Price gouging by the pub, restaurant & hotel industry

Sheep breeder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954289#Comment_120954289

Would you go away with your patriotism, being ripped off is not nice, just back from France staying in a B& B for four of us with breakfast and free use of the kitchen and washing machine, 400 for the week and two double rooms. Out for dinner strip loin steak with chips and a side salad and dessert for 19.50 per head a bottle of red wine for 8 euros, swimming pool in the town 1.5 euro for as long as you wanted and averaged 3 hours a day, flights booked last February, we have to Donegal in November for one night with the four of us hotel and breakfast two double beds 275 euros.

Sheep breeder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954364#Comment_120954364

Agree with you out 10 days ago cafe on the road a takeaway toasted sandwich with turkey and bacon was 7.50 euros and turkey was sliced packet meat.

3DataModem

The industry is in a vicious cycle since COVID.

• More demanding employees (not a bad thing)
• Less immigrant workers (related to above)
• People have reset their lives to be more home-focused, household-focused, self-sufficient, self-entertaining
• Less lunch trade from offices
• Spiking in supply chain costs (Brexit, and other things)

So what happens...

• Business is harder.

And then of course...

• What's the one thing we control? I know... pricing!

And what happens is

• People spend less, go out less, etc

And then of course...

• Business is harder.

... and so on and so on...

Things will stabilise in a few years. Some hotels will close. Pubs will close. Some towns will suffer. Some dereliction will occur.

But then, things will be better.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954945#Comment_120954945

And yet there seems to be a general sense that the worse things get (as you describe) the higher the charges. So something is not adding up here. Everyone accepts the increased costs of energy but they also apply to the customer who has their own bills to pay. Stating that there's less trade so prices must increase to counteract loss trade is as daft as an airline going out of business and increasing their fares.

Yet prices continuously rise.

Tony EH

It has fuck all to do with "demanding employees", nor has it anything to do with "immigrant workers", either. It's gouging by the industry, pure and simple. The industry want to recuperate the losses they incurred during Covid and the prices of everything have been jacked up pursuant of that. For instance, Diageo have put another 4 cent on the price of the pint recently. This will, in turn, mean that publicans will lob up to 10 cent onto the pint at the tap. All of this is being blamed on "transport costs". And yet, the cost of fuel has dropped throughout the year.

:/

We're getting screwed.

fullstop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120952557#Comment_120952557

Sorry, no! We’re on the same side of this argument but there is no way in hell you could ever pay €120-130 for 2 days in zone Z (which is basically just the red car park). The daily rate (without pre-booking) is €15 per day (up from €9.50 a few years ago). The most you will pay in short term is €40 per day, but I park there regularly and with pre-booking I usually get it for ~€20 per day.

Purple Mountain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120952644#Comment_120952644

Leave a review on TripAdvisor too.

My gripe is yesterday I paid for a lunch for 3 of us in a pub. Food prices were actually reasonable for generous portions and the service was excellent. However the soft drinks we ordered were €3.40 each for 220ml bottles.

That's a scandal and happening in most establishments.

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120953516#Comment_120953516

I think the only one who cant use the internet is yourself. You seem to be comparing apples and oranges in different countries. Also why are you afraid to post the dates you are cherry picking. Maybe you dont know how to do screenshots properly, or share links? We could teach you. You are the only only who thinks that hotels are a great deal in ireland and are not gouging.

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954189#Comment_120954189

You are trying way too hard. The hotels need to hire more staff to give you a break from the keyboard. Or at least invest in some bots.

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955119#Comment_120955119

I went in to collect the kids from the pub last night. They werent ready to go when I arrived so I had a glass of lime cordial. €2.

A guy from the town where I live (about 25km away from the airport) has made an app (he asks that we dont spread it around out of the town yet) where you can go on and say what day you are going to the airport, how many people and how many bags, and people with cars can offer you a lift to or from the airport. No shortage of offers from nice people of lifts on it. Its a great community app. I was asking him if he is planning to expand it to the rest of the country and he said he is getting it right first and then he will expand it. He said he needs to figure out some sort of reward system and that locally people are happy to help each other out for no reward but he doesnt know if that will scale. At the moment it has your name and the amount of lifts you've given. There are ads in it but i dont think he makes any money from it. But its so good for our area anyway. Saving people a fortune on taxis. I got a lift to and back from the airport a few weeks ago on it. I gave the drivers, one of whom i knew anyway a bottle of whiskey from the duty free on the way back. And the one on the way i handed €20 as I didnt have a present for him. He didnt want it but I insisted. Im going to put my name forward now too to give lifts. If I can save someone over €60 for the sake of a half an hour of my time im happy to do that. And I havent seen the creator of the app having to buy his own pints in the local in over a year. Also, should I seeing either of the guys who gave me a lift in the pub i'll be buying them a pint too.

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955205#Comment_120955205

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955217#Comment_120955217

I posted the dates already. Maybe read the thread. Every details was shared on the thread with images of the results. What exactly is confusing you?

Every discussion it is reduced to "oh you must work for them". I have so many jobs according to people on boards, pity so many people have to always start attacking the poster and not the content.

"bots" :-)

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955330#Comment_120955330

It must have felt like pulling teeth for the other posters to get you to post some detail.

When you are the only one who sees something that noone else sees then thats a big clue. An yet you keep going, and going, and going.

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955251#Comment_120955251

The insurance implications of this is the issue. A quick google search confirms that

"Yes you are covered to carry passengers in your car. However you are not covered if you carry passengers as part of your job or you receive payment or reward."

If you had a accident while in the car for the lift it would have serious repercussions for the driver who would have no insurance. I doubt a pint in the pub would cover them.

Taxi costs includes the high insurance costs they have to pay to cover their passengers in case of a accident.

It's totally off topic and the owner of the app should be contacting legal advice because at the moment he could be seen as liable for creating the app would be my understanding.

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955356#Comment_120955356

I dont know the ins and outs of it but people are doing it for free. Its like ride sharing. Nobody asked for a pint or a present in return for their favour. But its a nice thing to do for them dont you think.

My company matches people up for car pooling for work. Doesnt seem to be any legal or insurance implications there either. And i know plenty of people that have thrown money for petrol or bought a few pints for the car owners who give them lifts.

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955342#Comment_120955342

The information was posted on the thread, it's not my fault you didn't read the thread.

Anyway enough back and forth, back to the actual topic

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955391#Comment_120955391

You keep doping you then. Go for it.

Tazz T

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120952610#Comment_120952610

Taxis are ridiculously expensive. Got a 20 minute taxi from the airport to home (Ashtown) on Monday - 40 euro (and a ridiculous long wait at Dublin airport). The 2 hour trip to Chania airport in Crete on the other side was 75.

downtheroad

Did anyone notice price reductions when the VAT rate was reduced for the hospitality industry? This reduction was meant to be for the consumer, but greedy business owners pocketed the difference. And what will happen when the VAT rate is restored to 13.5% (from 9%)....prices will increase instantly.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955459#Comment_120955459

I would argue 75 is way too cheap for a 4 hour round trip, that wouldn't be viable in Ireland.

it is pointless comparing prices in different countries, how much is a pint in Crete? how much is taxi insurance in Crete?

pat_sconce

Here's an example of how expensive Ireland is getting.

I'm in Cork later this month to play in a golf event. The CHEAPEST 2 nights I can get is €320, but for something half decent its €500. Even decent airbnb's are crazy money.

I've an event in Dusseldorf next April weekend after Easter. The airfare is €162 including golf clubs, the taxi from the airport to hotel is about €15 and a 4 star hotel in the beautiful town of Ratingen (8km north of Dusselldorf and 6 golf clubs within a short hop) is €58 a night. So my 4 night stay in Dusseldorf + flights + baggage will be €100 cheaper than 2 nights bed and breakfast in Cork.

For Cork I'm staying with friends in Cahir - I'd rather a 2 hours 30min drive each day (1hr 15min each way) than pay those prices.

But on the subject on meals - most golf clubs are open to the public and you will find decent value meals in almost all clubs.

mikeybhoy

I reckon there's an increase in places watering down their drinks here either that or putting a minscule amount of alcohol into them. GF ordered a Gin and Tonic recently in a Dublin bar/restaurant could barely taste any alcohol same with an Aperol Spritz ordered in another place a few months back. Is this on the increase?

thebronze14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954423#Comment_120954423

Would agree with all that except the use of the word vacation🤣🤣

Any trips away in Ireland it needs to be Airbnb as hotels are extortionate.

Let's call a spade a spade though, people would be complaining if our beers went back to 4 euro because they are 2 in Spain. There is a definite amount of gouging but our salaries obviously are very different and sadly the elephant in the room is insurance where we are getting fleeced and because people feel the need to sue over every little thing

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955046#Comment_120955046

Do you actually run a small business of any kind? I doubt it.

Try it and you'll find all sorts of increasing costs coming your way - whether from increases that we are all familiar with but also with meeting the changing and rising costs imposed by government regulations and so on.

If you're not familiar with the territory, to be honest then you're just talking nonsense.

Price gouging does happen in some instances, the most obvious being when there is a big event on and prices shoot up for the duration. But it's not just the 'industry' that does that - you'll find Joe Public jumping on the bandwagon as well and letting out rooms or their house for exorbitant money.

thebronze14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955696#Comment_120955696

I severely doubt it. There are inspections periodically on what is sold and if they were found to be doing that they would be shut down. They were doing this in England when I worked in the bar there anyway, presume it is the same here

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955696#Comment_120955696

I dont believe they are watering drinks down. They are definitely using lower quality ones though and charging full whack.

pgj2015

I doubt drink is watered down either, smirnoff might be switched with cheap Lidl vodka though id say in some cases. But I read before of an Irish nightclub fined 25,000 for watering down drinks, not worth the risk.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955743#Comment_120955743

Perhaps but if that's the case and their not watering their drinks down then their probably putting in less alcohol than the measures. I tasted it there was barely any alcohol in the drink.

Yeah Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954350#Comment_120954350

Crazy talk.

Mahou is delicious. The best of a good few Spanish beers that are excellent, certainly better than the other european big boys like heineken etc.

Estrella, Moritz, Rosita.....all brilliant.

Marty Bird

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955679#Comment_120955679

I’ll give another example. I’m doing Ironman Cork in less than 2 weeks time I’m staying in the town centre.

I made the booking I was told minimum 4 night stay at €350 per night in Youghal I’ve paid it, but just another example of the gouging in this country.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955881#Comment_120955881

Ironman? You'll get three nights here mid August for 2 adults for around €100 - https://www.blarneycaravanpark.com/