We recently wrote a post where people revealed things that used to be “good” until they became too popular. In the comments, more readers shared once-great things that got ruined when wayyy too many people did them. Here are their eye-opening responses:
1. “Movies. The popcorn is old and burnt. The sofa is the price of a 12-pack; people are rude and loud, so you can’t even enjoy the movie. Also, going out to eat before the movie. I used to do this with my kids on Saturdays and spend $60 bucks; now it’s over $100.”
—Anonymous, 57, Colorado
2. “Health insurance. Our family of four had major medical back in the ’90s for $800 per quarter! Corporate greed and out-of-touch politicians owned by lobbyists made health care the mess it is today.”
3. The Colorado mountains have been ruined by the huge amount of traffic. Want to go into them for an afternoon? Prepare for a 30-minute drive to take close to an hour or two. Very frustrating.”
—Anonymous
4. “Please bring back cabs when I don’t want to drive or pay for parking. I have to get a rideshare. Uber and Lyft are now price-gouging like everyone else — rates are never the same, even for the same time of day. If they catch on that you use it every day at the same time, the price jumps up to at least $5 more. You used to be able to call a cab, they come, have some light conversation, get dropped off, and tip, that’s it! When are we going to get fed up and mad enough to stop them? I hope soon.”
—Anonymous, 57, Colorado
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5. “Automatic warranty offers. At self-checkout, I scanned a $5 watering can and was offered a warranty on the (nonexistent) electronics components — for an upcharge of only $10. I complained to my older mother about the ridiculous situation and got informed in a sing-song tone that ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry,’ so at least I know that the schmuck they’re scamming actually exists.”
—Anonymous
6. “Used vinyl records. I’m glad about the resurgence, but some of the prices have become ridiculous. There is no reason to pay $200 or more for a single album. And the collectors are worse than the newbie audiophiles. They don’t even listen to the albums and have no appreciation for the music.”
—Anonymous, 65, Pennsylvania
7. “Hawaiian ice. It’s just shaved ice with artificially colored and flavored sugar water. Last time I was in Maui, it cost $7! It’s probably $10 now. The ‘native’ Hawaiians are totally cashing in on the native thing, Mahalo.”
Cassie Corbett / Getty Images
8. “Any pro sporting event. Nose-bleed Lakers tickets that I paid $7.50 for in 1980 are now $155! As a kid in Chicago, I went to Cubs games in the late ’50s for a dime for the bleachers or 25 cents for the unreserved grandstand. Add food, parking, and maybe a souvenir, and the costs are atrocious. High-level college sports are just as bad.”
—Anonymous, 79, South Carolina
9. “Skiing. It used to be a great family activity; our beloved steamboat never really crowded, then IKON came, and so did the crowds. With their rudeness, trash on the ground and slopes, and racing out of control, the price is no longer family-friendly unless you’re upper-middle-class.”
—Anonymous, 71, Colorado
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10. “Air travel. It didn’t used to be popular; now, it just seems a source of necessary self-torture from ticketing to security, to baggage to noise, bad food, and the list is endless. Back in the day, flight attendants were happy, proud of their jobs, and oh yes, even helpful. Now, it’s just a can of sardines.”
—Anonymous, 71, Colorado
Yasser Chalid / Getty Images
11. “The $5 drive-thru car wash. Now, it’s $10. Are they using better water or soap? 🤨”
—Anonymous
12. “Hoka shoes. I have a BFF who is an avid runner, and I’ve had foot problems for years. She told me about this brand, Hoka. The regular price about 10 years ago was maybe $90 (they were hard to find). I would always find them on sale for $39–$69. Now, you can’t find any under $120, if on sale. Good luck. Regular prices are $140+.”
—Anonymous, Palm Desert
13. “Breakfast used to cost less than lunch, and lunch cost less than dinner. Now, everything costs the same. Greed, greed, greed.”
—Anonymous, 71, California
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14. “Camping. I grew up camping either in a tent or a pop-up. I actually became a general manager for two campgrounds, and now, it’s $55 per night, no tents, and you must have wifi and cable TV. That’s not camping. Fortunately, I’m now retired.”
15. “Thrift shops. Used to be able to buy a man’s golf shirt or casual long shirt for $3 or $4. Now they go for $6 or more, and the quality sucks.”
—Anonymous
16. “Yosemite Valley. It’s absolutely ruined by the throngs of people who aren’t there for the unique beauty but for a loud party site. The once uncrowded and easily visited park has become more like visiting Disneyland, just with better natural scenery and a rich geological and Native American history.”
—Anonymous, 79, Kentucky
George Rose / Getty Images
17. “National parks in general. Remember when the entrance was free, and you could jump in the car, ride into the park, grab a campsite, and enjoy an inexpensive regenerative commune with nature. Now, there are permits, reservations, waiting lines, fast food, crowds, and trash everywhere — just like Six Flags. Tourons tramping off trail to get the perfect blog meme, parents sending kids over the rails to the cliff edge for a photo, selfies next to bison, drones, dogs, base jumpers, and every other rules-don’t-apply-to-me selfish attitude you can imagine. I don’t even go there anymore.”
—Anonymous, Utah
18. “NFL. The sport is so determined to expand and grow that true fans will never be able to afford to attend a Super Bowl. The rules and the social climate placation have made the sport itself far from something for the fans that made it as big as it is now. International games and probable international teams in the ‘National’ Football League. I will never watch football again. It’s for people who aren’t football watchers anymore. They want everyone, not people that know and have loved the sport for decades and their lifetimes.”
—Anonymous
19. “Water! I buy gallons of water, usually four at a time. Five or six years ago, they were 79 cents — now they’re $2 per gallon! I know we’ve dealt with inflation…but IT’S WATER! And then there are reusable water bottles. Everyone wants $20–$50. And don’t even get me started on those Stanleys.”
—Anonymous, 39, Washington
20. “The Florida Keys used to be a quiet, laid-back place with quaint motels and local restaurants, along with boating and fishing, and a trip to Key West. It’s not that place anymore. Big companies came in and built big, overpriced hotels and big, expensive condos all through the Keys. Restaurants that were very reasonable are now way overpriced. The traffic is bumper-to-bumper, as we have one road in and that same road out. It’s no longer quaint. It’s such a shame, as greed has ruined it.”
—Anonymous, 50, Florida Keys
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21. “Free parking at public access ocean beaches along the southeast NC coast was easy to find until after 2019 and COVID. Now, it’s $6 per hour to park if you can even find a spot, and there are no services at some of these public access points. Very sad that the general public can’t enjoy a free beach day with their friends and family anymore.”
—Anonymous, 69, North Carolina
22. “Nashville. It used to be full of up-and-coming musicians and singers, great places to eat and hang out, and it had a cool vibe. Now, downtown is full of party buses, pedal taverns, drunk bachelorettes, and bros. It’s really disgusting. The only reason natives go downtown anymore is to see shows or watch the Predators play at Bridgestone. The rest of the time, we avoid it like the plague.”
—Anonymous, Tennessee
And finally…
23. “Pokémon! It used to be the nostalgic game of the ages for people who either grew up with the cards, the games, or both in a judgement-free zone where all else they’d be bullied; now, it’s a growing cesspool of resellers, fake fans, and people trying to be cute to make a quick buck on the backbone of that which was the escape to many from reality.”
—Anonymous, 36, California
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
What other “good” things were ruined when they became too popular? Tell us in the comments, or use this anonymous form below.
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