All American Dave Food Service Not Permitted To Attend WSOP 2022

He has been a mainstay for thousands of hungry poker players at the World Series of Poker for over a decade, but this year David ‘All American Dave’ Swanson has been told he can’t operate his healthy food services at the WSOP, and the players aren’t happy about it.

Need help 🙏Was just informed that we will not be at Bally’s for the #wsop +we are not allowed to deliver from our offsite location. Over a decade building & just like that it’s over? Hard to imagine the series without us. There’s gotta be a way, right? @wsop#EatBetter#BeBetter

— David Swanson (@AllAmericanDave) March 2, 2022

Swanson and his AAD food truck would normally have been looking forward to another summer parked up outside the Rio, serving customers with high-quality, organically produced food, designed as brain fuel for long, hard sessions at the poker table.

This year, however, the WSOP has upped sticks and moved to the Bally's/Paris casino combo, and those strip venues aren’t making AAD very welcome.

“I spoke to the executives that I’ve worked with at the Rio for information,” Swanson explained to Poker.org’s Jon Pill. “As I feared, there was an issue with the union on the strip. We would not be allowed to set up on the property or bring meals in...”

That news hasn’t gone down well with the players who relied on All American Dave’s healthy meal plans, which they could have delivered to their tables or picked up on breaks.

Three-time WSOP Bracelet winner, Greg Mueller, shared his opinion on Twitter...

Common @wsop part of competing for long gruelling hrs is the ability to eat healthy!!! @AllAmericanDave has been a positive influence and a staple at the series for over a decade now!!! Let’s find a way to keep this goin!!!!#ADD4TheWin

— Greg Mueller (@GregFBT) March 2, 2022

Tony Cousineau added:

“This is not right, you've provided us with healthy food choices and great service for so many years, they would be doing a large disservice to the poker community. Let us know how we can help.”

David McGowan implored the WSOP to step in and find a solution:

“@WSOP please find a way to fix this. AAD massively improves the customer experience of YOUR product. Can’t imagine a series without him and his team.”

Swanson started his now-iconic All American Dave food services back in 2008, after gaining some serious weight following knee surgery.

The lifestyle changes that followed saw him turn his personal food and fitness regime into a brand that mixed poker and healthy food – “giving them the energy to win!” as his website states.

Although there are multiple options for players to eat with the WSOP caravan moving lock, stock and barrel to their new host venues on the Vegas Strip, not everyone was convinced by the offerings.

Jeff Boski’s alternatives for a 7-week stay at the Series was a sarcastic and carb-heavy take on what’s on offer...

Four healthy, high quality options in the Ballys food court pic.twitter.com/L21CIPzGIl

— Jeff Boski (@ICuRaRook) March 3, 2022

All is not yet lost for Swanson and his All American Dave run on the WSOP, telling Jon Pill:

“If I’m not allowed on the property — which is how it stands now — people can still pick up meals from my food truck.”