Video Shows Two Women Getting Different Prices at the Same New York Ice Cream Stand — $17 vs $7 for Similar Orders

A video shared to X by the account @gotrice2024 showed two women standing in front of an ice cream stand in New York after receiving different prices for what appeared to be similar orders.

"A woman and her friend both got ice cream from the same vendor. Only difference was, hers was $17 while her friend only paid $7," the account wrote, adding, "I wonder what justified the price difference. Maybe her friend looked like a local and she looked like a tourist" — though neither the video nor the vendor offered an explanation for the price difference.

@gotrice2024 followed the video with two personal stories about similar experiences, including one from Coney Island in the early 1990s with cousins and a brother.

"We got 4 pieces of pizza, should have been $4 because that's the price we were used to. The guy wanted to charge us $24 at $6 a slice," the account wrote.

The group argued with the vendor after one cousin had already taken a bite of a slice out of hunger. "We gave the other slices back and refused them but had to pay for the partially eaten one," the account wrote, calling it "embarrassing that an adult would try that on a bunch of kids."

After that experience, they began asking for prices before ordering. On another occasion, they went to buy firecracker popsicles. They now cost $6, compared to the usual $1.50.

"Glad we asked," the account wrote, noting the group instead bought popsicles from a bodega's ice chest.

The X user argued that inconsistent street vendor pricing has made navigating food stands in tourist-heavy areas increasingly difficult. "Part of the experience when visiting a new area is the street food, but it's becoming more and more a chore avoiding places like this," the account wrote.

One commenter advised, "These stories are a great reminder to always ask the price before they start serving, especially at street vendors in busy tourist areas."

Another commenter offered their own estimate of the ice cream's cost, writing, "McDonald's ice cream + dollar store sprinkles. $5 max. If you’re dumb enough to get scammed and waste money, you deserved it."

The video did not specify exactly what each woman ordered, though both portions appeared similar in size despite different shapes. The vendor did not provide any reasoning for the price gap.

One commenter suggested a cheaper option, writing, "Go to the store, buy a whole tub for $7.00."

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the pricing details described in this video or the personal accounts shared alongside it. The details above reflect the account as shared on X by @gotrice2024. The identities of the women in the video and the vendor have not been confirmed.