Shopping Malls Are Charging for Prime Parking. It‘s Not Going Well.

 Shopping Malls Are Charging for Prime Parking. It‘s Not Going Well.

Scoring a great parking spot at the mall used to take luck or determination. Now, in many shopping centers across America, it takes a credit card.

Over the past year, a growing number of shopping malls have started roping off the parking spaces closest to their main entrances and food courts, turning what was once a free perk into a paid amenity. The concept is simple: charge a few dollars for the convenience of parking near the door while keeping the vast majority of the lot free. But for many consumers already weary from years of inflation and rising costs, this new “preferred parking” has become the final straw.

From New Jersey to California, the rollout of these paid parking programs has sparked fierce backlash, viral TikTok rants, and even full policy reversals. Here‘s why shopping malls are charging for prime parking — and why it’s not going well.

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## The New Normal: Paying for a Spot Near the Door

The trend is being driven largely by **GGP**, a Chicago-based mall operator that owns over 95 shopping centers across the country. According to a company spokesperson, **23 of those malls** now offer “preferred” parking, where shoppers can pay for spots near the entrance.

The pricing model is remarkably consistent across the country. At **Willowbrook Mall** in Wayne, New Jersey, parking in the “preferred” section — one of 119 coveted spots at the front of the mall — costs **$2.45 for the first hour and $2 per hour after that**, with a daily cap of $10.45. Signs instruct shoppers to scan a QR code or send a text message to pay.

Similar programs have rolled out at:

- **Mall St. Matthews** in Louisville, Kentucky (96 premium spots near the food court)

- **Valley Plaza Mall** in Bakersfield, California (240 preferred spaces at $2 an hour)

- **The Mall in Columbia** in Maryland (120 spaces near Restaurant Row)

- **Northridge Fashion Center** in Los Angeles

GGP spokesperson Lindsay Kahn defended the program as a convenience amenity: *“Preferred Parking is intended for those who want the convenience to not look for a spot... Whether guests are making a quick shopping trip, looking to get in and out or parking for a restaurant reservation, the program is an amenity for convenience.”*

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## The Backlash: ‘Since When Do You Have to Pay to Park at the Mall?’

If mall operators expected shoppers to embrace the convenience of paid parking, they were sorely mistaken. The backlash has been swift, loud, and largely negative.

### Social Media Erupts

One frustrated TikToker captured the sentiment perfectly while walking through the Willowbrook Mall parking lot: *“Since when do you have to pay to park at the Willowbrook Mall?”* Another shopper, filming rows of empty paid parking spots while free spaces sat nearby, declared: *“We are living in hell.”*

In a viral YouTube video, commentator Jay Reed summed up the public outrage: *“In today‘s economy, when you talk about people being pushed and tipped over the edge for everything right now, this is yet another level of capitalism... People want to grow their business. But there should be a line somewhere in the sand.”*

### Consumer Frustration Runs Deep

At Willowbrook Mall, shoppers expressed disbelief that they should pay extra after already coming to spend money inside. *“It’s ridiculous. Why should I have to pay to park? I‘m going to use all the services in this mall, and they want me to pay more to park there?”* one shopper told CBS News.

Another shopper, Stephen Richards, put it in perspective: *“To pay for a parking spot just seems very odd. It’s not like I‘m getting my quarter back when I put the quarter in the cart.”*

Even shoppers who could afford the fee often refused on principle. At Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, Georgia, one shopper declined to pay $5 for two hours of preferred parking, saying: *“I looked up the price and it’s only $5 for two hours but that’s not the point. Y’all trying to cheat me.”*

Some shoppers tied their frustration to broader financial pressures. *“In this economy, you want people to pay extra? It‘s a lot,”* said Wayne resident Jean Rocha. Another shopper called the fees “unfair as New Jersey families continue to feel financial pressure”.

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## The Rosemont Disaster: A Case Study in What Not to Do

Perhaps the most dramatic example of the backlash came at the **Fashion Outlets of Chicago** in Rosemont, Illinois.

In February 2026, the mall introduced a paid parking system that offered one hour free, then charged **$13 for 1-3 hours, $20 for 3-12 hours, and $50 for 12-24 hours**. The mall owner, Macerich, claimed the program would “ensure convenient access” and discourage people from using the garage for nearby events or O‘Hare Airport parking.

The result was a public relations nightmare.

### Mayor Speaks Out

Rosemont Mayor **Brad Stephens**, whose village relies heavily on the mall‘s sales tax revenue, publicly blasted the policy: *“What they’re doing there is not sitting well with me. People don‘t want to pay for parking at a mall in the suburbs.”* He warned that paid parking would lead to a decline in foot traffic and sales tax revenue.

The numbers backed him up. Village data showed traffic at the mall dropped **17% in March, 14% in April, 12% in May, and another 14% in June** compared to the same months the previous year.

One restaurant in the food court reported an **8% decline in business** since paid parking began. Shoppers told the mayor they had decided to take their business elsewhere.

### The Reversal

After months of complaints from shoppers, businesses, and the mayor, Macerich finally reversed course. In August 2026, the mall announced that parking would once again be **free for the first three hours**.

A spokesperson for the mall owner confirmed that the paid parking program had been walked back due to the “major backlash from shoppers and retailers”.

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## The Charity Angle: A PR Move That Fell Flat

To soften the blow, some malls tied their paid parking programs to charitable causes. At **Valley Plaza Mall** in Bakersfield, 10% of net proceeds from paid parking go to the Kern County Cancer Foundation. At **Willowbrook Mall**, 10% goes to Child Focus, Inc.. Mall St. Matthews donates 10% to Kosair for Kids.

While some shoppers appreciated the charitable component, it did little to quell the broader frustration. One shopper at Mall St. Matthews called the charity tie-in a positive but admitted the paid spots caught him off guard. Others saw it as a thinly veiled attempt to justify a cash grab.

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## The Economics: Why Malls Are Doing This

So why are malls risking customer goodwill for a few dollars per spot?

The answer lies in the broader retail landscape. Traditional shopping centers have been struggling for years as online shopping has displaced the need for malls in people‘s lives. Foot traffic has declined, vacancies have risen, and mall operators are looking for new revenue streams.

Parking fees offer a relatively low-cost way to generate incremental income. At Willowbrook Mall, 119 preferred spots at an average of $5 per visit could generate thousands of dollars in additional daily revenue. Multiply that across 23 malls, and the numbers become meaningful.

Mall operators also argue that paid parking improves the shopping experience by ensuring that the closest spots are available for paying customers who value convenience. In some cases, they also aim to prevent non-shoppers from using mall lots for nearby events or airport parking.

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## The Verdict: ‘It’s Not Going Well‘

For all the reasons mall operators give for charging for prime parking, the evidence suggests the programs are doing more harm than good.

### Reversals Are Becoming Common

The Fashion Outlets of Chicago reversal is not an isolated incident. In 2025, the **Deptford Mall** in New Jersey quietly rolled out a **$10 ’premier parking‘ program** for 40 spots near the entrances. After fierce backlash from shoppers and local pressure, the mall quickly canceled the program, saying: *“We’ve decided to phase out the Premier Parking program at this time.”*

### The Message Problem

Even when most parking remains free, the psychological impact of paid parking can be damaging. As one Redditor put it, the fees feel like a cover charge just to spend more money: *“Pay us so we can take your money.”*

When shoppers see empty paid parking spots while free spaces are available further away, it creates resentment. The message — “we want to charge you for a perk that used to be free” — undermines the goodwill that malls desperately need to compete with online shopping.

### The Customer Experience

Some shoppers are willing to pay for convenience. At Willowbrook Mall, Crista Ardito was visiting a restaurant with a friend and said they were happy to pay $4.45 for two hours of close parking: *“We‘re both lazy, and we’re both hungry.”* At Kenwood Towne Center, one shopper called paid parking *“a good idea... especially when it‘s this cold”*.

But for every shopper willing to pay, there are many more who feel nickel-and-dimed. As Jay Reed put it: *“There should be a line somewhere in the sand.”*

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## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. Which malls are charging for parking?

GGP operates 23 malls with “preferred” parking, including Willowbrook Mall (NJ), Mall St. Matthews (KY), Valley Plaza Mall (CA), The Mall in Columbia (MD), and Northridge Fashion Center (CA).

### 2. How much does preferred parking cost?

Most malls charge **$2.45 for the first hour and $2 per hour after that**, with a daily cap of $10.45. Valley Plaza Mall charges a flat **$2 per hour** with a $10 daily maximum.

### 3. Why are malls charging for parking?

Malls are looking for new revenue streams amid declining foot traffic and competition from online shopping. They also argue that paid parking ensures the closest spots are available for shoppers who value convenience.

### 4. Are any malls reversing their paid parking policies?

Yes. The Fashion Outlets of Chicago reversed its paid parking policy in August 2026 after months of backlash. The Deptford Mall in New Jersey also canceled its premier parking program in 2025.

### 5. Is most parking still free?

Yes. Mall operators emphasize that the **vast majority of parking remains free**. At Willowbrook Mall, only 119 of thousands of spots are paid. At Mall St. Matthews, paid spots represent about 2-2.5% of the total lot.

### 6. Do any malls donate proceeds to charity?

Yes. Willowbrook Mall donates 10% of proceeds to Child Focus, Inc.. Valley Plaza Mall donates to the Kern County Cancer Foundation. Mall St. Matthews donates to Kosair for Kids.

### 7. What has been the public reaction?

Reaction has been largely negative, with shoppers expressing frustration on social media and in person. Some see the fees as an unfair cash grab in an already expensive economy.

### 8. Will more malls start charging for parking?

It‘s likely. But as the Fashion Outlets of Chicago and Deptford Mall reversals show, malls that push too hard risk alienating customers and losing foot traffic. The key will be finding a balance between revenue generation and customer satisfaction.

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## Conclusion: The Price of Convenience

Shopping malls are at a crossroads. Faced with declining foot traffic, competition from online retailers, and the need for new revenue streams, they are experimenting with paid parking as a way to monetize their most valuable real estate: the spots closest to the door.

But the backlash has been fierce. From viral TikTok rants to mayoral condemnations to full policy reversals, the message from consumers is clear: charging for parking at the mall feels like a betrayal of an unwritten social contract. You come to spend money; in return, you get a place to park. When that balance is disrupted, resentment follows.

Not everyone is opposed. Some shoppers are happy to pay a few dollars for the convenience of a close spot, especially in bad weather or during the holiday rush. But for many, paid parking is the final straw in an economy where fees, surcharges, and add-ons have become ubiquitous.

As Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens put it: *“People don’t want to pay for parking at a mall in the suburbs.”* The malls that ignore that sentiment do so at their own peril.

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## Disclaimer

*This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. The views expressed are based on publicly available information as of August 2026. Parking policies, fees, and mall operations are subject to change. The author does not endorse any specific shopping centers, parking programs, or investment strategies mentioned in this article. Before making any decisions based on the content of this article, please consult with qualified professionals who can evaluate your specific situation.*