Ski Cooper’s $45 Midweek Ticket Promotion Increases Skier Days and Revenue

[AdironRider]

I think this is great for Cooper (and Burke as another example) as it shows they understand their market and clientele. Dartmouth Skiway has a new third party vendor for food service this year and they completely missed the mark. 10 dollar sides of fries and 18 dollar beers. I know its Dartmouth and all, but the Skiway lives and dies by local families and that is Peak Lodge at the top of the Gondi pricing. Middlebury on the other hand does this very well, where you can get a burger, beer, and fries for like 16 or 18 bucks total.

That said, I don't think this really affects Vail. Like it or not, at this point in the current ski market, they are basically completely different clientele with little to no overlap. Vail is Vail and it is drawing a specific customer, and part of that is a money flex to a certain extent, and most Vail customers aren't blinking an eye at high day lift tickets or high F&B costs. I don't agree with the premise and have shifted pretty much exclusively to indy resorts as a result, but that market does exist and Vail / Ikon are tapping it well.

 

[snoseek]

Extra brownie points because you patronized my home mountain.

I've taken a liking. It's one of those places I sorta forgot about.

 

[snoseek]

I think this is great for Cooper (and Burke as another example) as it shows they understand their market and clientele. Dartmouth Skiway has a new third party vendor for food service this year and they completely missed the mark. 10 dollar sides of fries and 18 dollar beers. I know its Dartmouth and all, but the Skiway lives and dies by local families and that is Peak Lodge at the top of the Gondi pricing. Middlebury on the other hand does this very well, where you can get a burger, beer, and fries for like 16 or 18 bucks total.

That said, I don't think this really affects Vail. Like it or not, at this point in the current ski market, they are basically completely different clientele with little to no overlap. Vail is Vail and it is drawing a specific customer, and part of that is a money flex to a certain extent, and most Vail customers aren't blinking an eye at high day lift tickets or high F&B costs. I don't agree with the premise and have shifted pretty much exclusively to indy resorts as a result, but that market does exist and Vail / Ikon are tapping it well.

If the economy tanks vails gonna have a hard time selling 22 dollar burgers to the masses. They will need to pivot hard imo.

 

[BenedictGomez]

If the economy tanks vails gonna have a hard time selling 22 dollar burgers to the masses. They will need to pivot hard imo.

It's difficult for them to "pivot" at this point. I'd actually imagine a $22 burger would go to $25 instead.

Of course, the chicken tenders with fries are already $24, so......

 

[drjeff]

It's difficult for them to "pivot" at this point. I'd actually imagine a $22 burger would go to $25 instead.

Of course, the chicken tenders with fries are already $24, so......

While they are selling a bunch of $24 burgers or chicken tenders and fries baskets and if you max out all the potential toppings for the made to order salads your over $35, I have also witnessed well over a dozen people when they hear what the price of a meal(s) or a can of cold brew coffee ($8) and just leave their food and/or beverage at the cashier's station and walk away.

Guessing if they cut prices back, especially at their more day trip focused properties in the Northeast and Midwest that their gross F&B revenue would increase, and without much of an overall effect on their profits.

Heck, I know for a fact that the crew I usually apres with in one of the base lodge bars at Mount Snow has definitely scaled back how long we stay there after the beers hit an average of $12-$15 in favor of leaving much sooner and going back to the ski club were members and our coolers of our favorite beverages we pre positioned. While we may miss out on some of the appealing social aspect of apres in a base lodge bar, the price point has reached a tipping point, and more many of us have been regulars in that base lodge bar for 10-15yrs plus

 

[Rob Katz]

Cooper is fun. The glades on the back reminded me a lot of east coast skiing.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Guessing if they cut prices back, especially at their more day trip focused properties in the Northeast and Midwest that their gross F&B revenue would increase,

I've long suspected this as well, especially with alcohol, but that clearly is diametrically opposed to the Vail way.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I couldn't tell you what a burger or chix fingers cost in Roundtops lodge, pre-Vail or currently. I do visit the bar/restaurant a few times a season, and its not crazy over priced considering it is a step up from what is downstairs in the regular cafeteria. I'm sure its not a $20 burger situation in rural central PA, but its definitely more than McDs.

 

[AdironRider]

I've long suspected this as well, especially with alcohol, but that clearly is diametrically opposed to the Vail way.

The vast majority of ski area customers by no alcohol at all, and even fewer buy more than one. Most ski lodge bars are closed by 4 or 5 other than hotel joints.

I’m sure some actuary in Broomfield knows exactly the number at which they start losing the beer at lunch crowd (of Vail customers).