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Bowlero

1.5

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Bowlero Reviews Summary

Bowlero has a rating of 1.5 stars from 46 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with Bowlero most frequently mention and bowling alley. Bowlero ranks 31st among Local Experiences sites.

service
25
value
25
shipping
8
returns
9
quality
22

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Illinois
1 review
3 helpful votes
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Overrated
December 26, 2022

For a bowling alley if you want a cocktail forget it. My boyfriend and I went for a drink and one Bud light and a regular margarita cost $20.00. The guy next to me ordered 2 shots and it cost him $35.00 plus tax and a 18% service charge is obnoxious. If you go bowling it can cost you a pretty penny. I won't be going there again!

Date of experience: December 25, 2022
Florida
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Rude Manager and Staff
December 26, 2022

Went bowling with my son based on Sunday Special:
SUNDAY FUNDAY
Discover the most entertaining way to end your weekend—with $5.99 games and arcade card deals after 6pm.
$5.99 GAMES OF BOWLING
$5.99 Shoe Rental
$3 FOR A $6 ARCADE CARD
*Sundays starting at 6pm. Subject to lane.
They refused to honor the advertised price, explanation was - it's a Holiday.
In the ad, no comments about holidays.
I feel that Corporation should respect their Special offers or make changes on their Web-site.
Extremely disappointed. Will not return to this location!

Date of experience: December 25, 2022
Colorado
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Garbage
November 26, 2022

1.5 hours for mozzarella sticks, chicken finger and fries. It's not that hard. We booked one day in advance and still took 45 minutes to get our lane

Date of experience: November 25, 2022
North Carolina
1 review
1 helpful vote
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We decided to go bowling this Sunday so everyone in the family could spend time together for my son's upcoming 10th birthday which is on Wednesday, but because the kids are in school and we are all working we had to do something today! We get there and we have maybe 40 minutes left for the kids to bowl for free, but I didn't care so much about the free bowling so I asked if I could purchase a lane beside the free lane, but wasn't allowed to do that until after 5pm. That meant that the adults couldn't bowl because it wasn't 5pm, so I let that go! I went to get food and the bartender/cashier/server was disengaged and not happy to take my order and was sighing as he answered me like I was bothering him. I didn't appreciate any of his actions but I remained calm and continued with my order. When I paid I handed him by debit card, but when he gave it back to me he had it mixed into the receipt and the check that I needed to sign. My sister got her wings and there was hair mixed into the skin on the wings and they were sent back for another order, but the second order had one of the wings that was only the part of the wing without the drumstick, so she asked them if they would replace that wing and the bartender/cashier/server said one would be on the way. The wing never came and when she asked about it the manager said no the wing was never coming and since she got a replacement order that was it. My sister had to go so far as to speak to the highest manager on duty and he just refunded my sister at that point. We will never return to this establishment.

Date of experience: September 18, 2022
Pennsylvania
1 review
1 helpful vote
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I will never go back
September 10, 2022

It was insane upon walking in, I do not care having my bag checked at all, I'm not hiding anything but this man went through every crevice of my purse and went in my makeup bag, I giggled to myself because I hope he liked the tampons and lipstick. It was uncomfortable and he was rude as can be. My husband, my 8 year old son and I felt like we were criminals. It was really cringy what that man did in my purse like what was he looking for? You clearly can tell I have nothing my god. At least ask permission to go through everything. Was that even legal? I will never step foot in there again. I'm all about safety but this was wrong and uncomfortable. My 8 year old walked up to his dad who already went through the freaking process and was wanded down already but my kid wasn't. They acted like my 8 year old was a criminal screaming sir sir get back, ummm again to a 8 year old! What is happening. What happened there?. Maybe I don't even want to be there. Again fine with being checked for weapons, fine with protocols, but why was I violated like that?. I should have left immediately. Also it's too expensive the arcade was such a rip off! Too much to play each game, what a waste!

Date of experience: September 9, 2022
Texas
2 reviews
11 helpful votes
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Got a Groupon ($34.00) but they said couldn't use it for 24 hours... womp-womp! I asked for the total for 4 people to play 1 game... instead, the guy asked our names and told me I could get the total at the end... He didn't clarify that they charge $9.69 per person (one game) + $6.99 per person (shoe rental) + 2 separate taxes. I paid $$72.23 for one little 30 minute game of bowling... no food... no drinks... I dislike sneaky non transparent fees... YIKES

Date of experience: September 4, 2022
California
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Damola A.
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This is one of the worst booking experiences I've ever had with any company. I booked an event, had an attendee come down with Covid. When I called the bowling alley to let them know, trying to be careful since others may have been exposed, they asked me to cancel and assured me I would get a refund on the deposit. When I called the reservations team they refused to give me a refund and laid out the terms and conditions justifying why they are keeping my money. Technically the terms and conditions say no refunds but their own manager at the bowling alley had said they would make an exception given the situation with Covid. These people are greedy, mean, cold, and uncaring. They've stolen my $150, not much I can do, but warn you to be careful before making any reservations, best to go somewhere else or just show up, they will keep your money if anything goes wrong even something completely out of your control like Covid.

Date of experience: August 31, 2022
Virginia
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Corporate event
August 3, 2022

Bowlero Chesapeake took care of all of our event needs. Anne Tamer was our event host and ensured that our bowlers had everything they needed and fixed any lane/name changes needed. Anne made everything easy for our checkout process.

Date of experience: August 2, 2022
California
1 review
1 helpful vote
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I celebrated my son's 13 birthday yesterday, and I couldn't ask for a better service! I wish I could remember the waitress and her helper's names, but I do remember Shayne Collins the manager of the day. And all I have to say is Thank you for the great experience at the Bowlero!
Deb :)

Date of experience: July 24, 2022
Georgia
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Scammed
June 30, 2022

Me and 2 of my friends went and we were told it had to be put on a card, but it would be like an open tab and someone else could pay for it with cash. I had to use my card to pay for the food which was 50 dollars. When we went to the desk bc we were done, they charged my friend 89 dollars for the food and bowling. They never gave my back my money and practically stole 50 dollars from me

Date of experience: June 29, 2022
Illinois
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Bowlers review
May 7, 2022

Joey and Anthony did an amazing job at providing service for us and making us feel so welcome! They also did a great job at providing service for our balls when needed!

Date of experience: May 6, 2022
Pennsylvania
1 review
3 helpful votes
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I went to this establishment. My food was given to someone else after waiting almost 2hours. And when I went outside to my car it was damaged the whole bumper and hood. They have cameras that only record the front of the door. So it's at your own risk parking there. They have security but they don't monitor anything and turn heads when customers stand outside smoking marijuana& drinking liquor leaving empty bottles everywhere. Oh, don't put your card on file unless you understand the cost of everything you will be charged for each game you play. Overall, Overpriced! It cost me $750 for this trip. Never again!

Date of experience: March 26, 2022
Missouri
1 review
2 helpful votes
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They will charge you for things that they do not advertise such as "service fees" and not refund your money. Stay away. Take your business elsewhere.

Date of experience: March 12, 2022
Michigan
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Horrible place. Would never want anyone to give their money to this staff. A friend and i went to go watch our friends who are on the bowling team during cosmic bowling (they paid for our lane), and after being told by the cashier that i did not have to pay if i was not bowling, a staff member confronted my friend and i and demanded that we pay $20 for a wristband. When i asked why we needed to pay for sitting there, he said because we need a wristband and could not give me an explanation as to what my money was going towards. I bought food and was a paying customer and was not bowling, i expressed that to many staff members. I am a 16yr old female and did not have a ride home until about a half hour later, so i asked the man if i could stay and i'd bring my wallet next time. He then rudely demanded that i go outside and wait for my ride and he was not going to argue with me…. It was -4 degrees outside and the building is in a poorly lit, bad neighborhood. The man raised his voice at me when i told him he does not deserve my money, even if i had it with me. Another lady, management above him im assuming, suggested that i go and hangout in the bar, after telling her i am only 16 and not of age or comfortable with being in there by myself. There was also open alcohol and trash on our lane full of minors that was not cleaned up before we bought the lane. People in the kitchen do not wear gloves or masks and honestly look like drug addicts. Most of their staff consists of teenagers who openly vape and smoke inside of the building and i have witnessed it happening near the kitchen where food is being made. This place needs to be shut down and please do not waste your on these trashy people.

Date of experience: January 28, 2022
Alabama
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Bad service
January 24, 2022

When we got there, the line was terrible. And the guy on front desk was telling us that the wait would be 30 minutes even though there were lanes wide open to use. We waited an hour for the message and it never came. When we went back he said it was still 30 minutes. He was rude as well and was cussing a lot.

Date of experience: January 23, 2022
New York
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Highway Robbery
January 8, 2022

Will never be back. Spent almost $400! Includes food. Thought that would be great we get a $100 credit! Food looked NOTHING like in menu, actually quite pathetic! Pizza was like cardboard. I could have gotten better nachos in a dive bar! I don't mind spending money to have a nice time out, however, this establishment is stealing money from its customers

Date of experience: January 8, 2022
Texas
1 review
5 helpful votes
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Just recently, Bowlero posted a sign in every one of their places that said that all purchases will get an extra 18% added to the bill to pay their employees. I have since stopped eating or drinking at the Bowlero where I am every Tuesday and Thursday night to bowl in leagues. I choose now to stop before I get to the lanes to get a bite to eat. I used to enjoy some of the food that they serve, but I don't think that I should have to pay the employee wages. 18% to have an employee pour me a Coke is out of line. Too bad. I think that once the word gets out, they will hopefully adjust this dumb policy.

Date of experience: December 9, 2021
Missouri
1 review
6 helpful votes
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Insanely expensive.
November 8, 2021

We're talking about bowling mind you. Bowled 3 games with my 7 year old. Shoe rental for 2 people and 3 games 54.00 dollars! Laughable to say the least. Again this is bowling. Not even talking about food prices. 12 oz Pepsi on paper cup. 4.30 $. First and last visit!

Date of experience: November 8, 2021
California
1 review
4 helpful votes
Follow Alan M.
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Who ties tethers to.
Bowling pins?

That's how the machine raises toppled pins…with ropes.

They don't fall naturally when they are hit with a strong throw. That takes the fun outta bowling.

I may be I'm just old school but bowlero alleys seem like a very large Fisher-Price toy.

I miss the old AMF bowling alley…the had Longer lanes/natural falling pins and more accommodating.

I recommend people don't waste their money there.

Date of experience: September 25, 2021
New Jersey
1 review
2 helpful votes
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I arrived at 3:30pm. Very poor service. Extremely in unhappy with the Wallington location. We had 3 lanes. Lane 39 never returned any balls. Lane 40 Keyboard didn't work we had to provide our names to the desk and the balls never returned any balls. And lane 41 was okay. I complained constantly. David Vargas the manager had to walk in the back of the lanes to fix the issue. It took 45 minutes to fix everything. He promised extra time but, at 6:30 the game the games was over. I asked why the extension was granted. He said had other events which he should have stated when I asked earlier. Very poor service. I will not recommend this location to anyone. We spent money on food and drinks.
Unexceptional service!

Date of experience: April 19, 2021