Rachael Ray Charges Magazine Subscribers Double For One "Special" Issue

The Thanksgiving issue is always a big deal for food magazines, but who does Rachael Ray think she is—the Queen of Sheba? Her 30-minute highness decided that this month's holiday-themed issue of Every Day With Rachael Ray is so special that her subscribers can just go ahead and pay double for it, whether they want to or not.

The New York Times posted the letter included with each issue: "It's our Biggest-Ever Thanksgiving Blowout! This edition is so big, in fact, that we are treating it as a special issue that will count toward two of your subscriber issues, so the duration of your subscription will be adjusted accordingly. We hope you will agree that it is well worth it."

We're not sure exactly how many moist 'n' tender turkey recipes Rachael needs to increase to justify a sneaky-ass price hike, but this is some sketchy business. And while you wouldn't think that anyone who subscribes to EDWRR would be smart enough to even notice the little slip, some readers did, and were plenty pissed. The people who actually called to complain got their subscriptions extended. Perhaps Ray-hater No. 1 Anthony Bourdain would like to help spread the word?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jamie Feldmar in Food on October 31, 2011 11:24 AM

Comments [rss]

ronshapley

Raytard is basically is pretentious slob, poser... !!! You RR suckers get to be screwed over by her..

Peanut_Butter

railroaded?

Brooke

This was NOT the way to handle it. The people who are subscribing should NOT be charged for something they didn't ask for; they are paying a set price; and charging them more for something they didn't say yes or no to is not the way to go. They should have the right to chose whether or not they want this SPECIAL issue. Shame on you Rachel.

I'd cancel too. I mean I know how much money I have in my account and for someone to just take it because they think they have the right...No thank you.

Patty Conger Burge

If I subscribed to her magazine, I'd be cancelling ASAP and do as I do now--get ALL the recipes I could possibly want or need from, Allrecipes.com!!

Joe Teutonico

"And while you wouldn't think that anyone who subscribes to EDWRR would be smart enough to even notice the little slip, some readers did..."
Way to win over more readers.

yttrx

Wow, Gothamist. Really? New management or something?

Peanut_Butter

Question is is it large enough such that I can cover both my ears to block out her cringe-inducing voice?

virgilstarkwell

"And while you wouldn't think that anyone who subscribes toEDWRR would be smart enough to even notice the little slip..."

wow - that's fucking obnoxious. even for gothamist.

Peanut_Butter

EDWRR
I always thought prepositions aren't supposed to be in acronyms?

Timon_8

Obnoxious--maybe. Funny/truth-in-humor: yes.

Anthony Bourdain can't pass up an opportunity to bitch about anything,
so look for some invective from him in, oh, a couple of hours.

schmeep

Hey, remember when Gothamist turned into perezhilton.com? No? Mayhaps it was when it started advertising for Madonna and her daughter's giveaways, as well as bashing on a decidedly non-Metropolitan woman like Ms. Ray. The penis/ejaculation drawings aren't far behind.