The Interpreter Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Customers packing lunches to save money: SANDUSKY - When Ben Balazs made his annual pilgrimage to Cedar Point this month with six friends and family members, he did something different to save money: He packed his lunch. "We went outside and ate outside, and did a sit-down meal for dinner so we weren't spending a lot of money on food," the 17-year-old Bedford Township resident said. Unfortunately for Cedar Point's parent company, he wasn't alone.... ..."The parks that I've spoken to are all off on their gate count because of the economy, and off on their [per-guest] spending," Mr. Slade said. "Most are telling me that, where the guests in the past may have come to the park for the whole day and purchased two meals in the park, they're buying one meal and then either packing a lunch or eating off the grounds to save money."... http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...240335/0/NEWS02 Mr. Kinzel has always been insistent that customers have to eat, presumably inside the park. I postulate that the in park pricing is driving many of those same customers to the parking lot and to outside eating establishments with higher quality, greater selection and lower prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 If I could rig the lottery and win it, I'd blow loads and loads of cash at Cedar Point and Kings Island just to save the parks.. reading these things makes me feel ill.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveStroem Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 We always bring a cooler to save on food costs. If the parks would wise up and charge normal prices we would eat in the park. Things like $4-5 for an ice cream cone are totaly out of hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Crystal Light lemonade packets are something I've been bringing lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I barley eat while at Amusement Parks but when I do, I eat in the park. Plus I almost always buy a Shirt or some type of KI related souvenir cause it may be worth alot in 30 Years. But like Angie said, If I won the lottery I'd spend ton's of money at KI and CP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avatar Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 That is the problem so few do win the lottery. So for everybody's sake maybe a game copy of Lemon Aid would help entertainment facilities learn better price point. I mean you can raise the prices or lessen the the overall value and even do both to raise quick cash but eventually the law of supply and demand will dictate the proper value. The problem is once places get the reputation of poor value and over price points then it takes a while for those customers to change their mind on the value again. The debate will rage on but I will be glad when some places realize this sooner than later and hope they don't fool themselves in blaming the economy and try to keep prices and quality the same way for much longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 The Taco Bell on Kings Island Drive will get more money from me than KI's food establishments ever will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIlover123 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I usually go home to eat. it takes 15 minutes to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 I will go further. The high in park pricing and relatively low quality is, in my humble opinion, not just affecting in park per caps, but actually causing attendance to decline. More than one mama and/or papa no doubt remembers the insane food prices they paid last year and the abysmal quality of the food and/or merchandise they bought...and when sonny boy or darling daughter asks to go to KI this year, they either send the kids while they themselves stay home or they say "Kings Island....where else?" and then take the kids to a movie, the local swimming hole or they stay home and watch DVD's on that expensive, huge HD television they bought last year. So now, it's not just per caps that are going down, but also attendance, as the parks offer deal after deal to get people in to spend money to help reduce their mountains of debt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I go to East of Chicago buffet They need to lower prices, is it better to sell one hamburger for $6 or 3 hamburgers for $3.50? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Depends on the margin. If the cost of the burger is $3.75 (it isn't), then selling more of them for less than you have in them does not make sense. I agree with you, though. It seems to me they are well past the price point that would generate the highest profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I really would eat at the park if it were reasonable... but all I've bought there this year is two blue ice cream cones, two $5 shirts (one of which turned out to be a ripoff anyway), and a $5 Skyflyer flight. I think Kinzel hates me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Picard Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I can remember it was said not long ago that Cedar Fair was recession proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 And I believe it was Mr. Kinzel who said that, along with that food prices went up a nickel or so (that was last season). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopThrill Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Well that did it for us in 2007 at CP, we ate at the Coaster Inn. Two cheese burgers, with fries, one medium drink, and one milk shake, it cost 30 dollars. You can go down 250 in Sandusky to the local McDonald's and get all that for two people around 10 dollars. So our two visits up there last year, we ate at Arbys, McDonald's, and the Five dollar foot longs from Subway!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Picard Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Eating outside the park is not going to help Spongebob keep his job or Cedar Fair Executives to get another 100% pay bonus. You know the bonus comes first so Spongebob is probably out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Spongebob needs to be fired- especially from Action Theater... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 But Spongebob is all wet.... Terpy, who just HAD to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Now Trading Markets has picked up The Toledo Blade's article first cited here. This will give it wide distribution. http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/S...20News/2441343/ I doubt Mr. Kinzel will be amused...and the timing, right before the next conference call.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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