part of the Masters identity.
What is the story behind the Pimento Cheese Sandwich?
The Pimento Cheese Sandwich has been part of the Masters for decades, but its origins are sweetly personal. According to the Augusta Chronicle, the sandwiches were originally prepared by a local family who supplied food for the tournament in its early years.
In the 1940s, Hodges and Ola Herndon made all the Masters concessions out of their home kitchen in Augusta and sold them for a quarter a piece. It’s questioned whether their pimento cheese sandwich was the first of its kind, but one thing is not up for debate: It was delicious.
“To this day, I hear compliments on the egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches,” their son, Tom Herndon, who drove a truck that delivered the goods to the course, told the Chronicle in 2014.
Eventually, the Masters needed more sandwiches than the Herndons could supply. A local caterer took over concessions until 1998. Then a restaurant franchise owner took on making all the pimento cheese hungry golfers and spectators could eat. In 2013, the Masters brought concessions in-house.
The iconic affordable Masters concessions menu
Now, in 2026, the Masters does its best to stick as closely to the Herndons’ original menu — and prices — as possible. In fact, you could buy every single thing on the menu for under $100, making the concessions menu feel frozen in time. You can get:
- An egg salad sandwich for $1.50
- Pork Bar-B-Que, a Masters Club, chicken salad, ham and cheese or classic chicken for $3
- A chicken biscuit or breakfast sandwich for $3
- A soft drink, bottled water or fresh brewed iced tea for $2
- Beer or wine for $6
There are even sweet treats on the menu. Georgia pecan caramel popcorn is $2, or a Georgia peach ice cream sandwich is $3.
If you’re not planning to attend the Masters, but you want to try the food, you can order hosting kits with a mix of concessions online. They are not as affordable as the iconic menu in person — Goldbelly charges $99 for a kit that serves four to six. They’re sold out right now, but you can join a wait list for when more become available. There are even some Masters-inspired menus out there, like the one at Shake Shack. If you really want to lean into the theme, there are also Masters flags, vintage course maps and T-shirts to complete the vibe.
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