Meet the All-Star Globe Life employees who have been serving Rangers fans for decades

For the veteran bartenders, chefs and managers at Globe Life Field, the past year has been a banner one, not only for the World Series champions, but also for the behind-the-scenes operations at the stadium. Many of the stadium’s food and beverage employees have worked for the Rangers for decades and are finally enjoying a streak of success at home.

This week’s All-Star Game was the cherry on top: tens of thousands of fans from across the country flocked to the stadium in search of food and drink. And maybe baseball, too.

Casey Rapp is general manager of Delaware North, the hospitality company hired by the Rangers to manage food, beverage and retail at Globe Life.

“It’s an exciting job,” Rapp said. “We went to the World Series last year, we had the All-Star Game this year. We had concerts … you’ll see a lot of people come back year after year and enjoy this job.”

For these Globe Life concessions employees (about 1,500 people working in food, beverage and retail, according to Delaware North), the All-Star star and the Rangers’ success meant more than just a higher paycheck. It was a victory for them as fans of the team and a boost in morale from the stadium’s high energy.

Two decades of fresh beer

When Stan Mills first took a job selling beer at the Rangers ballpark in 2006, he thought he would only work a few games. But he has now worked at the stadium for nearly two decades. A lifelong Texan and Rangers fan, he remembers watching Nolan Ryan pitch at Arlington Stadium in the 1990s.

As a beer salesman, Mills remembers serving fans Coors Light, Michelob Ultra and Bud Light in the stands. He still remembers his favorite call.

“No waiting, no line, you can buy one of mine,” Mills shouted from the stands.

When Globe Life Field opened after the pandemic, Mills started working as a bartender.

“I haven’t looked back since,” Mills said.

Mills enjoys getting to know his customers at the stadium and loves serving regulars. He said the most popular drinks are Ranch Waters and margaritas on the rocks.

Last year, bartending during World Series viewing parties was “insane,” he said. Even though Globe Life was operating at limited capacity, it seemed like the bar was packed and there was always a line.

After decades of cheering for the team, the World Series victory was a victorious reward for Mills.

“62 years of waiting,” Mills said.

Put the steps in place

Jane Goolsbee is a bar supervisor at Globe Life. This is her 25th season with the Rangers and Tuesday was her second All-Star appearance. She has another job in quality assurance but took a week off to work at Globe Life for the All-Star festivities.

Since the Rangers won the World Series last year, Goolsbee said she’s been busier and employees are able to earn more. She estimates Globe Life dealership employees can earn 15 to 20 percent more money when the Rangers are doing well.

“Back when things were bad, there were days we had to not work,” Goolsbee said. “Those days are not possible today.”

Fans head to the stadium before the MLB All-Star baseball game on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at Globe Life Field in Arlington. (Shafkat Anowar / Photographer)

She also notices more tips when Globe Life is in a good mood.

“When fans are happy, they tend to buy more and tip better,” Goolsbee said. “They’re generally better toward us when they’re happy.”

Goolsbee said her job requires her to walk a lot between the stadium bars. On Monday, she walked about 16,000 steps. During a World Series game as a concessions manager at the old stadium, she once walked more than 30,000 steps in one day, the most she has ever recorded.

With more than two decades of experience, Goolsbee has seen a lot of change at the Rangers. Globe Life Field opened in 2020 and revolutionized the Rangers’ home field with its retractable roof and air conditioning.

“It’s nice not to see people passing out everywhere,” Goolsbee said. “But I feel like it’s a little different in an enclosed space.”

Feeding the masses

Cris Vázquez is the regional executive chef at Globe Life Field. He has worked at the Rangers stadium for 18 years, most recently at Globe Life Park in Arlington. He is responsible for all food production at the venue.

Vázquez explained that preparations for the All-Star Game begin 10 days in advance. About 180 employees and chefs from England, New York and Florida helped him develop the dishes proposed for the event.

As executive chef, Vázquez is responsible for coordinating menus, staffing, costs and more. But despite his administrative responsibilities, Vázquez doesn’t shy away from helping with culinary tasks.

He said it can be difficult to coordinate food at the stadium around game schedules and fluctuating attendance. But he’s no stranger to the challenge. He’s been a chef at four World Series games and said he’s been “lucky” to have worked at major events like the MLB All-Star Game and a Super Bowl in the past.

Vázquez tried to showcase Texas cuisine for the All-Star Game, since many out-of-town fans were expected. He served a Texas steak sandwich, a Texas cheesesteak and a Lone Star Frito pie hot dog. Globe Life also offered street tacos, poke bowls, jambalaya, Cajun pasta, hot dogs and a 2-foot-long “bed” of fries and toppings, dubbed the “Three Strike BoomBox.”

“We offer a little bit of everything,” Vazquez said. “We just want to see happy faces.”

Behind the stadium’s counters, grills and bars this week, decades of experience catering to hungry baseball fans culminated in an orchestra of food and drink. The veteran concession workers who made it possible had a wealth of experience preparing them, from World Series victories to venue changes to this year’s midsummer classic.

“I do this for passion,” Vazquez said. “You see a lot of fans, a lot of happy faces.”