Hidden Fees at Checkout: Fandango Faces Class Action Over Drip Pricing

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims Fandango used hidden “convenience fees” to inflate ticket prices through deceptive drip pricing.

Consumers Affected: Moviegoers across the U.S. who paid convenience fees to Fandango.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Fandango is pulling a classic bait-and-switch, luring customers in with low advertised prices, only to tack on mandatory “convenience fees” at the last step of checkout, a new lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit alleges this practice, known as “drip pricing,” is deceptive, prevents fair comparison shopping, and leaves customers paying more than they bargained for.

Plaintiff Says Fandango Trapped Customers With Hidden Fees

The case was filed by Stacy Zeid of Illinois, who purchased two movie tickets on Fandango’s site in March 2025. At first glance, the tickets appeared to cost $15.69 for an adult and $12.60 for a child. But after selecting seats and proceeding through the transaction, Zeid discovered an extra $4.38 in convenience fees had been added.

Faced with the choice of paying more or restarting the entire process on another platform, Zeid went ahead with the purchase. The lawsuit argues this “lock-in” effect unfairly exploits consumers’ time and effort, pushing them to accept higher prices than they initially agreed to.

Drip Pricing Tactics Criticized by Regulators and Lawmakers

According to the lawsuit, Fandango intentionally hides its fees until late in the purchasing process to make tickets appear cheaper than they really are. Regulators have long criticized this strategy as unfair. 

Both the White House and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have highlighted junk fees as a growing problem across industries, from airline baggage charges to hotel resort fees.

Studies cited in government reports show consumers routinely underestimate the final price of goods and services when mandatory fees are concealed. Shoppers also spend more time and effort chasing the best deal, often only to find hidden fees waiting at checkout. 

For ticket sellers like Fandango, the lawsuit claims, this tactic results in millions of dollars in extra profits at customers’ expense.

Ticket Sellers Nationwide Face Lawsuits Over Junk Fees

Fandango isn’t alone in facing legal heat over pricing practices. Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation are currently being sued by federal regulators and several states for allegedly enabling ticket brokers to scoop up seats and resell them at inflated prices with added fees.

Other companies, including Viagogo, SeatGeek, and See Tickets, have also been hit with lawsuits accusing them of hiding fees until the last possible moment. 

Even non-ticketing businesses, like supplement maker Olly and the New York Renaissance Faire, have been dragged into court over similar “junk fee” practices.

Zeid hopes to represent two classes of U.S. consumers: those outside New York who paid convenience fees to Fandango, and those outside Illinois. She accuses the company of violating consumer protection laws in the two states and is asking for damages, attorneys’ fees, and a court order forcing Fandango to clearly disclose its mandatory fees upfront.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Zeid v. Fandango Media LLC
• Case Number: 1:25-cv-04763
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Plaintiffs' Attorney:

• Antonio Vozzolo and Andrea Clisura (Vozzolo LLC)
• Kenneth T. Goldstein and Matthew G. Norgard (The Law Office of Kenneth T. Goldstein PLLC)
• Michael R. Karnuth (The Law Offices of Michael R. Karnuth)

Have you paid Fandango’s so-called convenience fees when buying tickets? Did the extra costs surprise you? Share your story in the comments.