Disney justified in raising buffet prices due to customer demand

[DisneyKevin]

"Price gouging" can be a crime. However, it only applies to civil emergencies, like your example above. But even in those situations, there is an exception for increased cost of supply (I don't want to say "customer demand").

Needless to say, increased prices for buffets at WDW do not constitute price gouging.

Yup....thats why I used the phrase "It sorta seems like" as opposed to "it is".

That's how I let folks know that I knew that it wasnt the same thing but instead was comparing the two things as an example.

I imagine it's the same reason you used "needless to say" when you said that increased prices at WDW do not constitute price gouging.

 

[wilde_oscar]

so what you are saying, is that in order to eat at a WDW buffet during a holiday, Goofy turns you upside down by the ankles and shakes all the change out of your pockets?

if no one was willing to pay the higher price, they could not raise the price. As with all things, it is only worth what someone is willing to pay. therefore, if you go during the holidays, don't eat at the places charging a premium?

But during the holidays, room rates spike upward... if they can get you to pay more when demand is higher, then they are obligated to the stock holders to charge more.

if you read the press release carefully, and read the words and their meaning only... it does not say that customers demanded higher prices... what is states is that due to customer demand, we can charge a higher price. it really all depends on what your definition of "is" is.

 

[princesspwrhr]

And yes..there are precedents to be found for this practice, but it is usually not found at restaurants.

I understand that holiday buffets are usually a higher price, but that is most often because there are more, or the very least different selections.

And I understand that lunch is often less expensive than dinner, but you often receive a smaller portion for lunch and the restaurant is attempting to fill empty seats.

But again, the practice of increasing cost due to demand is not often seen in restaurants. If that were the case, why arent we seeing higher prices between 6 and 8pm, as thats when demand is the greatest.

Why isnt Denny's jacking up the price of a Grand Slam for the after church crowd?

The answer is simple. It's because customers wouldnt stand for it. The restaurant would lose business.

Becuase there's ALWAYS an exception - (and I find this discussion fascinating as it's remained civil)

The Golden Corrals in my area do exactly this. Same buffet lunch and dinner - dinner is $1 more. Breakfast is a different menu obviously but is the same price as lunch. (difference is unless you want a fountain beverage your drink (coffee, water, milk & juice) is included. Sunday is a full $3 more than M-Sat and breakfast, lunch & dinner cost the same ammount - so there's the church crowd. We discovered this inadvertantly at the cash register one night with starving children and not many other choices in the area.

This particular Golden Corral is across from the airport, so when we stopped at another one in our nearby town which happens to be a tourist & college town and the parking lot caters to buses we looked at the prices - same thing. It could be our area, that we have as many transients as locals, but these two restaurants are always full. (and not my favorite place to eat but.....)

Sadly there are also no more lunch menus in our area. Well except for the mom & pop mexican restaurants. All the big regular names have 1 menu for all operating hours. Instead most of them have a daily special. On Monday the Prime Rib is on sale, on Tuesdays you get a discount on your shrimp add on, Wednesdays & Thursday have their own specials and on Fri, Sat, Sun you pay full price for everything.

So while I think, along with everyone else, that the holiday buffet prices are stupid (especially mid May - end of June, but I'll give them Mem day and Fathers day) it honestly doesn't surprise me.

 

[MM32830]

Of course, there are some of us that at at least partially happy about the price increase.

Who are we?

Disney Stockholders! Yes, it's nice whenever that dividend check shows up in the mail.

Yes, I understand that all these price increases (restaurants, stollers, etc.) could negatively affect Disney's profitability if people start revolting, but I suspect Disney understands their business quite well.

 

[IHeartTink04]

Several times over recent podcasts, the podcast crew has criticized Disney for increasing the prices of buffets. You have particularly criticized Disney's explanation that this was due to "customer demand". In a recent podcast, Pete made the point of correcting one of the other podcasters when they used a different word and Pete said Disney said it was due to "demand".

I think you guys may have missed the point. Disney isn't saying that customers demanded higher prices, but rather that due to supply and demand the increase was justified. I am not saying Disney is correct. But if the Buffets are packed, then raising prices is certainly justified. A market price dampens demand thus opening up supply (albeit for those who can afford it).

I have to admit that this is what I am always thinking when they talk about this. I always say "Disney is not saying that customer's demanded prices to be higher!"

 

[Kathi OD]

As two childless adults traveling to WDW, heavens, yes, we're okay with that scenario!

Me too!