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PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: wizrdofoz27 11:28 am EDT 03/19/14

All online/phone reservations come with a $4.50 fee and all in-person reservations tack on $5 (a new policy as of 2014, apparently). I wonder why they don't just raise all prices by $5, but maybe people are willing to tolerate fees in a way that they aren't willing to tolerate price increases.

In any case, if this is the only way to keep 54 Below open, that's OK! Love their programming, just question their pricing structure choices.


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: mikem 11:34 pm EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - wizrdofoz27 11:28 am EDT 03/19/14

I guess this doesn't apply in NYC, but some jurisdictions don't allow an unavoidable fee -- there has to be some way of avoiding it, or it has to be included in the ticket price. One of the local theatres gets away with charging a $5 fee by waiving it if you have a group of 8 or more, in which case it's really more of a group discount.

I think that in-person ticket fees are kind of strange, especially for box offices that are only open right before showtime.


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: ryhog 11:59 am EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - wizrdofoz27 11:28 am EDT 03/19/14

there may well be an accounting reason for this


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: FriendofDorothy 12:04 pm EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - ryhog 11:59 am EDT 03/19/14

I suspect fees don't need to be shared, whereas ticket prices are in some cases shared with the act. I don't really have any problem with it. To the consumer it is just part of the cost of the show, and their programming is top-notch, at least for the several shows I've seen there.


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: ryhog 12:19 pm EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - FriendofDorothy 12:04 pm EDT 03/19/14

that's where i was headed. In the scheme of things, that separate fee seems low on the totem pole-now if someone can explain the fees added to my Verizon bill, I'll happily pay their admission to 54 Below...


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: FriendofDorothy 03:45 pm EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - ryhog 12:19 pm EDT 03/19/14

Don't get me started on the phone bill... Personally, if I ran a legit theatre, I would make it just like a cinema: advertise a final price, inclusive of everything. And why is there a convenience fee AT ALL for ordering tickets online that save the the theatre the cost of having a human process the order? Because they can pocket that money!


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 11:43 am EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - wizrdofoz27 11:28 am EDT 03/19/14

Last Monday night (3/10) I did the cancelation line for Derek Klena & Lindsay Mendez. When I got in, they charged me a flat $42.50, which seemed pretty reasonable. Was the $5 built into that amount or did they forget to add it in?

I agree that 54 Below is a great night spot that deserves the support of theatre enthusiasts.


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re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee

Posted by: wizrdofoz27 11:53 am EDT 03/19/14
In reply to: re: PSA: 54 Below's unavoidable service fee - BroadwayTonyJ 11:43 am EDT 03/19/14

I'd assume that included $5 for buying at the venue. Tickets for that were $35 for bar seating and $45 for dining room, so I would have guessed they've have charged you $50 for main dining room, but maybe they have a different cancellation pricing policy or maybe you were lucky or who knows.


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