$5 pizzas at Comerica Park.

Occurrence · June-28-12, 07:45 AM

I went to my first game of the year last week. I wanted to order a $5 Hot-N-Ready for me and my nephews to split at the game [[even though I can't stand Little Caesars). However they did not offer what they advertise on television. How do they manage to get away with this? Isn't that an example of false advertising or is there some loophole they operate under?

**Scottathew** · June-28-12, 08:03 AM

Yeah, it does kind of cost THREE TIMES more than advertised.

However, they're not the only location that doesn't offer pizza at the $5. I was up in Claire or Harrison and the location there sold them for $5.50.

I'm in Canada today and can only get their Canadian website, but it even says there that the $5 price is only at participating locations.

So are they falsely advertising? Probably not, as most locations participate.

Is stadium food ridiculously priced? Of course. That's why my dad and I always go to Lafayette Coney before the game. Then we still end up getting a $17 pizza anyway.

**gumby** · June-28-12, 08:25 AM

They are 6.55 in the Flint area. Why would anyone expect to get the $5 price at Comerica? Stadium food is never the same price as anywhere else. I am sure the advertising for the $5 hot-n-ready's says something along the lines of "participating stores only" so I doubt you could claim false advertisement.

**cramerro** · June-28-12, 08:42 AM

Not false advertising, participating locations only... and Comerica Park is not a Little Ceasars store, either. Most places are pretty blatant about prices... when COPA first opened and there was a McDonalds on Adams that was part of the stadium, you could go there on non-game days and get regular prices, but if you went on a game day they had a separate menu with all the same stuff, marked up 50%+.

The McDonalds and BK in the RenCen are another good example... they don't have any Dollar Menu there. The McDouble, for example, is like $1.89 instead of $1.00.

**401don** · June-28-12, 08:46 AM

In Canada, $5 gets you a medium, not a large, and most franchises are charging 5.50 now.

**poobert** · June-28-12, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I went to my first game of the year last week. I wanted to order a $5 Hot-N-Ready for me and my nephews to split at the game [[even though I can't stand Little Caesars). However they did not offer what they advertise on television. How do they manage to get away with this? Isn't that an example of false advertising or is there some loophole they operate under?

Hands down, my two favorite things in the world are baseball and beer.

That's why I virtually never go to baseball games. I can afford to belong to the yacht club, but Comerica Park is generally out of my price range. You're a capitive audience for about three hours so in addition to the ticket prices [[let's say a little over $50 for you and the bird, that's provided you don't have a bunch of snot-nosed kids like I've managed to avoid, in which case you're talking, what, thousands of dollars to go?) then even if you only drink a measily two beers each and have a pizza you're talking one hundred fucking dollars. To go to a baseball game and watch a bunch of overpaid hacks lose? In the meantime you see more advertisments than baseball. The new scoreboard? You mean the new commercial screen?

We've already covered how Comerica Park is more of an amusement park than a ballpark here. The radio announcers have great insight and little bullshit. I can slam a six pack and eat whatever I want in my backyard for under $10.

I might consider going to another game this season if they start playing like a major league team again.

**ScienceFair** · June-28-12, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

Hands down, my two favorite things in the world are baseball and beer.

That's why I virtually never go to baseball games. I can afford to belong to the yacht club, but Comerica Park is generally out of my price range. You're a capitive audience for about three hours so in addition to the ticket prices [[let's say a little over $50 for you and the bird, that's provided you don't have a bunch of snot-nosed kids like I've managed to avoid, in which case you're talking, what, thousands of dollars to go?) then even if you only drink a measily two beers each and have a pizza you're talking one hundred fucking dollars. To go to a baseball game and watch a bunch of overpaid hacks lose? In the meantime you see more advertisments than baseball. The new scoreboard? You mean the new commercial screen?

We've already covered how Comerica Park is more of an amusement park than a ballpark here. The radio announcers have great insight and little bullshit. I can slam a six pack and eat whatever I want in my backyard for under $10.

I might consider going to another game this season if they start playing like a major league team again.

Is this satire or are you really this cranky?
If you're smart, you can take in a game on the cheap, but it just takes a little planning.

**401don** · June-28-12, 09:07 AM

I usually get a good upper deck seat around home plate. I buy an overpriced 5.00 coke, a hotdog for 3.50 and carry in a bag of peanuts or chips. I'm all in for around 30 dollars. I get lots of good stats off the scoreboard and ignore the ads. It's whatever you make of it and whatever you want to pay but there are a lot more expensive and worse ways to spend a day.

**TKshreve** · June-28-12, 09:36 AM

Michigan Franchise Law states that a Franchisor cannot mandate prices onto their Franchisees. They can suggest a price to their operators, but not dictate one. On the other hand, a Franchisor can mandate certain ingredients and image standards.

I'm pretty sure that CoPa is not a franchised location, but a corporate owned location for obvious reasons. However, it might just be to Illitch's benefit to structure the agreement as a Franchisee for accounting purposes. Take from that what you will.

In the end, demand easily wins out in this situation. Of course LC is going to grind every last cent of profit out of their captive audience. Especially because people at an event such as a BB game are going to open their wallets a little wider for various purposes.

**corktownyuppie** · June-28-12, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I went to my first game of the year last week. I wanted to order a $5 Hot-N-Ready for me and my nephews to split at the game [[even though I can't stand Little Caesars). However they did not offer what they advertise on television. How do they manage to get away with this? Isn't that an example of false advertising or is there some loophole they operate under?

Not a scam or a loophole. $5 Hot and Ready's apply to the franchise stores. And even they have individual rights to decide whether or not to price that way, though perhaps contractual agreements between them and the mothership may forbid that. Not sure.

But if you want the best and most economical way to feed yourself at a ball game...

[[1) Subway on Adams Ave just east of the Kales building
[[2) Buy a sub, cookie, and a drink
[[3) Do not open your drink until you're in the ballpark
[[4) Congrats, you just bought $20 of ballpark-priced food for $7.

**cramerro** · June-28-12, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

Not a scam or a loophole. $5 Hot and Ready's apply to the franchise stores. And even they have individual rights to decide whether or not to price that way, though perhaps contractual agreements between them and the mothership may forbid that. Not sure.

But if you want the best and most economical way to feed yourself at a ball game...

[[1) Subway on Adams Ave just east of the Kales building
[[2) Buy a sub, cookie, and a drink
[[3) Do not open your drink until you're in the ballpark
[[4) Congrats, you just bought $20 of ballpark-priced food for $7.

Ah, secret is out. To clarify here, you have to buy a bottled drink, not fountain... and then follow [[3) to keep it sealed, and they'll let you bring it in.

Cheers!

**9606 Prest** · June-28-12, 10:13 AM

The pizza is a bargain compared to bottled water. You can buy bottled water at Kroger's and get 24 bottles for $3.44 or about 14 cents per bottle or you can pay $4.25 for One bottle inside Comerica Park! Now that's a mark-up that makes Beer & Hot Dogs seem mild!

**Gistok** · June-28-12, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by ScienceFair

Is this satire or are you really this cranky?
If you're smart, you can take in a game on the cheap, but it just takes a little planning.

No he's always this cranky... but at least he's consistent about his disdain for people... at first I thought he disliked the people of Livonia... and then Novi... and then Macomb County... but when you add kids and ball players to the mix... at least he doesn't pick favorites...

[[Somehow I picture old Mr. Wilson of "Dennis the Menace" fame...)

**corktownyuppie** · June-28-12, 10:33 AM

"Rar, rar, rar...GET OFF MY LAWN!!!"

**ScienceFair** · June-28-12, 10:56 AM

I buy food vouchers from season ticketholders on ebay for about $.50 a piece, each one is good for a hotdog and a pop. Also, if you're not going to drink beer, you can sign up for the Designated Driver program and get a free pop.

For tickets, stubhub has tons of tickets below face value for non-premium games, great way to get into a game for half-price. Premium games are usually more crowded and annoying anyway.

**poobert** · June-28-12, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

No he's always this cranky... but at least he's consistent about his disdain for people... at first I thought he disliked the people of Livonia... and then Novi... and then Macomb County... but when you add kids and ball players to the mix... at least he doesn't pick favorites...

[[Somehow I picture old Mr. Wilson of "Dennis the Menace" fame...)

Ah, my nemesis has returned to recount my evil deeds. I'm more like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino, except not racist.

All that kid stuff like hot dogs and pop are fine and dandy but you teetotallers can keep 'em. No way around the high price of getting loaded at CP, far as I can tell.

**j to the jeremy** · June-28-12, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by cramerro

Not false advertising, participating locations only... and Comerica Park is not a Little Ceasars store, either. Most places are pretty blatant about prices... when COPA first opened and there was a McDonalds on Adams that was part of the stadium, you could go there on non-game days and get regular prices, but if you went on a game day they had a separate menu with all the same stuff, marked up 50%+.

The McDonalds and BK in the RenCen are another good example... they don't have any Dollar Menu there. The McDouble, for example, is like $1.89 instead of $1.00.

The macdonalds at WSU student center is also overpriced with no dollar menu

**corktownyuppie** · June-28-12, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by sciencefair

i buy food vouchers from season ticketholders on ebay for about $.50 a piece, each one is good for a hotdog and a pop. Also, if you're not going to drink beer, you can sign up for the designated driver program and get a free pop.

For tickets, stubhub has tons of tickets below face value for non-premium games, great way to get into a game for half-price. Premium games are usually more crowded and annoying anyway.

this is awesome.

**jackie5275** · June-28-12, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

Yeah, it does kind of cost THREE TIMES more than advertised.

Is stadium food ridiculously priced? Of course. That's why my dad and I always go to Lafayette Coney before the game. Then we still end up getting a $17 pizza anyway.

My family likes getting pizza there, so I do. Interestingly, we usually sit in the upper deck & I've seen the prices for a whole pizza vary from $18 to $12 for a cheese only depending on what stand you buy from.

**jackie5275** · June-28-12, 05:24 PM

I buy the pizza for my family, but I like getting the value meal of a hot dog, chips, & pop for $5.00, but now that I've seen the tip, I'll check out StubHub for food vouchers on sale.

Occurrence · June-28-12, 06:08 PM

I'm kind of amazed how many here actually pay for the overpriced garbage they sell at Comerica. There is never an incentive to lower prices as long as people are willing to pay.

**corktownyuppie** · June-28-12, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I'm kind of amazed how many here actually pay for the overpriced garbage they sell at Comerica. There is never an incentive to lower prices as long as people are willing to pay.

Of course not. Do you ever go to your boss and say, "You know...I'm cool with a voluntary paycut. Yeah, it's cool."

If you're upset about food prices and how astronomical they are, here are the entities to blame:

[[1) Idiots like me who are willing to pay.
[[2) Professional athletes, whose salaries require jacked up stadium revenue,
[[3) Agents, who are hired by players to command higher salaries
[[4) Owners, who are trying to make money in a business where it aint that easy.

**jerrytimes** · July-02-12, 12:11 AM

It's not the same pizza at the game. I was at a Wings game, got a deep dish and it was actually good.

**Thruster315** · July-02-12, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I went to my first game of the year last week. I wanted to order a $5 Hot-N-Ready for me and my nephews to split at the game [[even though I can't stand Little Caesars). However they did not offer what they advertise on television. How do they manage to get away with this? Isn't that an example of false advertising or is there some loophole they operate under?

I see you blaming Little Caesars here. You wanted to order a $5 Hot-N-Ready but you have to understand just because there's a Little Caesars there, they don't have to participate in those offers you see on television. Seriously how long has it been since you were at a ball game or a concert?

Were you seriously expecting to get grocery store pricing at the stadium? What were you seriously expecting? Is this genuine naiveté or some feigned disgust at the ball park experience?

No one forces you to buy their pizzas whether they're 50¢, $5 or $50. Just walk away if you think you're getting ripped off. No one says you have to buy all of the hats for $20 a pop either so this logic also applies to all of the ball park amenities. The prices are based upon their convenience- and you don't have to partake of this "convenience". If you truly feel as though you were ripped off, don't go back or simpler yet don't buy anything you feel as though is too overly priced. It's really that simple of a solution.

**Gistok** · July-02-12, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I'm kind of amazed how many here actually pay for the overpriced garbage they sell at Comerica. There is never an incentive to lower prices as long as people are willing to pay.

What's even more amazing is that you're amazed!

Everything from parking onwards is more expensive on game days. It's called "what the market will bear"...

I, like you choose to stay away on those days, unless I happen to go to a game... which is rare. Then I usually take the People Mover from cheaper parking locations, and don't splurge that much on expensive items... now you know a reason that tailgater's do what they do...