<p>I took my best suit jacket to the dry cleaners for a routine cleaning. I pointed out some dirt on the sleeve and some makeup on the collar. I've been going to this dry cleaner for years so it never occurred to me to ask the cost. When I picked it up I was amazed that they charged me $16.48!! That was about twice what I thought it should cost. Am I out of date? I do live in an expensive part of the country, but still.</p>
<p>I’d be shocked if that happened. Did you ask for an explanation?</p>
<p>No but I think I’m going to drop by and ask. I’ve known the owner for years and years; he wasn’t there when I picked up.</p>
<p>I just noticed that my winter coat was $21 to clean. That’s a lot, but not much more than just a suit jacket. Goodness.</p>
<p>We just did a sleeveless little black dress (lined) it was $18.</p>
<p>Wow. Mr B’s load of dress pants (5 or so, I think), a wool suit and a couple of my dresses all together cost $60 to dryclean. That was a year ago… You cleaners should have a price list posted somewhere. Like this:
[Bakkers</a> Fine Drycleaning Preferred Pricing](<a href=“http://bakkersfinedrycleaning.com/customer-bonus-pricing/preferred-pricing/]Bakkers”>Preferred Pricing - Bakker's Fine Dry Cleaning)</p>
<p>Those prices are way higher than my dry cleaner in NJ. At least for pants and shirts.</p>
<p>Tom, you’re in northern NJ, right?</p>
<p>Yeah. I think this relationship has run its course.</p>
<p>I would definitely find someone else. For years I was using the same cleaner, and either I got poorer or they got more expensive, then one day I realized I had spent more dry cleaning a blouse than it originally cost. I think they charged $8. Now I use a cleaners the next town over and they are much more affordable.</p>
<p>Regular customers should get a break. I know the dry cleaner I go to has different prices for different people…for doing the same work. If he figures he can get away with charging a doctor more than a school teacher…he will.</p>
<p>Many cleaners mark their prices up and then mark them down by offering discounts. It sounds to me like you paid the “marked up” price and didn’t get any discount. I think 40% off would put that suit coat of yours in the competitve range, but I’m in CA and not in CT, so I don’t know what other dry cleaners are charging in your region. I would call around and see if you can do better. I’m betting you can. On a somewhat related note, make sure that whoever does your coat cleaning does NOT use a steam tunnel prior to pressing. It ruins the garment over time by putting too much moisture in the garment.</p>
<p>I think these prices are going to be local, based on the cost of living. Someone in New York or San Francisco is going to pay something totally different than someone from a lower cost of living area.</p>
<p>Recently, I went to a restaurant with my nephew (who lives in a low cost area) and he said, “Wow, this should be some hamburger for $10!!” and I’m thinking that I can’t remember the last time I was in a restaurant and spent less than $10 on a hamburger.</p>
<p>VeryHappy- I live in Central NJ. My family is in Union and Morris counties now. Was raised in Middlesex county.</p>
<p>VH: That’s high for a jacket. Our home is in MA, but H and I have been living in San Francisco while he’s working on a project for his company–I just picked up H’s blue blazer from the cleaners here today and it was $8.50. The cleaners is near our apartment which is right by the Financial District of the city.</p>
<p>We live in NYC with a dry cleaner in our building. They deliver our dry cleaning to our apartment. When I show up, they know my last name and apartment number. I think last month I had 2 dresses, maybe a shirt, and the bill was around 12. We pay our bill monthly.
VH - I would expect one suit jacket to be less than $10.</p>