If you’re planning spend eight or 12 hours at the Hangout Music Fest, sooner or later, you’re going to have to eat. Assuming you didn’t opt for an inclusive VIP option, that’s going to cost you – but how much?

Well, that depends. You’ve got a lot of options. This isn’t the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where the food is almost as much of an attraction as the music and much of it reflects the unique culinary traditions of the site.

We might as well get this out of the way first: Adult beverages do not come cheap. A basic 12-ounce Corona will set you back $10. “Cuervo Tradicional Margaritas” are $14 for 12 ounces, $24 for 20 ounces. The same prices and sizes applied to three other widely available cocktails: The “Hangout Punch” (Malibu Peach, O.J., cranberry), the “John Daly” (Absolut, iced tea, lemonade) and the “Electric Lemonade” (Malibu Coconut, lemonade).

Cokes, Sprites and bottled water are generally $4, though a 1-liter Dasani will set you back $6.

Jazz Fest is embodied by many dishes, from jambalaya to gumbo to crawfish bread. It’s hard to say what the equivalent would be for a hot, sunny beach fest. But you can get pizza slices, corn dogs, gyros, Asian plates and a whole lot more. My colleague Maggie Kates reported that $16 plus tax and tip got her a “disappointing” chicken finger plate.

As for myself, I found myself gravitating toward a barbecue-centric booth run by the “Gouda Boys,” who offer basic barbecue sandwiches, at least if your idea of “basic” includes having your choice meat smothered in gouda cheese sauce with onion and peppers. Step up to the $18 “gangsta sandwich” bracket and you get options such as the Scarface, with brisket, mac & cheese, gouda cheese sauce and bacon. Or you can just go whole hog, so to speak, with the $20 “Dr. Lecter:” Brisket, pulled pork, grilled chicken, mac & cheese, gouda cheese sauce and bacon. They all come served on a hoagie-style bun, which at least in theory makes them easier to pick up, but a fork is really the way to go.

My Dr. Lecter with a Coke was $24 plus tax and tip, and it was everything I expected it to be: Rich, tasty, and way too heavy for anyone who wants to keep tromping through the sand from stage to stage.

On the whole, the Hangout menu is a step or two above routine carnival food, and the prices aren’t shocking. Here’s a survey of what’s on offer:

$3 — Egg roll

$4 — Coke, bottled water, sprite (Note: The festival has several free water filling stations)

$5 — Frito pie; Frios pop; spring rolls

$6 — Sliced watermelon; lemonade

$8 — Smoked brisket egg rolls; cold brew coffee; 20-ounce fresh-squeezed lemonade; cheese fries

$9 — Fried dumplings; 16-ounce latte

$10 — Smoked gouda mac & cheese; fries with cheese or gravy; “Gangsta roll” egg roll; vegan fries; “Fred Oreos (vegetarian);” vegetable rice or lo mein; crab Rangoon; “Pizza Nova” pizza slice

$11 — Cheese fry basket; “spice pie” pizza slice; iced vanilla matcha latte

$12 — Fresh ground beef burger; veggie fried rice; cheese quesadilla; 32-ounce strawberry lemonade

$13 — Banh Mi; cheeseburger

$14 — Pulled pork fried rice; birria taco-dillas; veggie lo mein

$15 — Gouda Boys BBQ sandwiches

$16 — Chicken pita; falafel wrap; chicken tender basket; chicken quesadilla

$17 — Various Asian plates

$18 — Gouda Boys Gangsta sandwiches; 1-pound burrito; loaded nachos; lamb or chicken gyro; chicken tender basket with fries; loaded fries; various Asian bowls;

$19 — Chicken bacon ranch quesadilla

$21 — Asian sampler plate

There are, of course, two other options: The Hangout restaurant, ground zero for the fest that bears its name, remains open throughout the event. And festival patrons are free to leave and re-enter, meaning they can get to quite a few local restaurants within easy walking distance of the festival gates.

More on Hangout Fest:

One impact of Hangout Fest? A longer tourism season in Baldwin County

Going to the 2023 Hangout Fest? Here’s what you can’t bring with you

Gulf Shores mayor on Hangout Fest: ‘I believe it’s done a lot’ for city