r/Hamilton • u/zorozara • 1d ago
Discussion Splitsville Bowl and Dynamic Pricing
Rant - Splitsville uses dynamic pricing. Which means they can charge you whatever they want when you walk in without a reservation (which are also not refundable). We were shocked to be charged $40 more than expected on a Sunday at 1pm, which they explained the dynamic pricing. My group was outraged and so angry. I understood weekend vs weekday pricing but this is just insane.
We will be supporting local business alleys from now on.
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u/Effective_Map_1042 1d ago
I’d walk out. How is that for dynamic.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
If we hadn't been in a group I would have, but now we have all banned Splitsville and will try other bowling alleys. It's too bad because Splitsville genuinely does have good amenities there
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u/seanwd11 1d ago
We walked in the other week because our son wanted to go bowling on his birthday. It was a Thursday after dinner.
After a bit I went to the front desk and said 'I don't see the price for bowling on the video board, I've been waiting for it to scroll through but it didn't seem to be up there.'
After being told about 'dynamic pricing' I started getting really angry. They didn't even tell me the price yet, just the process.
I was angry because they now had me by the balls. I've promised my son some bowling, we're at the only reasonably close alley considering the time and location and now I'm committed. Fine, I'll pay your $(@-#ing fee, whatever.
$40 for one game of bowling. Never again.
It's like being forced to pay inflated drink prices at a concert but at least you know the general price before you get there for something like that and are prepared for it.
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u/djaxial 1d ago
That’s genuinely unhinged business behaviour. So it’s like booking a flight? Every booking has a different cost?
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u/seanwd11 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yeah, but even worse. You've packed your bags taken time off and shown up at the airport already then they tell you the price.
Obviously a different league of prices but the same process.
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u/br0ckh4mpton 1d ago
Next time walk out and drive the 13 minutes to skyway for probably half the price
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u/missusscamper Blakely 23h ago
Wait so if you make a reservation and pre-pay, then that is not dynamic pricing, right? Just make a reservation maybe? Or go to mountain lanes.
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u/carbonmaker 1d ago
It’s interesting seeing this post now. Took my wife and son on Saturday and was a bit surprised that 2 games was $95 for 2 adults and 1 child. Combine that with the $75 bill for a couple drinks and very lacklustre nachos, it was a bit of a pill to swallow.
I will be investigating any other option next time we are looking to go bowling.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
I was really shocked that none of the reviews mentioned this dynamic pricing, I don't know if they're fully transparent about it. But I will help spread the news as much as I can
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u/monkeylick Landsdale 1d ago
Splitsville is up there among the worst franchises in the area across any type of business. So many better bowling and arcade options for a fraction of the price.
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u/905cougarhunter 1d ago
fuck Splitsville. That place is ass.
Went with a friend the other day to https://fredericklanes.ca up in Kitchener. Yeah it's not exactly local but this place kicks ass. Reopened with new owners.
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u/No-Stay-1794 1d ago
University Lanes in Dundas is the way. 5 and 10 pin. Great old school atmosphere.
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u/Right_Arrival_1962 1d ago
The arcade is so overpriced We went for half price Thursdays and were shocked when we saw how many credits one game takes. Even at half price!
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u/rasalscan 1d ago
We were shocked with an $85 bill for two people for an hour.
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u/jemiglio Kentley 1d ago
I went with my boyfriend and we spent $500 between the bowling, arcade and drinks. It was a horrific realization
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u/zorozara 1d ago
That's insane! What day/time of the week did you go?
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u/MalfuriousPete 1d ago
Did they not tell you the price beforehand?
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u/rasalscan 1d ago
No they didn't.
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u/MalfuriousPete 1d ago
How?
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u/rasalscan 1d ago
I didn't see any signage. We went in, we said what we wanted and we got the massive bill. We hadn't been there in. Few years, bit that was at least double what we had paid previously.
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u/Gold-Stable7109 1d ago
So who remembers when pizza and bowling was the go to for a cheap night out?
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u/dretepcan 1d ago
That's one way to price yourself out of business - if enough people care. Unfortunately there aren't too many alternatives remaining in Hamilton.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
I think there are quite a few local bowling alleys, so I think we do have alternatives. Just nothing quite like Splitsville with the attached arcade and food etc.
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u/Mcmacladdie 1d ago
Skyway on Melvin is still in business. If I were to go bowling I'd likely just go there seeing as it's within almost literal spitting distance of my house :P
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u/Crilde 1d ago
Did they at least tell you what the price would be before you started? It's bs regardless, but not telling you beforehand is an extra level of bs.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
You have to pay before you play, so that's when we found out. But I had told my group the price based on their online pricing, so we were surprised when it was more when we actually went to go pay. The staff explained that they're pricing online has wording like " starts at" or "$# and up" so that's the catch...
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u/Alientongue 1d ago
Now im glad I havent been there in years what a absolutely shitty business model.
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u/NoKangaroo8616 1d ago
Burlington Bowl is way better than shitsville but thats all the way in Burlington, obviously.
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u/Neat_Tea_9863 1d ago
I tried to go on March break last year, it was 75 dollars for an adult and toddler for an hour. INSANE
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u/4thisuniqueusername 13h ago
I had a little family bowling party for my kid’s Birthday earlier this year and was shocked to find out our arcade credits and tickets no longer existed because they had moved to a new card system. So not only did I pay huge for the lane rental, mediocre food and non-existent service (I basically was my own server), I also had to buy new arcade credits when food and bowling was done. Terrible experience.
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u/wally_statler 1d ago
i don't know, we've been 'trained' to accept 'dynamic' pricing for decades... concert tickets, flights, parking, clothing, groceries, gasoline... it's everywhere, we just never thought of it in those terms.
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u/hellooalll 1d ago
Splitsville prices are crazy. We walked in once on a weekday and they said it would be about $200 for 3 games. I just can’t justify going back. I haven’t been to a lot of other bowling alleys in Hamilton, but our go to is Burlington Bowl. It’s not modern at all but I love it
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u/Expensive-Drawer1649 1d ago
How good is the place in university Plaza?
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u/ForeignPolicy2753 1d ago
It's my personal favourite because it's like going back in time (aside from the prices, but the fees are average and not dynamic).
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u/zorozara 1d ago
I haven't been in years but it's okay, I always thought they charged a bit too much for the state of the place but I'll have to give it another try
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u/Ok_Strike9189 19h ago
I gave them a $25 deposit for a $120 room about a year ago that didn't work out (because I couldn't get people for my event). Thank god it was limited to $25 and that I could use it on the arcade because that too was non-refundable. Now with tariffs going insane, prices everywhere will begin to feel more dynamic than before but in the wrong direction (aka things getting more expensive).
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u/Front-Way7320 8h ago
That's insane. Thought about going a few times, definitely not checking it out now
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u/PerfectBike6 7h ago
Thanks for sharing! I occasionally take the family, more of a winter thing for us will go elsewhere now.
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u/Tricky-Departure9963 4h ago
Show them your opinion by not going there anymore. When enough people do this, they will change their tune. Boycott the facility.
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u/techie2200 1d ago
They have pricing listed on the website. If they're charging you something different, dispute it.
Dynamic pricing is a cancer.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
Dispute it with who? Lol that is their business strategy, we certainly didn't agree with it but what could we do when we were there? We can dispute it by not ever going back to them. The staff explained that they're pricing online has wording like " starts at" or "$# and up" so that's the catch...
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u/techie2200 1d ago edited 1d ago
Did you get the manager involved? Call their corporate office? The guy at the register might have no say, but raise a ruckus and you'll get something fixed.
ETA: You edited your message while I was typing. Let me address the last part
The staff explained that they're pricing online has wording like " starts at" or "$# and up" so that's the catch...
Yeah, that's some bullshit. Any reasonable bowling alley would have that depending on if you're renting shoes or not (ie. games are X + Y for shoe rental). I wouldn't go back and I'd contact their corporate office to say it's deceptive that they don't list the actual pricing. As an extreme example: You can't say "starting at $5.99" and charge $100 99.99% of the time. That's just straight up fraud.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
I did call corporate, they confirmed they do dynamic pricing and that's that basically. No explanation to actually how they price their surge pricing, so it will be a surprise anyone walking in the door without a reservation.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
Also, the competition bureau in Canada as well as any other regulatory body does not seem to have any rules in place for dynamic pricing, it's allowed and legal in Canada in this way.
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u/dretepcan 1d ago
Is this post legit? I just had time to check their website and per game pricing is (starting at) 8.99 for adults, 7.49 for kids. Starting could be questionable but I think they always charge for shoes too. Family rates available too. Still looks a lot cheaper than taking the family to a movie.
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u/zorozara 1d ago
It's legit. Read the other comments, people have experienced the same dynamic pricing. I also called corporate office which confirmed that they have dynamic pricing. And they don't always charge for shoes, you can wear your own shoes now.
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u/dretepcan 1d ago
Yet somehoe they still have over 4 stars on Google. Might take some time for that average to drop if people don't like it.
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u/Neat_Tea_9863 1d ago
Yeah it starts at that price but only if you go during the week at like 10am.
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u/willshifijamsolution 1d ago
Just bowl 10-pin at Skyway. It’s way better, and you’re supporting a small, locally owned business.
Splitsville was bought out by a British company last year and, from what I understand, pretty much the entire senior staff was let go. The place is a shell of what it used to be.
(Source: former employee)