We checked out all 15 ‘Just Walk Out’ cashierless food and apparel shops at Lumen Field in Seattle

Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, holds the geeky distinction of having the most cashierless locations that use Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology of any stadium across the U.S.

Amazon’s system is an amalgamation of overhead cameras, shelf weight sensors, and computer vision software. Fans scan their credit card (or palm) upon entry, and the technology tracks what items they grab. Then they simply walk out without needing to interact with a cashier or self-checkout process.

Amazon first unveiled the technology at one of its Amazon Go convenience stores back in 2018. It has added the system in other store formats, though recently backed away from Just Walk Out in most of its large-format Amazon Fresh grocery stores and shifted to smart shopping carts.

Stadium concession stands, however, seem like the ideal use case for Just Walk Out. It’s a more streamlined shopping experience (fewer items, consistent format, and a small footprint) where speed really matters (fans want to get back to the game).

Amazon white-labels Just Walk Out to retailers in stadiums, which is why you won’t see much of the company’s branding on the stores. Amazon has grown its third-party Just Walk Out business, selling the tech to more than 200 stores in airports, hospitals, and college campuses, in addition to sports and music venues.

We checked out all 15 stores at Lumen Field last week — six were added this season — when the Seahawks hosted the 49ers for Thursday Night Football, including two apparel shops that use RFID tags instead of cameras. Here’s a quick rundown of each location, starting with our favorites.

Tutta Bella, sections 107 and 137

Tutta Bella is hard to beat if you’re looking for a higher-end Just Walk Out food pickup.

Pizza ($17.99 for pepperoni), salads ($16.99 for a chicken caesar), charcuterie ($12.49), tiramisu ($14.49) — all from a well-known Seattle-based pizzeria.

There’s even a chicken pasta primavera ($15.49) and rigatoni bolognese ($15.49). This is elevated “fast food.”

The Tutta Bella locations also have Red Vines, M&Ms, Sour Patch Kids, and peanuts.

The drink selection is somewhat limited, relative to other Just Walk Out shops at the stadium.

But the personal pizzas and Italian specialties push Tutta Bella atop our rankings.

District Market, section 300

Fans seated up in the nosebleeds aren’t left out when it comes to Just Walk Out.

In fact, the District Market location seems like the most well-rounded cashierless location at Lumen Field.

There is a wide array of beers and other alcoholic drinks, and some fun food options. The butter chicken wings ($14.99) looked tasty. The chicken teriyaki bowl ($13.99) and pork belly BBQ burnt ends ($14.49) were intriguing.

Throw in some peanuts, chips, and candy (Swedish Fish at this one!) — and you’ve got a solid Just Walk Out option on the 300-level.

Fly Thru Market, sections 105, 114, 122, 304, 310, 323, 334 and 340

You can certainly “fly through” these drink-focused locations. There’s something for everyone here, from local craft beers to domestic tastes, to wine and various hard seltzers — even mixed cocktails, non-alcoholic, and Starbucks drinks are available.

The Fly Thru Markets are located directly across from the traditional concession stands, which usually have lines.

It’s almost as easy as getting up off the couch and grabbing a drink from your fridge while watching from home. Except this particular fridge is a lot bigger — and the drinks will drain your wallet a bit more.

Hempler’s/Bavarian Meats “Local Dog & Brats” section 109 and 135

If you’re looking for that classic gameday dog and pretzel, supplied by two Washington state brands, this location will do the trick.

There are several hot dog choices here, including the “Seattle Dog” ($15.49), a vegan option, and a regular dog for just $5. There are also $5 cans of Busch Light sold here. That’s a pretty good gameday deal.

The Pro Shop, section 124

There are two apparel stores at Lumen Field that use a different format of “Just Walk Out.” Instead of scanning your payment option at the entrance, you do it at the end, where sensors scan RFID tags of each item you’re holding.

The larger, better shop at section 124 is stocked with jerseys, hats, beanies, and more.

The other apparel location, over by section 140 in the Northwest corner of the stadium, is an “outlet” shop that is much smaller and sells discounted items. The options here are not as good, unless you’re looking for cheap jerseys of former players. We tested out this store when it debuted last season.

Final thoughts

It was a fun experiment walking through the concourse with the various store formats, from the old school stand-in-line-for-your-food, to the cashierless options.

There are several “Grab & Go” stores which use self-checkout machines. It’s not as fast as just walking out, but for venue operators, they don’t require as much technology and there is more flexibility to rotate food/drink.

One particular “Grab & Go” location in the lower bowl sold drinks, chips, candy, and sandwiches — even a tofu bahn mi from Saigon Drip Cafe in Seattle’s International District. There was also an apparel stand with hats and the “coozie of the game.”

The store had a nice selection of various items, with plenty of room for patrons to move around and little waiting time.

Finally, this installation from Bellevue, Wash.-based wireless carrier T-Mobile caught my attention. T-Mobile customers could get into “Club Magenta” — which came with a free snack and drink — if they showed a pass in the company’s T-Life app.

A nice perk for existing customers — free beer at the game! — and a good way to get folks to download the app. Could Verizon, AT&T, or other brands beyond wireless also do something similar?

Cashierless technology definitely seems like a permanent fixture at Lumen Field, and at stadiums across the world. The Seahawks say they’re seeing higher throughput and sales at certain locations after transitioning to the Just Walk Out format.

It’s still not clear if Amazon’s particular system will proliferate elsewhere, such as traditional grocery or department stores. There are also other companies and startups developing their own versions of the technology. And questions remain about the cost of installing and maintaining the tech, learning curves for consumers, and data privacy concerns.

But for NFL fans or music concert attendees who just want to grab a drink and a bite and get back to their seat without waiting in line, Just Walk Out fits the bill.