Happy Hour Cartel ?

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 04-23-2019, 05:25 AM
rustyp rustyp is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,965
Thanks: 5,220
Thanked 2,278 Times in 807 Posts
Default Happy Hour Cartel ?

As observed by our golf group at least three local establishments have raised their drink prices in the last few weeks - DEMSHAR'S, PALMER'S and BONIFAY. (given Bonifay did I suspect the other three same owner CC's did also or are about to). What is this - a cartel. Do they have a secret meeting and decide if they raise the prices in unison it will minimize the competition. What is the logic of doing this at this time of year ? My thought process would be give the full time residents a break until next snowbird season. Maybe they are planning on issuing customer loyalty cards. Remember how well that worked
  #2  
Old 04-23-2019, 05:35 AM
skip0358's Avatar
skip0358 skip0358 is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: The Villages Florida
Posts: 2,287
Thanks: 88
Thanked 321 Times in 108 Posts
Default

That used to be the case the first few years we were here. Snow Birds left prices dropped. The last few years not so much.
__________________
Patchogue, NY; Village of Bonita Sept.09
  #3  
Old 04-23-2019, 06:18 AM
Bay Kid's Avatar
Bay Kid Bay Kid is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: The Villages and the Northern Neck on the Chesapeake Bay, VA.
Posts: 5,401
Thanks: 1,627
Thanked 3,093 Times in 1,328 Posts
Default

Too many frogs now. Not enough snowbirds.
  #4  
Old 04-23-2019, 06:40 AM
dewilson58's Avatar
dewilson58 dewilson58 is offline
Sage
Join Date: May 2013
Location: South of 466a, if you don't like me.......I live in Orlando.
Posts: 11,501
Thanks: 834
Thanked 9,687 Times in 3,600 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bay Kid View Post
Too many frogs now. Not enough snowbirds.












  #5  
Old 04-23-2019, 07:05 AM
Bogie Shooter Bogie Shooter is offline
Sage
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 18,763
Thanks: 10
Thanked 5,301 Times in 2,369 Posts
Default

Businesses make decisions all the time. Some are meant with agreement some are not. Vote with your $$$.
__________________
The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it. George Orwell.
“Only truth and transparency can guarantee freedom”, John McCain
  #6  
Old 04-23-2019, 08:00 AM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is online now
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 8,420
Thanks: 6,788
Thanked 9,370 Times in 3,050 Posts
Default

You could always arrange a "home-pub crawl." Three homes host the party, and everyone goes from lanai to lanai, with one drink per per guest per visited home. The next week, three different homes host the party. My house would feature fresh-made pina coladas and rum and cokes.
  #7  
Old 04-23-2019, 08:37 AM
billethkid's Avatar
billethkid billethkid is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 18,459
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4,743 Times in 1,383 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rustyp View Post
As observed by our golf group at least three local establishments have raised their drink prices in the last few weeks - DEMSHAR'S, PALMER'S and BONIFAY. (given Bonifay did I suspect the other three same owner CC's did also or are about to). What is this - a cartel. Do they have a secret meeting and decide if they raise the prices in unison it will minimize the competition. What is the logic of doing this at this time of year ? My thought process would be give the full time residents a break until next snowbird season. Maybe they are planning on issuing customer loyalty cards. Remember how well that worked
Learning to communicate like gas stations are magically price coordinated!
  #8  
Old 04-23-2019, 09:11 AM
alwann's Avatar
alwann alwann is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Village of Gilchrist
Posts: 833
Thanks: 3
Thanked 732 Times in 215 Posts
Default Happy Hour

Restaurant owners complain and joke about all the tightwad old timers ordering The Villages cocktail -- water with lemon. So, yeah, raise the drink prices and see what happens next. Must be graduates of the Alfred E. Nueman School of Business.
  #9  
Old 04-23-2019, 09:42 AM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is online now
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 8,420
Thanks: 6,788
Thanked 9,370 Times in 3,050 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by alwann View Post
Restaurant owners complain and joke about all the tightwad old timers ordering The Villages cocktail -- water with lemon. So, yeah, raise the drink prices and see what happens next. Must be graduates of the Alfred E. Nueman School of Business.
If they were smart, they'd declare the tap water unfiltered and not intended for drinking, and charge $4 for a bottle of spring water and 50 cents for a lemon wedge.
  #10  
Old 04-23-2019, 09:46 AM
njbchbum's Avatar
njbchbum njbchbum is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Summer at the Jersey Shore, Fall in New England [Maine], Winter in TV!
Posts: 5,633
Thanks: 3,060
Thanked 752 Times in 256 Posts
Default

Guess the loss of snowbird income is having its effect someplace besides the golf courses! :0
__________________
Not sure if I have free time...or if I just forgot everything I was supposed to do!

  #11  
Old 04-23-2019, 10:36 AM
raynan's Avatar
raynan raynan is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Jacaranda Island, Village of Pennecamp
Posts: 1,814
Thanks: 321
Thanked 288 Times in 124 Posts
Default

We've been here almost nine years and prices increase. Check outside the bubble and you'll realize we still have it pretty good.
  #12  
Old 04-23-2019, 10:46 AM
champion6's Avatar
champion6 champion6 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tamarind Grove
Posts: 5,453
Thanks: 13
Thanked 792 Times in 327 Posts
Default

Although the OP didn't mention which drinks have increased, I will make this observation. A few months ago, the prices of canned and bottled beer sold at grocery stores in this area dropped about 5%-10%, in other words, a couple dollars per case. Hmmmm.
  #13  
Old 04-23-2019, 11:37 AM
rustyp rustyp is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,965
Thanks: 5,220
Thanked 2,278 Times in 807 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by champion6 View Post
Although the OP didn't mention which drinks have increased, I will make this observation. A few months ago, the prices of canned and bottled beer sold at grocery stores in this area dropped about 5%-10%, in other words, a couple dollars per case. Hmmmm.
I asked a barkeep a while back here in TV what was the most popular mixed drink. The answer was a manhattan or an old fashion. At DEMSHAR'S, PALMER'S, and BONIFAY the minimum increase on a manhattan recently was between 30%-50%. For years we have observed the local supermarkets raise the prices during high season and lower when the snowbirds leave. This probably corresponds to your observed drop of canned and bottled beer. My point is why would a restaurant raise the price during low season. That defies supply and demand unless they have a cartel. As an example I would drop DEMSHAR's in a heartbeat and head to PALMER's for HH. But the game is rigged.
  #14  
Old 04-28-2019, 06:27 PM
Gpsma Gpsma is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,068
Thanks: 2
Thanked 1,311 Times in 381 Posts
Default

Just stop going to these overpriced and mediocre country clubs.

Find good restaurants outide the Villages
Closed Thread

Tags
bonifay, time, prices, cartel, process

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:43 PM.