Busch Gardens Williamsburg Adds 5% Surcharge to In-Park Sales

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!
horsesboy

horsesboy

Big Bad Wolf hunter
Advisory Panel
Silver Donor
Jun 16, 2013
7,161
1
21,695
270
I deal with rising food cost every day right now and could and would honestly defend a price hike of this level but I won't defend the sneaky and somewhat deceptive way this is being done with a post price surcharge if BGW needs to raise prices that is understandable given the world but do it upfront don't sneak it in the backdoor.
 

Attachments

  • 20220609_181908.jpg
    20220609_181908.jpg
    365.9 KB · Views: 159
  • 20220609_172000.jpg
    20220609_172000.jpg
    2.5 MB · Views: 154
  • Angry
  • Sad
  • Like
Reactions: Aomalley27, belsaas, Alf33 and 12 others
What is the “surcharge” even supposed to be for?
If it was for example a credit card payment surcharge it could be avoided by paying cash.

You can’t just charge a percentage extra and call it a surcharge without knowing what it’s supposed to be for.

EVERYTHING IS FREE!
***$20 surcharge per item-****
 
  • Like
Reactions: MommaMeli, panopticon31, Mushroom and 6 others
I think it's the "fuck our customers" surcharge. It's a penalty for being willing to continue to patronize a park that hates you.

Seriously, fuck BGW for this. It's so far above and beyond unacceptable. I wish I could tell people to yell at the park on social media or complain at guest services, but it's clear that management just doesn't give a single shit about guest experience, feedback, satisfaction, etc. They're practically just spitting in their customer's faces at this point.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 07WCUSAalum, belsaas, Alf33 and 12 others
Wait what? Honestly I never really looked at the fine print on those signs and since I never paid for any samples I never had a reeciept I looked at. That is though complete crap. Its like Pennsulia Town Center, when they opened they added a percentage fee on every purchase at all the stores there. I understand everywhere charges that fee by just adding it into the total cost of things.But to me doing it the way they did is snealy because it makes prices look lower even thoiughtonly by a couple pennies. Anyhow, I refuse to shop there, I drive past there and go to the Target in Newport News, the JcPenny at Patrick Henery Mall and refuse to shop at any store there just on principal. If i get there this weekend to get a pic of that sign I will certainly call them out online for it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmurfMountain, Nibbins, Mamunia and 4 others
BGWFans called the park out for this shady business practice. It probably won’t achieve anything, but this is just completely unacceptable:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
 
  • Like
Reactions: SLC Headache, Alf33, Brambo and 8 others
So you get your 10% pass discount on the 5% more, apply maybe 5.3% tax on that and end up 10 cents cheaper than listed, and most people figure the tax was higher ... or whatever it ends up as, the surcharge is camouflaged further, and the discount made absurd.
 
Last edited:
So in addition to smaller portion sizes and higher list prices, they in effect just reduced all passholder discounts by 5%, which is yet another erosion of benefits. All the more reason to skip eating/drinking at the park.

That said, does anyone know if they are also applying this surcharge to merchandise, quick queues, etc?

As for what's next, will they try charging a 5% surcharge on the free beer? (I feel bad for the IT person that has to explain to leadership that 1.05 times 0 equals 0.)
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Alf33, Mamunia, horsesboy and 1 other person
It doesn't actually reduce the 10% discount as the surcharge is applied to everyone so it's still 10% off. Again I am 100% passed about how they are doing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary, Mwe BGW and Mushroom
As this plays out it will be interesting to see at what stage the 5% is applied. If it is calculated as a surcharge on the total, you might be paying a surcharge on the sales tax. Not sure that would be legal. To go along with what I64 said, is this surcharge applied to every transaction within the park? Come to think of it, I wonder if it applies to parking, too. It's like, where does it stop?
 
It's calculated before tax and then taxed. But BGW doesn't break down VA sales tax from the meals tax for JCC so I gave to wonder if we are being over taxed on it.
 

Attachments

  • 20220609_181908.jpg
    20220609_181908.jpg
    365.9 KB · Views: 35
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary
Yeah, looking at where it is placed on the receipt, I think you are being taxed on the surcharge.

Based on $13 for a beer it just went to $13.65 before tax. Doesn't take long for that to add up when you buy a $20 meal and a beer.
 
I want to start by saying this isn’t a defense of BGW, more a how companies as fucking pieces of shit in general:

I got an oil change the other day. 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport. Price went up to $85 (first one was $45). There was also a 20% surcharge for materials due to scarcity. And a 10% labor surcharge for “labor shortage compensation”. My oil change price went up $70 in 4 months. More than double.

Luckily my new team member was in automotive repair so I’m going to his place for oil changes in the future. I can get the materials that I need for $30.

Companies as a whole are taking it the customer to absurd levels right now. It’s not all about the recession and labor market anymore. It’s about greed. Companies need to be taken to task for price gouging.

As for BGW specifically, when food prices go up there’s two ways food service can compensate: raise prices or smaller portions. BGW went about the higher prices route, but did it in the worst way possible. The surcharge is in no way (to me) able to be an even 5% across the board. So chances are the 5% kicks up some meals massively. Now yes it could go the other way. But they would have been better off just raising the prices.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alf33, outhikn and musicman3204
Wonder if filing a general complaint with the state would make a difference?

I originally said price gouging complaint, but that only applies in Virginia during a declared emergency.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary and CoasterTalkBob
I64 Trekker said:
I personally feel this surcharge fals into the category of price gouging. And perhaps if enough forum members complain about it to the state, the surcharge gets removed?

www.oag.state.va.us

Price Gouging

www.oag.state.va.us www.oag.state.va.us
Click to expand...
Personally I think that would be a challenge. I think they would argue it was temporary as long as pricing on goods was up, then take away the surcharge, then raise meal prices.
 
Rothbury said:
Yeah, looking at where it is placed on the receipt, I think you are being taxed on the surcharge.

Based on $13 for a beer it just went to $13.65 before tax. Doesn't take long for that to add up when you buy a $20 meal and a beer.
Click to expand...

Based on the receipt the 5% surcharge is applied to the full listed cost, before the member discount, which is also applied to the full listed cost, therefore effectively reducing the 10% discount to a 5% discount.

The "sales tax" is then applied to the subtotal with the effective 5% discount.

One thing that does not make sense to me though that the sales tax used here (without specifically being listed) calculates to be 11%.

According to tax.virginia.gov the sales tax for James City County and the surrounding region is 7% though.
I am not sure where the extra 4% tax are coming from unless there is a special theme park sales tax code that I wasn't able to find.

1654866182600.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary
You must log in or register to reply here.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad