Any Michigan's Adventure news?

Raven-Phile said:
It's all in what you like. :)

That is the key. For everything.

You should be able to get a triple burger, fries and a drink at Steak N Shake for under $4.

Interestingly though, if you're looking at things beyond basic burgers with small sides, most fast food places around here (McD's, BK, Wendy's, et al.) are in the $6-to-$8 range.

LostKause said:
Lol. I said "really good" burger, but I totally get your point.

Steak and Shake is far from "really good" though.

I know a lot of people who really like Steak and Shake... not saying this to sound snooty or to make like my taste is better than anyone else's, but I really think that place sucks. People love it, though. I've tried it at least three times, just in case I had a bad experience or two. Each time same conclusion. Crap burger.

I'm not even comparing it to "good" burgers, just to other fast food. I think Burger King, Wendy's, A&W, and even Sonic are far better quality.

I don't even want to talk about how Steak N' Shake makes my insides feel. I swore off that place years ago. Haven't been back since, and don't plan on it.

Yeah, not a fan of Steak n' Shake which is why I compared it to McD's :)

~Rob

So... MA should get a Steak n Shake! Park reputation saved

I don't consider it "great" food, but man, a Steak n Shake burger sure does hit the spot every now and then. Honestly, the best burger that I can really remember was probably the media event for the opening of Coco Key on I-Drive. Of course, it was free, so that probably helped the opinion a bit...but it was still a pretty good, and good sized, burger.

I have any number of awesome burger places around me, so I'm pretty lucky.

http://therailburger.com/ - locally raised beef, produce, and locally baked buns, white truffle fries, you name it.

http://www.bspotburgers.com/ - Iron Chef Michael Symon, of Food Network fame's burger joints.

http://www.metroburger.com/ - Trendy burgers with gourmet toppings. Not quite as huge or involved as the other 2, though

http://www.swensonsdriveins.com/ - Swenson's, Home of the Galley Boy

And, for an alternative to the Steak and Shake style: http://waybackburgers.com/menu/ - Jake's Wayback Burgers are pretty good

Jeff said:

Timber-Rider said:
I have been talking with friends on facebook, and they agree with me that Michigan's Adventure is pricing itself out of a lot of their guests reach.

And yet it has a higher profit margin than any park in the chain.

It has a higher profit margin, because it is probably making more than 1000% profit on the food and goods it sells, and probably has 75% less operating costs then the other Cedar Fair parks. So it's obviously going to make more money. That's exactly my point, they make huge profits, and do little or nothing with those profits at the park, you can bet that money is going to rescue Cedar fairs less profitable parks, instead of doing good for the one that is turning the profit.

If they used their brains they would add attractions to the park that is making money. So ,that the people who make them profitable will wan to return. A lot of people, like myself, who went to the park for years, see what it has become. Nothing but a huge money sponge.

So you think because they are more profitable then any other Cedar Fair park, that it's a good thing. But never thought about why? It's because they are ripping people off, and they don't care.

As far as fast food goes, Steak 'n' Shake is my favorite.

My least favorite is BK. I can't stand their silicon burgers with artificial smoke flavor added. A few weeks ago, they discontinued selling Chicken Fries, which was the only reason I had to go there in the first place. Their new french fries are pretty good though, but that's all I like about BK.

Wendy's has good fries, but they recently changed their burgers to "The W". It's lower quality at a higher price, in my opinion. I don't go there anymore.

Sonic rocks. Cherry Limeade, anyone?

McDonalds will always have a place in my heart. The quality has improved a lot in the last decade. They seem to try the hardest out of all the fast food restaurants to please their customers.

Chick-fil-A? Hypocrites. Religious nuts. Hate them.

Sheetz has some really good food. :)

Recently a couple of upscale burger joints have opened in Toledo. As much as I want to try them, they project themselves as too trendy for me. If I'm going out to eat a burger, I don't want to spend more than 5 seconds thinking about what I should wear. It's much easier (and cheaper) to just make my own mouth watering burgers. :)

So ,that the people who make them profitable will wan to return. A lot of people, like myself, who went to the park for years, see what it has become. Nothing but a huge money sponge.

2010 was, reportedly, a record year at this park.
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/04/michi..._amus.html

I haven't seen any 2011 per-park attendance numbers, but attendance was up chain-wide.

In other words, the data don't seem to support your claim that people are not going.

Timber-Rider said:
That's exactly my point, they make huge profits, and do little or nothing with those profits at the park, you can bet that money is going to rescue Cedar fairs less profitable parks, instead of doing good for the one that is turning the profit... It's because they are ripping people off, and they don't care.

It's almost like they're a business or something. People aren't mindless idiots. If they were being ripped off, would they be there spending money? It's pretty basic supply and demand.

People aren't mindless idiots.

You obviously haven't been watching the same GOP debates I have. :)

Or this thread. Point taken.

Derp.

"Nobody goes there any more. It's too crowded." -Yogi Berra

Timber-Rider said:
If they used their brains they would add attractions to the park that is making money.

Wouldn't it make more sense to add attractions to parks that would see immediate growth? You know, attraction (pun) to the general public to visit the park in question?

Yes, most parks would see some sort of increase regardless of attraction... but unless it's the biggest increase seen at that time, it won't be done.

To put it another way:
Why would you put a $20M coaster at a park that would maybe see a 100,000 bump at $30/ticket when you could put it at a park that would see a 200,000 bump at $50/ticket?

Note: Numbers completely and totally made up, but you get the point.