Tourists in Las Vegas pay $1,000 for dinner on the Strip while sharks eat like royalty

21 Mar 2026 By foxnews

In Las Vegas, where high rollers chase five-star meals and buffet lines are practically a sport, it turns out the real VIP diners are the sharks.

At Mandalay Bay Resort, the big fish are fed a mix of mackerel, herring, blue runner and sardines, according to The Associated Press (AP).

The casino's lead aquarist, Becky O'Brien, told the AP she feeds 15 species of sharks three times a week.

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"They eat, I would say, better than the tourists on the Strip," O'Brien said.

Mandalay Bay has a 1.3-million-gallon tank with 3,400 animals. It's drawn over 21 million visitors to the resort and casino since 2000.

Sharks are omnivorous, eating meat and plants - but are also known to eat anything, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The aquarium goes through over 300 pounds of fish in one week, with vitamins hidden in the food, O'Brien said.

She said that if the sharks turn down the food, it may be a sign they have an illness or are interested in mating.

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"Once you get to work with these guys on a daily basis, you do learn little nuances of how each one feeds a little bit differently," O'Brien said.

She added, "Each species is a little bit different."

Las Vegas is famous for its casinos, but it also boasts an impressive food scene, highlighted by upscale dining and five-star restaurants. Still, many tourists have pointed to high prices in the city.

Fox News Digital previously spoke to a woman named Sarah from Staten Island, New York, who was visiting Vegas.

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"[Vegas] has changed immensely price-wise," she said. "It's a little crazy, but dinners are like $1,000 - it's nuts. They need to go back a little bit, and I think they'll get more tourism if they do that."

Craig, also from Staten Island, said, "If you're looking for a bottle of wine, you've got to pay at least $2,000 a night for a good bottle of wine."

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"Pawn Stars" boss Rick Harrison recently called a $1,000 steak "the most ridiculous thing in the world."

"I wouldn't fall for the gimmicks," he said, noting there are still places to eat "a good ol' American steak" for $50 to $80.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.