Major Chain Considering Free Parking and/or Free Drinks?

RideMan said:
The author explains, right up front, that the most powerful word in advertising, the word that Holiday World has milked for all it is worth and then some, is the word "FREE". It doesn't matter if it's crap, it doesn't matter if it's already been paid for, it doesn't matter what it's really worth, people will attach some value to it and will appreciate it if you give it to them for free!

That's absolutely the key to why it works so well.

Because "prepaid whether you use it or not" isn't going to inspire anyone to buy anything else. ;)

d_port_12E said:
Imagine buying a soda at the park then. Yikes.

Which makes me wonder if 'free' soda would be a loophole to such taxing.

Seems like the movie theaters are trying to play into this in a similar way. I know that at my local theater buying a large popcorn and drink (in reality "gigantic") means "free" refills. I don't think it works as well since a movie is only a couple hour engagement. But I have seen lots of people buy it and get a refill after the movie before leaving (I feel fat just thinking about it, though I have never done it.)

Of course, they also no longer put the price amounts for their "combos" either. Likely to alleviate the sticker shock.

I know the amc theater by me is charging over $13 for a large popcorn and 2 sodas. They "claim" that you are saving 50 cents.

I wonder how the free soda deal is working out for beach bend park this year? I almost stopped by there last month, but ran out of time.

Just got back from an AMC theater, where the large popcorn and two drink combo is $17 list, $16.50 with the idiotic coupon you get when you buy your ticket. Large drink is $4.75; that makes the large popcorn $7.50. Ouch.

I don't think there is a single item anywhere on the menu for less than $4.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

We recently got a new Cinamark at the mall in Huntington. WV, to replace a long closed theater at the same location. The refreshment stand there is "self serve", but still very expensive. It is, in fact, more expensive than any other theater that I have ever been to. There is no service and the line is incredibly long with the one register running. I refuse to stand in that line and juggle my popcorn and drinks around after getting them myself. For that much money, I demand service.

It's the closest theater to me, so I save a little driving time to go there, but I never buy popcorn and drinks when I am there, and I encourage my friends and family not to either, because of the lack of service. By having less employees staff the refreshment stand, which effects the service that their customers receive, they turn some people away.

And to top off the ridiculousness of it all, I can save ¢50 if I buy a combo. I'm sure that they make a killing anyways.

(Rant over) lol

LostKause said:
I refuse to stand in that line and juggle my popcorn and drinks around after getting them myself.

I hear Cinemark will soon be offering the option to cut to the front of the line for the cash register. Of course it'll cost you :)

RideMan said:
o Food per-caps went up dramatically.
o Complaints in general, especially nuisance complaints (like those people who complain because it's too hot/cold/rainy/sunny/whatever, or the lines are too long, or whatever) went down significantly, with the nuisance complaints almost completely going away.

Didn't they also say they saved money on First Aid and emergency services because fewer people were suffering from heat exhaustion by staying hydrated? I seem to recall having an argument either here or in the comments of the accompanying article about how "Americans" were "too lazy" or "too cheap" to buy enough liquid refreshment to stay hydrated, and instead "demanded" free soda lest they pass out, or some such.

I visited Beech Bend for a few hours, but did not partake of the free soft drinks. Since it's not self-serve like it is at Holiday World, you still have to stand in line at a food stand. Not a big deal since there weren't many people in the park, but many times at HW getting a drink was almost an afterthought as I was passing by an Oasis. Plus, keeping it behind the counter means the park still has to pay someone to serve it.

I drank many many free cups of water at Kings Dominion because it was so blasted hot, but my god how annoying it was to stand in a 6-person-deep food line just to get a free water. That's when we'd begin the great drinking fountain hunt. Later in the day, a few stands had cups of water already sitting on the counter, so I just sort of squeaked in in-between transactions without a problem.

RideMan said:
Just got back from an AMC theater...

So, how was Toy Story 3? :)

Birdhombre, I just buy a bottle of water once, and then stash it in my cargo pocket. A simple visit to the water fountain eliminates having to stand in line, or even pay for, water.

Moosh, Pretty funny. I already won't spend money because of the lack of service, so I'd definitely not pay to cut that crazy line. Of course, I know that you're just pickin'.

Isn't reusing a plastic water bottle some sort of health hazard? (Not kidding. I know I've heard this somewhere...)

The bottled water industry exaggerates that harm reusing water bottles cause, but I really don't think that using it for an entire day will cause cancer.

I recently watched a really interesting video on the subject.

LostKause said:
Birdhombre, I just buy a bottle of water once, and then stash it in my cargo pocket.

I do the same thing. Though I recently had a picnic lunch outside the park with my family and several of us walked back in the park with our bottled drinks and no one said anything.

Over time plastic chemicals can leech in to the water, but I highly doubt you'll turn ill from filling one up a few times.

I'd be more concerned about the plasticizers that have leeched into the standing, sealed bottle than the exposure from tap water consumed within a day of refilling.

How could the refilling be worse than the water that was already in there?

Sooo... without having to read all the previous posts, what chain do you guys think will be including soda with their entry fee?

Lord Gonchar said:

That's absolutely the key to why it works so well.

Because "prepaid whether you use it or not" isn't going to inspire anyone to buy anything else. ;)

I prefer the term "included with the price of admission." It's a pretty savvy marketing move if you ask me. Even if you didn't ask me, it still is. How many people cut a trip to the park short because they're hot and thirsty, and don't want to pay $3-4 for one drink? Include the beverages in the price of admission, and the family stays around for a bit longer, and maybe buys dinner in the park instead of leaving to go to a local fast food joint.

I can also see the per cap going up. By not having to spend an expected amount of money on drinks, people believe they have more to spend on other purchases.

Semi OT if you havent seen it yet, go see Toy Story 3 Pixar has done it again and even managed to beat the 3rd movie curse.

I agree...

We had to see it twice on friday.

RatherGoodBear said:
.... By not having to spend an expected amount of money on drinks, people believe they have more to spend on other purchases.

That's something I have been harping on for years. Admission prices are known, and in most cases people are buying their tickets in advance anyway. When was the last time you saw a park actually advertise their parking fee on their website in a place where you could actually find it? They'll tell you exactly what you will pay for tickets, but everything else is a total surprise. Oh, sure, you're probably expecting to pay to park. And you know that the food and drink will be expensive. But how much cash did you actually bring with you? And once you get through the gate with your prepaid ticket, how much do you have left to spend on other stuff inside?

This was my *huge* gripe with Universal last November. I was there on a 7-day ticket. A free ticket, I admit, but it was a 7-day ticket. I paid my $14 to park on the first day, then I visited the ticket booth and exchanged my voucher for a ticket. Why didn't they offer to let me pay them $84...hell, charge me $90...immediately to cover my parking for the rest of my stay, which I would have gladly paid with my credit card. Instead, they preferred to slowly bleed me of my precious *cash* at the rate of $14/day. With the result that I actually spent less inside the park because of my limited cash supply.

I actually asked them about it, and the response I got was that, "Well, most people don't use all seven days...". My response: "So what?"

Incidentally, I didn't use all seven days either. But I still would have paid that extra days' parking if it meant I didn't have to fork over cash every morning at the tollbooth. It's the same reason I buy a P-O-P when I go to Knoebel's, knowing full well that I probably won't get enough rides to "pay" for it.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.