Any way to avoid huge Kennedy Center Ticket Service Charge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15% online or by phone; 10% in person at the box office. Crazy.

This is accurate - a friend who works near the KC bought tickets at the box office for me to a show a couple months ago to avoid the fees... haha, joke was on me since the fees were less but still significant.

[Anonymous]

All those fees are fing ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking of buying tickets to a show at the Kennedy Center for my whole family to go together...but now I see that they are tacking on a $90 ticket service charge. WTH?

Any way to buy the tickets and avoid it?

How many tickets?

Yeah, OP, how many? You mention taking your "whole family" so multiple tickets. Yes, it racks up fees but I think some here are picturing a $90 fee on just a few tickets when it sounds like you mean more than just a couple of seats.

Service charges are a pain, I agree, but not unexpected or a shock unless you're buying a lot of tickets.

OP here and I vaguely remember posting this SEVEN YEARS ago. Bummed to hear you can’t go in person to get rid of them now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather they have to include all that in the price they show up front. This goes for everyone. Just like AIR BNB had to stop showing a low nightly rate only to tack on a high cleaning fee.

It's dishonest and irritating. Show the price per ticket, including fees and estimated taxes, up FRONT before I spend time looking for a show time that works and seats we'd like.

I recently bought some tickets for my MIL at a local arts venue in FL, and the website did exactly that. When I hovered over the price, a little popup showed the ticket price, taxes, and fees broken out. It was nice and made me want to support the venue more.

Ticketmaster has the same functionality. Just toggle the "show prices including fees" button.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather they have to include all that in the price they show up front. This goes for everyone. Just like AIR BNB had to stop showing a low nightly rate only to tack on a high cleaning fee.

It's dishonest and irritating. Show the price per ticket, including fees and estimated taxes, up FRONT before I spend time looking for a show time that works and seats we'd like.

I recently bought some tickets for my MIL at a local arts venue in FL, and the website did exactly that. When I hovered over the price, a little popup showed the ticket price, taxes, and fees broken out. It was nice and made me want to support the venue more.

We buy a lot of tickets to plays, concerts and events, and I've increasingly seen websites doing what you describe -- showing the various charges, fees, taxes broken out so the buyer sees everything clearly before purchasing anything. It's helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking of buying tickets to a show at the Kennedy Center for my whole family to go together...but now I see that they are tacking on a $90 ticket service charge. WTH?

Any way to buy the tickets and avoid it?

I recently bought 4 tickets and the service fee was $50, so $12.50 a ticket. Between this and Ticketmaster it’s terrible.

I’ve never gone to the box office. I love 40 mins away. Time and effort is $$

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking of buying tickets to a show at the Kennedy Center for my whole family to go together...but now I see that they are tacking on a $90 ticket service charge. WTH?

Any way to buy the tickets and avoid it?

I recently bought 4 tickets and the service fee was $50, so $12.50 a ticket. Between this and Ticketmaster it’s terrible.

*live not love

I’ve never gone to the box office. I love 40 mins away. Time and effort is $$

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15% online or by phone; 10% in person at the box office. Crazy.

Where?

[Anonymous]

Also-ticket prices fluctuate at the Kennedy Center based on demand.

[Anonymous]

I just pay it and chalk it up to Entertainment fees. If you had to drive and pay to park at the Kennedy to run in and stand in line and buy tix, that would be worth money.

[Anonymous]

We go to fewer shows, way fewer, due to higher ticket costs and random "service fees".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:15% online or by phone; 10% in person at the box office. Crazy.

Where?

Kennedy Center. Fee free tickets are no longer an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:15% online or by phone; 10% in person at the box office. Crazy.

Where?

Kennedy Center. Fee free tickets are no longer an option.

If there is zero way to NOT pay a fee it should be baked into the full price period. Same for hotel “spa” charges that are not optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:15% online or by phone; 10% in person at the box office. Crazy.

Where?

Kennedy Center. Fee free tickets are no longer an option.

If there is zero way to NOT pay a fee it should be baked into the full price period. Same for hotel “spa” charges that are not optional.

Is it to avoid paying money to the artists? They get X% of tickets sales per their contract, but not a share of fees?

[Anonymous]

Ticket master has a near momonoply (hence Bidens involvement) and can charge whatever fees they want.

We recently paid close to $300 in fees for NCAA tournament tickets (3 tickets, the fees were similar to the cost of a ticket)