Author Topic: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced??? (Read 6640 times)

jmattox · « **on:** June 13, 2009, 07:12:39 AM »

Just got back from the AMF in South Milwaukee and it cost me over $26 dollars for 6 games. Is it that high all around the states? Just seems high to me.

another300 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 15, 2009, 09:28:16 AM »

I quit bowling in AMF centers when they were called Fair lanes. Yeah that long ago, Fair lanes was bought out by AMF and the crappy customer service continued. Only time i bowl at any AMF house is if the state or city tournament is being held there.

leftyinsnellville · « **Reply #17 on:** June 15, 2009, 09:31:00 AM »

Our local AMF center charges comparable prices with our local Brunswick center for prime time open bowling and league. Both give a discount to league bowlers.

Here's how they are different. Brunswick only charges $0.99 per game from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and only charges league bowlers $0.50 per game during these same off-peak hours. Brunswick also regularly e-mails coupons to me for $0.99 per game that are good during peak hours.

The Brunswick center staff are much more professional and helpful than the AMF center staff, and the AMF center is terribly maintained in all aspects (the bathrooms are filthy, the floors and approaches are rarely cleaned, and my ball is covered with nasty gook after a single game).

Although I would prefer to give my business to the AMF center because it's closer and I like the layout of the center better (raised approaches and generally more roomy), I can't justify spending more money at the AMF center for a less quality bowling experience than I get at the Brunswick center.

Edited on 6/15/2009 9:32 AM

michelle · « **Reply #18 on:** June 15, 2009, 01:03:22 PM »

quote:
I quit bowling in AMF centers when they were called Fair lanes. Yeah that long ago, Fair lanes was bought out by AMF and the crappy customer service continued. Only time i bowl at any AMF house is if the state or city tournament is being held there.

There were a few decent Fair Lanes facilities, but generally, I would concur that they tended to suck and the level of suckitude often got worse when AMF came in. My guess is that it was the oh-so-wonderful combination of crappy FL managers being integrated into the mess of management that forms the basis for Another Massive F*-up.

tc300 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:11:27 AM »

AMF house's suck @$$ period.. theres 2in my area.. one has ppl who dont know jack **** bout bowling. the other which i bowled at this past winter is a lil better... but the pits are DIRTY as he//!! it costs a small fortune to drink at both. AMF cares WWWAAAYYYY to much bout the open play bowler not the leagues.

Astroman · « **Reply #20 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:27:03 AM »

quote:
AMF house's suck @$$ period..

^^^I know that first hand and agree entirely

I can't even count the number of people that walk away when they hear "Its $4.00 per game..." on the weekends. I don't know any of the other rates, but I'm sure $2 wouldn't even cover shoe rental.

I hate how the AMF higher-ups control the pricing. If they had any experience in the bowling business, they'd realize THEY are ruining bowling. Get rid of all the stockholders and managers that were just hired from fast food restaurants, and get some people that have some knowledge of this business.

--------------------
Carry the 5!

Gems(to me)-> http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/ntrsptr9c1/NIB%20Balls/

Edited on 6/17/2009 1:27 AM

Edited on 6/17/2009 1:28 AM

JOE FALCO · « **Reply #21 on:** June 16, 2009, 06:57:52 AM »

quote:

I hate how the AMF higher ups control the pricing if they had any experience in the bowling business, they'd realize THEY are ruining bowling. Get rid of all the stockholders and managers that were just hired from fast food restaurants, and get some people that have some knowledge of this business.

Maybe un-related but your comment made me think of this situation.

CITIBANK was acquired by TRAVELERS INSURANCE about 10 years ago. It took them 10 years to take the biggest Bank in the USA to near bankruptcy! It would have happened sooner if they didn't keep some of the Bankers on for a few years. People who didn't know anything about Banking just kept looking at the BOTTOM LINE and hurt the whole country!
--------------------
Hit them light and watch them fight
J O E - F A L C O

RIP Thong Princess

Doggie the Dog · « **Reply #22 on:** June 16, 2009, 11:36:08 PM »

quote:
I am extremely bothered also by the fact, that for the vast majority of AMF Centers, its just a bunch of late model Brunswick A-2 machines, and B-2000 ball returns with the 2000 masking units also, and they just slap AMF logos in the middle of the Masking unit where it used to say Brunswick or the name of the center when it was Mom and Pop owned. It's not like AMF built these centers from the ground up with 82-70's or AMF 90 XL's, and installed the Quibica/AMF/Bowland scoring system and ball returns, thus they might be able to justify some higher prices because they do have top of the line equipment from their OWN COMPANY!!

I live a good 3 hours from a certain AMF Center in Sturgis Michigan, and the its really sad, that a town of around 11,500 is subject to having a single bowling center in their town and its a terribly ran 32-lane AMF corporate owned center, I have many friends from that town. Even more disgraceful is that this center was founded by the family of PB III's wife Leslie, and when AMF bought it, they ran it to nothing. If I had some $$$$ I would change this situation. As with most on these boards, I could ramble on all day about everything wrong with AMF Bowling Centers.

Matt(the former chink of collegebowling)

At least here in the KC area AMF replaced the Brunswick equipment (except pinsetters) with their own in recent years(Pro Bowl in North KC was completely redone a few years ago) but still that doesn't justify the prices they're asking.
I do most of my bowling in a family-owned center with Brunswick machines and ball returns, everything else is AMF's late 90s/2000s era capitol equipment and they also have synthetic approaches, keep the center clean and well maintained, and charge reasonable prices (this summer they're charging $1/game until late August).
--------------------
Sometimes you feel like an idol.
Sometimes you feel like an idiot.

.

My game my house
My ball YOUR LOSS

dw23 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 17, 2009, 12:16:39 AM »

quote:
quote:
I bowl two leagues AMF house, one league private owned house. All
are senior leagues.

Amf house rates lineage $7.40 get free game card for 3 games plus
free soda and coffee. Practice $1.29 a game anytime.

Its quite common for senior leagues (in the day time and morning) to be MUCH cheaper then evening leagues. But AMF is still more expensive then privately owned centers. One center (non AMF) charges $3 lineage total for three games. For a senior men's league. Its over $10 for mixed adult leagues in the evening.

We have 5 AMF centers and none of them are as inexpensive as the Torrance center mentioned. The only center I've been in in Torrance was Gable House.

Much of our lineage in the area is similar (AMF is still high) but the main reason bowlers are leaving the AMF centers is service. Since we do have non AMF centers its an option if the league can find available lanes. Leagues are even willing to pay $2 more then the AMF center to get to a new privately owned center down the road.

Erin

The AMF center I am referring to is AMF Bowl-O-Drome. I am not sure what the lineage is but I know it is not as expensive as the other independent houses in the area. The leagues there are pretty happy as the house is packed every week night and even has big league on Saturday and Sunday.

I agree that the other AMF centers I go to are pretty horrible though.
--------------------
DW

tst4eko · « **Reply #24 on:** June 17, 2009, 04:36:40 PM »

quote:
I am extremely bothered also by the fact, that for the vast majority of AMF Centers, its just a bunch of late model Brunswick A-2 machines, and B-2000 ball returns with the 2000 masking units also, and they just slap AMF logos in the middle of the Masking unit where it used to say Brunswick or the name of the center when it was Mom and Pop owned. It's not like AMF built these centers from the ground up with 82-70's or AMF 90 XL's, and installed the Quibica/AMF/Bowland scoring system and ball returns, thus they might be able to justify some higher prices because they do have top of the line equipment from their OWN COMPANY!!

I live a good 3 hours from a certain AMF Center in Sturgis Michigan, and the its really sad, that a town of around 11,500 is subject to having a single bowling center in their town and its a terribly ran 32-lane AMF corporate owned center, I have many friends from that town. Even more disgraceful is that this center was founded by the family of PB III's wife Leslie, and when AMF bought it, they ran it to nothing. If I had some $$$$ I would change this situation. As with most on these boards, I could ramble on all day about everything wrong with AMF Bowling Centers.

Matt(the former chink of collegebowling)

Sheridan Lanes in Tulsa, OK, now AMF Sheridan Lanes, is similar to what you're talking about. It was built from the ground up by Ted Sieler back in the late 50's or early 60's I believe. To my knowledge, he always used AMF pinsetters. I believe the pinsetters installed now are 82-70's, and have been there for at least the early 90s when I used to work there as a lane attendant in high school. But the settee area, ball returns, and scorekeepers were Brunswick.

It was a mom & pop place until Sieler put it up for sale near the turn on the millennium. And of course, AMF bought it and turned it into crap. They have plastered the AMF logos as you mentioned on anything with the big B on it. They replaced the scorekeepers with the AMF version, which sucks worse than the original. Compared to the older Brunswick scorekeepers, it takes forever to change a score. When AMF came in to install the new ones, they removed the functionality of the reset buttons on the side of the B-2000s. Now you have to press like 4 or 5 buttons on the damn AMF control panel just to reset pins.

Price-wise, it's like $5/game prime time, and like $4-4.50 during the day. They've made so many cost cutting measures, they don't even do the beer/pop frames anymore during league. I just found this out last night. I'm surprised they still do league rates (although $2.75/game doesn't seem like a discount) and 3 free games a day for the summer. GM's come and go like a revolving door.

But what they don't appreciate is how lucky they are that the center is in the best location in town - right off of two major highways in the middle of town. You really have to go out of your way to get to the other centers in the area. That's the only thing keeping them in business. And that's the only reason why I continue to bowl there.

Overall the place is decent, but not nearly has good as it used to be when it was a mom & pop place. I miss those days very, very much.

Author Topic: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced??? (Read 6640 times)

jmattox

Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

another300

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

leftyinsnellville

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

michelle

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

tc300

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

Astroman

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

JOE FALCO

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

Doggie the Dog

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

dw23

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???

tst4eko

Re: Are all AMF bowling centers high priced???