Crunch Fitness class action alleges gym charges mandatory junk fees

Crunch Fitness class action overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Meng Gao filed a class action lawsuit against Crunch Holdings LLC.
• Why: Gao alleges Crunch Fitness charges members mandatory junk fees.
• Where: The Crunch Fitness class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

AA new Crunch Fitness class action lawsuit accuses Crunch Fitness of charging members mandatory junk fees.

Plaintiff Meng Gao’s class action lawsuit claims Crunch Fitness engages in a deceptive practice called “drip pricing,” which involves advertising only a portion of a product’s total price to attract consumers.

Gao alleges Crunch Fitness advertises specific prices for gym memberships, which are misleading because the company imposes a mandatory, undisclosed annual fee that is only revealed late in the checkout process.

Gao argues that this practice prevents consumers from accurately comparing prices across competitors and manipulates them into paying junk fees they did not anticipate.

The Crunch Fitness class action argues deceptive fees harm consumers by preventing accurate price comparisons and manipulating them into unexpected costs, while simultaneously disadvantaging honest businesses that provide upfront pricing.

Gao wants to represent a class of all consumers who purchased a Crunch Fitness membership online while in California and were charged an annual fee or other mandatory fee not displayed with the initially advertised price of the membership.

Crunch Fitness class action: Gym’s checkout process violates California law

Gao claims Crunch Fitness’ checkout process involves drip pricing and is illegal under California law. The Crunch Fitness class action lawsuit alleges the gym chain advertises and displays prices for memberships without showing the amount of a mandatory annual fee, which all members must pay.

The plaintiff claims he suffered economic injury by paying for a “junk fee” and overpaying for his membership.

“Plaintiff reasonably relied on the price of the membership initially displayed to him on the website,” the Crunch Fitness class action lawsuit says. “The price of the membership was a substantial factor in Plaintiff’s decision to make the purchase.”

Gao asserts Crunch Fitness is guilty of violating California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law.

The plaintiff demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of damages for himself and all class members.

Also in California, a consumer is suing secondhand fashion retailer Depop for charging unlawful hidden fees when making purchases on its website.

Have you ever paid a mandatory junk fee to Crunch Fitness? Let us know in the comments.

Gao is represented by Ryan J. Ellersick of Zimmerman Reed LLP.

The Crunch Fitness class action lawsuit is Gao v. Crunch Holdings LLC, Case No. 5:26-cv-01170, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division.

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