Hutchins BBQ (save room for free peach cobbler and banana pudding and ice cream), Hard Eight BBQ (don't sleep on the jalapeno creamed corn)

This pic is from 2022 at Hutchins. One of my buddies had never had fried okra.
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Peach cobbler with ice cream and banana pudding at Hutchins.
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Perry's Steakhouse across the street from the convention center. Go for the Friday pork chop lunch special.

This is the dinner pork chop also from 2022 and is carved tableside. Meat candy! The lunch version is much smaller.
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I haven't had Hard Eight in a while even though there's a location closer to me. I've heard the one in The Colony has not been as great as it was. I love the rub they use, though.

I believe the main reason for a pinball festival is for people from all walks of life to come together enjoy a common activity.

FUN! in Mesquite is the main distributor for the show. They have show specials if you purchase the games in advance. This gets you an exhibitor pass for the weekend with all the perks. The game is usually unboxed on Thursday and stays on the floor until show close on Sunday. Then you take the game home. I would expect FUN!'s games are all already spoken for. (They only advertised Stern games.) The other manufacturers who have booths will have their games on the floor for sale (JJP, CGC, Spooky, API, etc.), but they tend to sell quickly. However, last year, CGC and JJP did box up unsold games (CCr and GF) to take back with them. I was one of the last exhibitors to leave last year and watched them box them up. I was surprised how many games did not sell. There are always distributors at the show whom you could order a game from, but I would not expect to purchase a NIB game at the show at a discount.

Even better is the Italian Beef sandwich! Get it dipped with giardiniera peppers! And don't forget the chocolate cake shake!

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I totally forgot about Spitz! Not far from the convention center. The gyro is amazing!

https://spitz-restaurant.com/mediterranean-food-frisco-restaurant-bar/

JJP is on the exhibitor list and they have a booth in the center of the floor.

The games list is of games being brought by collectors.

The main showroom opens at 4pm. Early bird tickets get in at noon today. Tournament area is upstairs away from the show. Vendors/collectors who brought games get entry to the showroom practically any time. The seminar room is open and accessed from outside the showroom. Check out the floorplan in the image gallery.

That's Steve Ritchie playing T2. The other guy looks more like Gavin than Mark.