Per Hour Pricing Questions (not complaints!)

D

DieselPete

Active member
My local joint redid the tables and made a few other upgrades recently and slightly raised prices to play, to $10 per hour on the weekends. That makes perfect sense to me and I don't mind paying it.

What I don't get, and I'm curious what other pool halls do today, is that they charge that rate per person, with no discount for additional players. I'm practicing last night and looking over at tables with four players and thinking, "they get 1/4 the table time that I am right now, and they are paying the same rate. Why wouldn't they get two tables and double their table time for the same cost?"

Then it hits me that if they get two tables, the pool hall would lose the use of one table for no additional revenue per hour (they would still get $40 per hour, total). Heck, they could tie up four tables for an hour and there is no additional revenue to the pool hall.

The whole thing just strikes me as "wrong."

I thought about it on the drive home and arrived at this:
1) A pool hall should encourage people to pair up to keep tables open.
2) People get less playing time when they pair up, so if rates aren't flexible they have an incentive to tie up more tables.
3) Reflect those realities by charging something like $10 for one person, $16 for two, and $20 for three or more.

So, what do your pool halls do and what do you think is the best pricing model to maximize revenue and keep people coming back?
 
HNTFSH said:
You really think this topic won't elicit complaints? 🤣
🤣 👍
Click to expand...
Oh, other people can complain, I suppose. My title was intended to say that I have a question and would like to hear from other people but that I am not complaining about it. I don't mind supporting my pool hall at $10 per hour.
 
DieselPete said:
My local joint redid the tables and made a few other upgrades recently and slightly raised prices to play, to $10 per hour on the weekends. That makes perfect sense to me and I don't mind paying it.

What I don't get, and I'm curious what other pool halls do today, is that they charge that rate per person, with no discount for additional players. I'm practicing last night and looking over at tables with four players and thinking, "they get 1/4 the table time that I am right now, and they are paying the same rate. Why wouldn't they get two tables and double their table time for the same cost?"

Then it hits me that if they get two tables, the pool hall would lose the use of one table for no additional revenue per hour (they would still get $40 per hour, total). Heck, they could tie up four tables for an hour and there is no additional revenue to the pool hall.

The whole thing just strikes me as "wrong."

I thought about it on the drive home and arrived at this:
1) A pool hall should encourage people to pair up to keep tables open.
2) People get less playing time when they pair up, so if rates aren't flexible they have an incentive to tie up more tables.
3) Reflect those realities by charging something like $10 for one person, $16 for two, and $20 for three or more.

So, what do your pool halls do and what do you think is the best pricing model to maximize revenue and keep people coming back?
Click to expand...
You really think the employees of the pool hall would have told the party of four they cannot have two tables? Highly unlikely and if they did, it's doubtful they would return.
 
rexus31 said:
You really think the employees of the pool hall would have told the party of four they cannot have two tables? Highly unlikely and if they did, it's doubtful they would return.
Click to expand...
Where did I say that?

No, I don't think that happened. What I am saying is that the group of four chose to all play together, which is to the benefit of the pool hall but from an economic perspective to their own detriment. Now, maybe they wanted to play together and they don't care about the economics. But no, I don't think they were told that they could not have two tables.
 
I can't speak to the money side (beyond 4 players x $10.00/hr. wouldn't fly with me) but the worker/owner has to just use good judgement. My local room only has three 9 footers and a few regulars during weekday afternoon play. 3-4 players will be consuming all three tables, switching off and on tables for games with the other 2 or 3 guys. Normally the owner (who is also playing these off and on games) will see someone waiting and try to negotiate the guys to make some room but that normally means you have to play one of them on "their table". Again - mostly nice guys and the games are friendly but I don't always want a game right away but would rather get a little time on something other than my 9 GC1.

So I agree with the OP but it's just so different at every place in terms of $$/Hr and per player rates. I really doubt some dude rotating on 3 tables is spending $30.00 an hour. o_O
 
DieselPete said:
The whole thing just strikes me as "wrong."
...
So, what do your pool halls do and what do you think is the best pricing model to maximize revenue and keep people coming back?
Click to expand...
That's not how I would set up my pool hall if I had one.

Most pool halls that I've seen charge either a single price for the table or a tapered price according to the number of people with the maximum (four or more) no more than twice the single player rate. I'd pick something like that. And most of the pool halls around here have a monthly membership so for $100 or so you can play every day until 6PM or some such. I have a membership that lets me play from 3-7 weekdays for $25/month. I think memberships build up a set of regular customers. They also encourage the more serious players to practice. Many rooms have reduced daytime rates.

The rec center I learned to play in did have a fixed per-player price, but it was $0.40 per hour. A hundred years ago it was common to charge a fixed price "per cue" for things like ring games. The houseman would collect a nickel from each player when he racked. Or so I'm told.
 
I've seen it where the room charges per person, per hour. When there is waiting list for tables, solo players pay X2.
 
DieselPete said:
My local joint redid the tables and made a few other upgrades recently and slightly raised prices to play, to $10 per hour on the weekends. That makes perfect sense to me and I don't mind paying it.

What I don't get, and I'm curious what other pool halls do today, is that they charge that rate per person, with no discount for additional players. I'm practicing last night and looking over at tables with four players and thinking, "they get 1/4 the table time that I am right now, and they are paying the same rate. Why wouldn't they get two tables and double their table time for the same cost?"

Then it hits me that if they get two tables, the pool hall would lose the use of one table for no additional revenue per hour (they would still get $40 per hour, total). Heck, they could tie up four tables for an hour and there is no additional revenue to the pool hall.

The whole thing just strikes me as "wrong."

I thought about it on the drive home and arrived at this:
1) A pool hall should encourage people to pair up to keep tables open.
2) People get less playing time when they pair up, so if rates aren't flexible they have an incentive to tie up more tables.
3) Reflect those realities by charging something like $10 for one person, $16 for two, and $20 for three or more.

So, what do your pool halls do and what do you think is the best pricing model to maximize revenue and keep people coming back?
Click to expand...
The room needs to have a single player discounted rate so players can practice. There also needs to be an understanding that they may be asked to give up the table should it become necessary. When I was playing in Europe most rooms had what they called "Training rates". This was to encourage players to develop and improve their games.

My experience has been that single players usually end up playing with other players. I also like activity in the room. I don't want someone leaving if I can keep them there, as well as the room has to have the atmosphere of a happening place. People like to be where other people are. An empty room looks bad. I can't be the only one who has not sat down in an empty restaurant and left.
There is also a misconception about people. People like to spend money, all you have to do is give them a chance.

My famous story about an empty pool room.
It was upstate NY and my wife and I went in looking to play. One table was going and this was like 7pm. There was certainly nothing to be done here so we left. As we were leaving I saw a sign on the wall.
"IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO, DON'T DO IT HERE"
I think that explained the empty room. You know, even someone hanging around not really spending much has value.
 
The owner is doing it right. If I could get $40 an hour for table, I would do it too. But In fairness, the table being played on by 4 guys isn't going to have any more wear and tear then someone playing by themselves. Only one person can shoot at a time.
 
DieselPete said:
My local joint redid the tables and made a few other upgrades recently and slightly raised prices to play, to $10 per hour on the weekends. That makes perfect sense to me and I don't mind paying it.

What I don't get, and I'm curious what other pool halls do today, is that they charge that rate per person, with no discount for additional players. I'm practicing last night and looking over at tables with four players and thinking, "they get 1/4 the table time that I am right now, and they are paying the same rate. Why wouldn't they get two tables and double their table time for the same cost?"

Then it hits me that if they get two tables, the pool hall would lose the use of one table for no additional revenue per hour (they would still get $40 per hour, total). Heck, they could tie up four tables for an hour and there is no additional revenue to the pool hall.

The whole thing just strikes me as "wrong."

I thought about it on the drive home and arrived at this:
1) A pool hall should encourage people to pair up to keep tables open.
2) People get less playing time when they pair up, so if rates aren't flexible they have an incentive to tie up more tables.
3) Reflect those realities by charging something like $10 for one person, $16 for two, and $20 for three or more.

So, what do your pool halls do and what do you think is the best pricing model to maximize revenue and keep people coming back?
Click to expand...
That sounds the same as both players having to deposit $1.50 in a coin op table to play. It seems to me that when a pool room charges by the hour that you are essentially renting the table regardless of how many people actually play. More players will buy more refreshments and eat more food which kinda seems like the real goal. More people that visit and like the establishment are also likely to bring other people too.
 
fastone371 said:
That sounds the same as both players having to deposit $1.50 in a coin op table to play. It seems to me that when a pool room charges by the hour that you are essentially renting the table regardless of how many people actually play. More players will buy more refreshments and eat more food which kinda seems like the real goal. More people that visit and like the establishment are also likely to bring other people too.
Click to expand...
I completely agree. But if his business model is working, I guess there's nobody here they can judge him. If it's not working then I guess he'll change his policy.
 
buckshotshoey said:
The owner is doing it right. If I could get $40 an hour for table, I would do it too. But In fairness, the table being played on by 4 guys isn't going to have any more wear and tear then someone playing by themselves. Only one person can shoot at a time.
Click to expand...
I am super turned off by the "per person" pricing strategy. A party of three or four is likely to rent the table for much longer than some dude banging balls by himself. Unless you price them out that is. And they will probably get hungry and thirsty along the way too.

It's like these people are homeless and trying to stay dry from the weather for free the way it's treated.

I guess it's what ever people will tolerate.

The average person can't do basic math nor has simple logic and half of them are even stupider so here you have it.
 
Last edited:
JC said:
I am super turned off by the "per person" pricing strategy. A party of three or four is likely to rent the table for much longer than some dude banging balls by himself. And they will probably get hungry and thirsty along the way too.

It's like these people are homeless and trying to stay dry from the weather for free the way it's treated.

I guess it's what ever people will tolerate.

The average person can't do basic math nor has simple logic and half of them are even stupider so here you have it.
Click to expand...
My home place does 'by the player' from opening(11a) to 6pm then 'by the table' after six when the drinking/eating crowd comes in. Works good for all.
 
garczar said:
My home place does 'by the player' from opening(11a) to 6pm then 'by the table' after six when the drinking/eating crowd comes in. Works good for all.
Click to expand...
Does the "by the player" pricing mean that there is a sliding scale or a flat rate per person?

(Is it $10 for one, $16 for two, $20 for three or something similar or is it X dollars per person, period?)
 
DieselPete said:
Does the "by the player" pricing mean that there is a sliding scale or a flat rate per person?

(Is it $10 for one, $16 for two, $20 for three or something similar or is it X dollars per person, period?)
Click to expand...
One player is $4/hr and two(or more) players is $7/hr til 6pm. Then they go to $11/hr per table til close.
 
not many room operators are smart enough to figure out the economics of players and the spending of their money on how to maximize it and keep a return clientele.

the majority of rooms still open make money in spite of themselves instead of making money becuase they are good business people.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top