By Timothy Oommen, Owner — Laundini Laundromat | laundinilaundromat.com
I’m going to do something most businesses don’t do.
I’m going to show you exactly what we charge, explain why we charge it, and then ask you — genuinely, not performatively — what you think we should offer next.
Because here’s the truth: I built Laundini’s pickup and delivery service from scratch, and I’ve been designing the pricing largely on instinct and feedback from early customers. It’s working. But I know it can be better. And the people best positioned to tell me how are the ones who actually use the service — or who’ve been on the fence about trying it.
That’s you. So read this, then tell me what you think at the bottom. I read every message personally.
What We Charge Right Now
Let me be completely transparent about our current pricing. No hidden fees, no fine print buried somewhere. Just the actual numbers.
Household Laundry — $1.50/lb
Wash, dry & fold · 15 lb minimum
This is our standard residential service. You book online, we pick up from your door, we sort, wash, dry, fold, and deliver back within 24 hours. Your card is charged based on the actual weight of your laundry after we weigh it — not an estimate, not a guess. What it actually weighs.
The 15 lb minimum exists because anything less doesn’t make the logistics work for either of us. For context, 15 lbs is roughly one full hamper — a week’s worth of clothes for one person, or about four days for a couple.
A typical order runs between 20 and 30 lbs. At $1.50/lb that’s $30 to $45 for a full week of laundry picked up and delivered to your door. Compare that to the hour and a half it takes to drive to a laundromat, wait through cycles, fold everything yourself, and drive home — and the math starts to feel different.
Recurring Plan — $39/visit
Bi-weekly · 30 lb max · Saves 13% vs. drop-in rate
Our most popular option for people who’ve decided laundry is just never going to be something they want to think about again.
$39 every two weeks. Up to 30 lbs per visit. We show up on your schedule, handle everything, and deliver it back. You set it once and forget about it. The savings over booking drop-in each time add up to over 13% — which, over a year, is a meaningful number.
This is the plan I’d recommend to anyone who lives alone or with a partner and does laundry roughly twice a month. It removes the decision entirely. Laundry just gets done.
Northwestern Wildcats Discount — $1.00/lb
No minimum · No contracts · First pickup free
If you’re a Northwestern student or staff member, this one’s for you. Show your WildCARD or sign up with your .edu email and you get our lowest rate — $1.00/lb, no order minimum, no contracts, cancel anytime with 24 hours notice.
Your first pickup is completely free. On us.
We save your preferences on file from day one — detergent type, temperature, folding style, any special care notes. Dorm pickup available. You leave the bag at your door and we handle everything.
This discount exists because I went to UIC. I know what it means to be a student trying to manage classes, work, and life simultaneously. Laundry should be one less thing on the list.
A note to UChicago, DePaul, Loyola, and UIC students — you’re not forgotten. We’re actively building capacity at our South Side location at Spin Dry on 75th Street, and as soon as we’re ready, your student discount is coming. We’re doing this one school at a time so we can actually deliver the service properly rather than overpromising and underdelivering. Watch this space — or email us at info@laundinilaundromat.com and we’ll notify you the moment your school goes live.
Commercial & Hospitality — $1.25/lb
30 lb minimum · Bleach included · Scheduled recurring pickups
For restaurants, bars, hotels, Airbnbs, gyms, and spas. We handle towels, rags, linens, uniforms, aprons — the heavy-duty stuff that requires commercial-grade treatment. Degreaser, bleach, hot water, proper sanitation. Everything returned on your schedule so your operation never stops.
Same-day rush available for commercial clients. Reach out to info@laundinilaundromat.com for volume pricing and contract arrangements.
Now Here’s Where You Come In
We’re actively thinking about new pricing structures and service tiers for residential customers, and I want your input before we build anything.
Below are the ideas we’re seriously considering. I’ve included hypothetical price ranges so you can react to real numbers, not abstractions. Nothing is finalized. Your feedback will genuinely shape what we launch.
Idea 1 — Monthly Flat Rate Subscription
Hypothetical: $59–$79/month
One flat monthly fee. Unlimited pickups up to a set weight per visit — say 20 lbs — every week or as needed within the month. You pay the same amount every month regardless of how many loads you do, up to your limit.
The appeal: total predictability. You know exactly what laundry costs you every month. No weighing, no calculating, no surprises.
The question: would a flat monthly rate make you more likely to use the service consistently? Or do you prefer paying per order so you’re only paying when you actually need it?
Idea 2 — Three-Tier Residential Plans
Hypothetical: Basic $29/month · Standard $49/month · Premium $79/month
Basic — one pickup per month, up to 20 lbs, standard 24hr turnaround
Standard — two pickups per month, up to 25 lbs each, priority scheduling
Premium — weekly pickups, up to 30 lbs each, preferences saved, dedicated driver, same-day rush included
The appeal: you choose the level of service that matches your life. A single person with light laundry needs something different from a family of four.
The question: which tier would you actually use? Is there a gap between Basic and Standard that needs a middle option? Is Premium worth it to you if it includes a dedicated driver who knows your preferences?
Idea 3 — Weekly Subscription
Hypothetical: $59–$69/week · Up to 30 lbs · Priority scheduling
For people whose laundry never stops. Families, people who work physical jobs, anyone who’s doing laundry every single week without fail. A weekly subscription at a locked-in rate — cheaper per visit than drop-in, never have to think about booking.
The question: is weekly too frequent for most households, or is there a real market of people who would love to never think about laundry ever again?
Idea 4 — Pay-As-You-Go With a Loyalty Discount
Hypothetical: Standard rate $1.50/lb · After 10 orders, rate drops to $1.25/lb permanently
No subscription, no commitment. Book when you need it. But once you’ve completed 10 orders with us, your rate drops and stays dropped. Loyalty rewarded automatically, no program to sign up for.
The appeal: zero pressure, zero commitment, but a real incentive to stick around.
The question: does a loyalty discount motivate you more than a subscription saves you? Or would you rather have the savings upfront?
Idea 5 — Family Bundle
Hypothetical: $99/month · Up to 60 lbs per pickup · Two pickups per month
Designed specifically for households with multiple people generating laundry — families, roommate groups, shared apartments. Higher weight limit per pickup, fixed monthly rate, two scheduled visits.
The question: if you share a home with other people, is laundry a shared problem you’d split this cost over? What weight limit would actually cover your household?
What I’m Actually Asking You
Pick whichever of these appeals to you — or tell me none of them do and explain what you’d actually want instead. There are no wrong answers. The only thing that doesn’t help me is silence.
Here’s what I genuinely want to know:
- Which pricing structure would make you most likely to become a regular customer?
- Is price the main thing holding you back from trying us, or is it something else?
- If you’re already a customer — what would make you use us more often?
- Is there a plan here that feels almost right but needs one thing changed?
Email us at info@laundinilaundromat.com with the subject line “Pricing Feedback” — or just reply to this post in the comments.
Sonu will make sure every response gets to me. And I will read every single one.
This is your laundry service as much as it is mine. Help me build it right.
Ready to try us now at our current rates? Book at laundinilaundromat.com. First-time customers — reach out and mention this post. Let’s talk.
Timothy Oommen is the founder and owner of Laundini Laundromat, with locations in Evanston, Bucktown, Skokie, and Wheeling, IL.