Plates Stacked 6.8 Times Higher Than Everest... 'Record-Breaking Consumption' at the Milan Winter Olympics

63% Of Spectators Were Overseas Visitors
1.3 Million Tickets Sold
60 kg Of Cheese And 10,000 Eggs Consumed Per Day
One Year Spent Just On Menu Selection

During the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, athletes consumed several hundred kilograms of food per day at the athletes' village.

On February 23, Yonhap News Agency reported that the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee disclosed the operational status of the athletes' village and ticket sales figures at a closing press conference held in Milan, Italy.

According to the Organizing Committee, athletes consumed on a daily average about 60 kg of cheese, 365 kg of pasta, 10,000 eggs, 8,000 cups of coffee, and 12,000 slices of pizza at the athletes' village. If all the used plates were stacked, they would reach a height of about 60 km. This is approximately 6.8 times the height of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, at about 8,648 meters.

The Winter Olympics Organizing Committee disclosed the status of athletes' village operations and ticket sales at the closing press conference held in Milan, Italy, TASS, Yonhap News

Considerable effort also went into designing the menu. The Organizing Committee explained, "It took about one year just to decide on the menu in order to reflect the diverse eating habits and nutritional needs of the athletes." During the Games, a total of about 10,800 meals were served every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner: 4,500 meals at the Milan athletes' village, 4,000 at the Cortina d'Ampezzo athletes' village, and 2,300 at the Predazzo athletes' village.

Ticket sales were also strong. About 1.3 million tickets were sold for the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, achieving an 88% sell-through rate. Of all spectators, 37% were Italian nationals, while 63% were overseas visitors. Among foreign spectators, Germans accounted for the largest share at 15%, followed by the United States at 14%, and the United Kingdom and Switzerland at 6% each. In particular, ski mountaineering, which was included as an official Olympic event for the first time at these Games, emerged as the most popular discipline, with both of its races sold out. Speed skating and short track achieved a 95% seat occupancy rate, while figure skating and ice hockey recorded a 93% occupancy rate.

Ticket sales were also strong. At the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, about 1.3 million tickets were sold, achieving an 88% sales rate. AP and Yonhap

The previous Games, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, were held with no spectators or limited spectators for most events due to the impact of COVID-19. As a result, on-site ticket sales were far lower than at these Games. Before that, at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, about 1.07 million tickets were sold, with a sell-through rate of around 80%. Taking this into account, the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Games are being evaluated as the most successful Winter Olympics in terms of box office performance since the pandemic.

The Organizing Committee stated, "We prepared across the board in terms of meals, operations, and the overall spectator environment to create Games that would satisfy both athletes and spectators," adding, "These Games delivered meaningful results not only in sports, but also in revitalizing the local economy and tourism."