Table time pricing

robertod

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am not a pool room owner. I just play pool at home and at pool rooms.

Can the owners here explain to me why most pool rooms I go to (Chicago) price table time by the person?

For example

1 player =$5 @ hr
2 players =$10@hr
4 players =$17 @hr

This seems totally idiotic!

If a table is being used in your room by one player or four players, isn't your cost of presenting that table the the same. Same wear and tear of the balls and table. Only player can shoot at one time. In fact, I would venture to say that one player in one hour will shoot more shots than four players will in one hour. There will be the same cost for rent, insurance, utilities , etc.

Don't you want to encourage more players to your room. They would most likely spend more on food and drinks than one player. They would most likely spend more time playing pool. The more players you have the more that could potentially develop into serious players and therefore frequent your room more often?

What is wrong with charging something along these lines: (exact dollar charge not important here)

1 player $5 @ hour per table
2 Players $8@hour per table
4 players $12@hour per table

You are encouraging first to get friends to play. You are encouraging more players to come to play. And you may find that more players mean longer playing times. And you are raising your per hour revenue per table.

I am sure this is used in some rooms across our states. I would love to know why this is not used in more places. I would like to know why this type of pricing is not used in ALL places.
 
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mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
All the places I have ever been in do the base pricing and add a portion more for additional players.

Before 7pm
$5/hr 1 Person
$7/hr 2 Persons
$9/hr 3 Persons
$11/hr 4 Persons
Max of six people per table.

Base price goes to $12 after 7pm Sunday-Thursday
Base price is $16 after 7pm Friday & Saturday
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The place i play at is priced : $4/hr for one, $7/hr two or more(til 6pm). After 6pm its 10hr/table Sun-Thur, 11/hrFri-Sat. They are looking at possibly doing an all-day rate of $10 from 11am(opening) til 5pm. Very reasonable prices on VERY good tables:10- GC 4'sw/Simonis(9ft), 10- Diamond bar-boxes w/Simonis and 6-Valley bb's w/Simonis.
 

Kevin3824

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have also wondered often about how pool hall pricing works. It seems to me that table time should have nothing to do with the number of players at a particular table. If a person is renting a table for a set amount per hour and someone else joins them they should be able to share their table at no extra charge. That is one of the practices that disturbed me enough to come to the realization I should simply purchase my own table and practice all I want without having to go out and rent a table. I believe that is one of the many reasons so many pool halls are in trouble these days. If you want to get good at pool it takes a lot of time and practice on a regular basis. Table time adds up pretty fast if you have to pay it on a daily basis.

Some pool halls actually say if one player it is say 9 per person per hour. Those are the ones that I think would have a conniption if a group of ten people went in at once and each got a separate table then played each other on one table while using the other table to hold their cue cases. Then they would be limiting themselves to only the amount of customers they have tables to rent to at a given time. It just never seemed like good business to me. I guess it is not just the players that are hurting for money.
 
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mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A pay for play billiard hall is not a retail mall or a homeless shelter or a summer cooling station. Inner city pool halls would have 10 people gathered around a table just to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer if there were a flat $5 hour charge regardless of the number of "players" at a table. it is a BUSINESS folks - the owner pays rent, utilities, maintenance, employee salaries, etc.
if you want a FLAT Table rate, regardless of the number of "players" then you need a food or drink minimum charge per table to stay alive in business- which would you prefer?
 

JC

Coos Cues
I am not a pool room owner. I just play pool at home and at pool rooms.

Can the owners here explain to me why most pool rooms I go to (Chicago) price table time by the person?

For example

1 player =$5 @ hr
2 players =$10@hr
4 players =$17 @hr

This seems totally idiotic!

If a table is being used in your room by one player or four players, isn't your cost of presenting that table the the same. Same wear and tear of the balls and table. Only player can shoot at one time. In fact, I would venture to say that one player in one hour will shoot more shots than four players will in one hour. There will be the same cost for rent, insurance, utilities , etc.

Don't you want to encourage more players to your room. They would most likely spend more on food and drinks than one player. They would most likely spend more time playing pool. The more players you have the more that could potentially develop into serious players and therefore frequent your room more often?

What is wrong with charging something along these lines: (exact dollar charge not important here)

1 player $5 @ hour per table
2 Players $8@hour per table
4 players $12@hour per table

You are encouraging first to get friends to play. You are encouraging more players to come to play. And you may find that more players mean longer playing times. And you are raising your per hour revenue per table.

I am sure this is used in some rooms across our states. I would love to know why this is not used in more places. I would like to know why this type of pricing is not used in ALL places.

It comes down to supply and demand. If the tables are mostly full then who can knock whatever pricing structure they are using? If they sit mostly empty and they have a high progressive rate structure then questioning it makes sense. Sadly, predictably and ironically it's these types of places that tend to not be making it.

Personally I agree 100% that a table should be a table period. Charging more per player is not logical to me but if other people pay it and don't mind then it's me with the issue and I simply won't play there. Doesn't make the business owner wrong. You can't please them all. But don't weep for the rooms closing that operate like this.

JC
 

JC

Coos Cues
A pay for play billiard hall is not a retail mall or a homeless shelter or a summer cooling station. Inner city pool halls would have 10 people gathered around a table just to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer if there were a flat $5 hour charge regardless of the number of "players" at a table. it is a BUSINESS folks - the owner pays rent, utilities, maintenance, employee salaries, etc.
if you want a FLAT Table rate, regardless of the number of "players" then you need a food or drink minimum charge per table to stay alive in business- which would you prefer?

I would prefer that the rooms who feel like you do go out of business as they have no people skills nor business sense.

Pool rooms are a people business that involve pool tables.

JC
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Really, so it makes good business sense to charge a flat rate per table regardless of the number of players - I do think that You would be the one going out of business pal. We are NOT discussing people skills or customer service - we ARE discussing pricing strategies- they are NOT the same thing in business - lesson 101 for YOU- free of charge!
 

PoolTable911

AdvancedBilliardSolutions
Silver Member
My Thoughts

I am not a pool room owner. I just play pool at home and at pool rooms.

Can the owners here explain to me why most pool rooms I go to (Chicago) price table time by the person?

For example

1 player =$5 @ hr
2 players =$10@hr
4 players =$17 @hr

This seems totally idiotic!

If a table is being used in your room by one player or four players, isn't your cost of presenting that table the the same. Same wear and tear of the balls and table. Only player can shoot at one time. In fact, I would venture to say that one player in one hour will shoot more shots than four players will in one hour. There will be the same cost for rent, insurance, utilities , etc.

Don't you want to encourage more players to your room. They would most likely spend more on food and drinks than one player. They would most likely spend more time playing pool. The more players you have the more that could potentially develop into serious players and therefore frequent your room more often?

What is wrong with charging something along these lines: (exact dollar charge not important here)

1 player $5 @ hour per table
2 Players $8@hour per table
4 players $12@hour per table

You are encouraging first to get friends to play. You are encouraging more players to come to play. And you may find that more players mean longer playing times. And you are raising your per hour revenue per table.

I am sure this is used in some rooms across our states. I would love to know why this is not used in more places. I would like to know why this type of pricing is not used in ALL places.

Hello,
I agree everyone has the right to their opinion. These are my thoughts on this subject.
I have been in the billiards industry for 27 years. I have owned 2 rooms without liquor licenses. I charged per player per hour and here are some of my reasons.
The more people the more resources are used.

- heating and ac costs go up
- paper products increase
- sewer & water costs increases
- wear and tear on equipment
- wear on carpet and room furniture.
- added labor in some cases

If you charge a flat fee of lets say $20.00 per table. You will limit the single players and have less doubles playing more than an hour. Now on a busy night you might make out on a single rate. But most nights are not busy. You need players to stay as long as possible and spend money on food and sodas.

In the end I believe this way is the best for pool rooms without a liquor license. Without booze you are selling time.
 

JC

Coos Cues
Really, so it makes good business sense to charge a flat rate per table regardless of the number of players - I do think that You would be the one going out of business pal. We are NOT discussing people skills or customer service - we ARE discussing pricing strategies- they are NOT the same thing in business - lesson 101 for YOU- free of charge!



The net added costs associated with additional people taking turns at the same table are not nearly great enough to offset the revenue lost when they don't show up at all. The rooms that thrive with this type of pricing structure are doing many other things right and thrive in spite of the structure, not because of it. The ones with little else going for them fail even faster all the while believing they are pricing smartly. Looking at their clientele as they would look at homeless people. And thinking they don't notice.

And I'm not your pal.

JC
 

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy All;

As an aside to this pricing debate I'd like to know if there are any Rooms that
would have a monthly payment plan for regulars that come in multiple times
per week and stay for a few hours or more each time? If so, what would be
considered as a "fair" rate?

hank
 

Crash

Pool Hall Owner
Silver Member
I have Diamond Smart tables with Simonis 860HR. Customers can push quarters at $1.00/rack or we'll key it to drop at $6.00/hour flat. People out to have a beer and just hang out like pushing quarters. Gamblers like the hourly rate. I compete with four other halls in town that vary in their pricing. The most popular place sells a wrist band for $5.00 and you can shoot all night.
 

Crash

Pool Hall Owner
Silver Member
Howdy All;

As an aside to this pricing debate I'd like to know if there are any Rooms that
would have a monthly payment plan for regulars that come in multiple times
per week and stay for a few hours or more each time? If so, what would be
considered as a "fair" rate?

hank

I've thought about a prepaid Punch Card for 5 hours of pool for $25.
 

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Crash, Howdy;

I've thought about a prepaid Punch Card for 5 hours of pool for $25.

Customer loyalty is a big asset for a business. By rewarding those that are more
or less your "frequent flyers" with a more favorable rate you'll keep them comin'
back. For example, if you normally charge (ALL pricing being hypothetical)$10.00/hr
and the customer comes in 3 times a week but only plays for an hour, that's
$120.00/month. You offer him $100.00/month and he can play twice as long with
$5.00/hr overage.

Just something to chew on...

hank

A.) You get a set income from him/her
B.) They are happy to get a bargain plus most serious shooters generally
just shoot against 1 player at a time and if they are into 1P they'll be on there
for a long time. The other player is charged $5.00/hr when shooting the "frequent flyer".
 

GideonF

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Another way of thinking about it is that the hall may have a standard rate of say $12 per hour and a "discount practice rate" for a single player (I know of some rooms that express it that way). In other words, don't think of the additional players as an upcharge but think of the rate for fewer players as a discount.

Pool halls are a business and generally are not a hugely profitable business at that. You can vote with your feet if you don't like one approach or the other, but they have to make their money somewhere.
 

cardiac kid

Super Senior Member
Silver Member
East Ridge Billiards in Rochester, NY has a simple rate structure. Walk in the door at Noon. Give the counter person a ten dollar bill and play till Midnight. Each additional player is ten dollars for one hour or twelve. Seven foot or nine foot.

In addition to pool tables, ERB also offers a full bar. A restaurant with daily specials such as Pasta Fagioli or individually prepared Chicken Alfredo as well as finger foods is open from Noon to close.

Nope, we're not going out of business. We have twenty new Diamond tables set up as well as an additional nineteen tables in the new section to be opened next year.

Yes, the market is small. One other pool room on the other side of town. The owners MUST be doing something correctly. Incidentally, we used to have a "skipping out" problem years ago. A fixed prepaid charge for food and/or pool ended that.

Our experience is probably different that yours. Not better or worse. Just different!

Lyn
 

TR_Frank

Registered
A pay for play billiard hall is not a retail mall or a homeless shelter or a summer cooling station. Inner city pool halls would have 10 people gathered around a table just to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer if there were a flat $5 hour charge regardless of the number of "players" at a table. it is a BUSINESS folks - the owner pays rent, utilities, maintenance, employee salaries, etc.
if you want a FLAT Table rate, regardless of the number of "players" then you need a food or drink minimum charge per table to stay alive in business- which would you prefer?

^^^^^ Exactly! I was in a pool hall the other day in Indiana and there was a "railbird" who came in just to get out of the cold and sleep. Looked homeless and he could care less about pool. He slept for the 3 hours I was playing.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's a tradeoff. As a room owner myself, if we charged a rate per hour per table, such as $15 or even $10, you'd really be punishing the single players and even the pairs, but it would be a great deal for 4 or more.

The rates you propose are very close to our rates here in our room in rural Boone, NC - a completely different market than Chicago, obviously. We charge $3/hr per person for one or two persons on a table, it drops to $2.75 each for 3, $2.50 each for 4, and $2.25 each for 5 or more. Our pool prices have remained the same for over 20 years.

As a room owner, the problem with the per person rates, is if you have a waiting list for tables with a few tables taken up by single players, and you may have groups of 4 waiting to play on a table, who may get impatient and end up leaving before they get their table, in which you not only lose their table time, but all the money the group likely would have spent in F&B as well while they were here, whereas the single player playing alone on a table is likely spending very little. However, you don't want to anger them, as they are likely some of your regular customers. Sadly, as with many poolrooms, we rarely have a waiting list anymore so that situation doesn't happen as much as it used to.

Most all poolrooms, including ours, during lower demand weekday afternoon hours, offer special deals for regulars, such as $10 maximum charge from opening until 7pm. You couldn't do that during higher demand nighttime hours without having to turn away groups not willing to wait for a table.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy All;

As an aside to this pricing debate I'd like to know if there are any Rooms that
would have a monthly payment plan for regulars that come in multiple times
per week and stay for a few hours or more each time? If so, what would be
considered as a "fair" rate?

hank
$150 per month unlimited. Only stipulation was if they were playing alone on a table and we had a waiting list, we'd try to get them join up with someone on another table. We are closed Sundays, so if a player plays 25 days a month (every day we are open) that's $6 per day, 20 days a month is $7.50 per day, 15 days a month would be $10 per day average.

Our 11am till 7pm unlimited rate is $10, so the players that wish to play/practice a whole lot during the day will take advantage of that like 3-4 days a week and they'll come out better than coughing up $150 prepaid for the monthly charge.
 

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Flat rate

Several rooms in Upstate NY do flat rate pricing. 7 to 10 dollars per person. Play all you like. It rewards your regulars who play longer. Here the serious players play different times than the party crowd. When your average recreational player is on just over an hour flat rate pricing lets you make more than hourly rate.
 
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