‘Passover Special’ price gouging! NY car wash slapped with order after antisemitic pricing scheme

New York Attorney-General Letitia James has ordered a car wash in Spring Valley, New York, to end its discriminatory “Passover special” or face a $75,000 penalty. The business, Super 4 Seasons, was found to have charged visibly Orthodox Jewish customers $169.99 for a car-cleaning service that cost non-Jewish customers just $47, prompting legal action over what James called a clear case of religious discrimination.

For Orthodox Jews, Passover mandates the removal of chametz (leavened foods) from their homes, and for years, Super 4 Seasons offered to clean their cars ahead of the holiday. However, an investigation revealed that the car wash charged visibly Orthodox customers an inflated price for what was advertised as a $47 standard wash for non-Jews. The New York Attorney-General’s office noted that this marked a pattern of discriminatory pricing based on religious identity.

“This practice of targeting Jewish New Yorkers with deceptive pricing around Passover is a blatant act of religious discrimination and will not be tolerated,” said James. “All New Yorkers, regardless of their faith, deserve to be treated fairly, and my office will take swift action against those who exploit religious observance for profit.” The investigation was triggered by numerous complaints from local customers and undercover work by James' office.

An investigator from the Attorney-General’s office visited Super 4 Seasons dressed in Orthodox Jewish attire, requesting a standard car wash, only to be offered the overpriced “Passover cleaning” service. Another investigator, dressed in non-Jewish clothing, was simply offered the regular car wash at the standard price. Employees at the car wash explained the higher fee for Jewish customers by claiming their cars were “so dirty,” a justification that raised further concerns about discriminatory practices.