The Better Business Bureau of New York is warning Halloween revelers to avoid buying tickets for a White Plains pub crawl from a company that has a reputation for dodgy services.
The BBB says it has received many complaints about PubCrawls.com, a New York company that sells wristbands that supposedly give the buyers special access to several bars and to discounted food and drink. But when barhoppers show up, sometimes they discover that the pub is not participating in the crawl and the promised perks are nonexistent.
PubCrawls is promoting a White Plains Halloween pub crawl beginning at 5 p.m. today and costing up to $35.78 a ticket.
The website does not disclose the names of the bars. Ticket buyers are told where to pick up wristbands that give them access to a map of participating pubs.
PubCrawls has been offering celebratory events since 2008, according to its website.
“Our goal is to provide a fun, social setting for individuals and groups to come together and celebrate holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Halloween,” the website proclaims.
“Crawling with us ensures you receive free admission to all participating venues.”
Every pub crawler “will receive exclusive privileges to generously low drink or food specials that you will not be able to find anywhere else.”
The website offers pub crawls in 236 cities, including, in this area, New York City, Nyack , Stamford and White Plains.
The BBB has given PubCrawls.com a F rating, based on 42 complaints in three years. Buyers claimed that the bars knew nothing about the event or did not offer discounted food and drink.
For instance, a buyer who bought four tickets for a St. Patrick’s Day crawl this year complained, “None of the bars on the crawl map had any idea about this happening.”
The wristbands include a disclaimer in small type, stating that there are no refunds.
No one replied to a message placed on PubCrawls’ voicemail, asking for its side of the story.
The BBB says it tried to contact PubCrawls at the address listed on its website, but mail sent there was returned as undeliverable.
PubCrawls LLC, operating as PubCrawls.com, was registered in New York in 2010, according to a state record. It voluntarily dissolved in 2018.
