Nonprofit theaters in Philadelphia area most offer popcorn and soda for a grand total that’s much less, like $6, than for profit theaters. The for profit chains expect you to pay $10 + for the popcorn and soda, and that’s too much. You can get an entire meal in the nearby Food Court of the malls for less than that. What you should NOT do is expect to bring that entire meal into the movie theater. Eat it in the Food Court, where the smells & clean up are the responsibility of the Food Court or the trashcans there.
Yes, people (not me) sneak in a bit of candy, and no, no theater operator is going to do a body search.
Ugh, it pains me to read some of these responses. Movie Theatres are a for profit business, the profit comes almost entirely from concession sales. Yes, food costs more at the concession stand, but that markup goes to cover rent, facility upkeep, salaries, advertising, etc.; while hopfully keeping enough to pull in a profit. Additionally, they must take advantage of very short sales windows (i.e. they don’t have day long opportunities, only the brief time before each set of shows starts). Theatre owners, even the big chains, aren’t out to rip anyone off, nor are they particularly greedy across the board. They are simply businesses trying to work within a very tight profit margin. If you take a look at most theatres' finances, you’ll find that they aren’t rolling in huge profits (especially in comparison to other industries).
Other theatre chains like some of these independent art houses sell alcoholic beverages to those under 18 years of age. But the prices these days…….outrageous in some of these megaplexes!!! A popcorn and drink is at $6.00 and a small thing of candy is around $4.00???
Its no wonder that you paid over $10.00 for the movie and another $8.00 for concessions. No wonder people are sneaking in their own food. At one time,folks were sneaking in bags of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Hamburgers from the local Hardees. They still do at the local drive-in.
By the way,if AMC and Regal are banning outside food from theatres,other megaplex chains like Carmike and Edwards Theatres are following suit. Instead of banning outside food….Let’s start banning those individuals who during a movie are texting their friends and calling folks on a cell phone….it really pisses me off when during a movie that you paid over $10 for and the person sitting next to you has a cell phone ringing during the show.
I heard a concession worker at a big chain say not to buy popcorn on the weekdays, especially earlier in the week. The popcorn is left over from the weekend.
You know, half the time, the popcorn is not even that fresh – it has either been sitting around all day and gets cold, it’s come out of one of those humungous bags I see sitting on the floor and isn’t freshly-popped, or the butter has been sitting around so long that it tastes rancid! This might be fine if you were paying a lot less for it, but the disgustingly high price you have to pay, your popcorn could, at the very least, be fresh, hot, with fresh butter and salt, and hey, here’s a great idea that might put an enthusiastic spin on the whole experience – free popcorn refills!
I wouldn’t allow outside food or beverages in my theatre, but never shook anybody down. The theatre concession prices are WAY over the top now. Many customers have been lost over the past 15 years, and now if a patron tries to bring in outside food or beverages and are embarrassed by the shakedown, they will lose even more.
I have NEVER brought in outside food or beverages, and probably never will, but I can tell you one thing, I WILL NEVER pay the prices I had to pay the last time I went. It will be a snack free performance, and THAT ALSO leads to a less than enjoyable movie experience.
Thats about right. A small coffee cup size of beer is $6.00 and a regular size with a Yankee plastic cup goes for $10-11.
If I’m lazy that day I will buy a drink & a popcorn. But if I have time I will buy just popcorn and sneak in a drink.
We use to stop by the old Woolworths or Newberrys type stores and get candy for the show. I don’t like buying a candy bar that is so big that I could watch “Gone with the Wind” and still have some to eat.
If those greedy bastards did'nt charge 10 arms and 15 legs for thier products they would not have to worry about it. I read in the paper a hew days ago a family of 4 cost $725.00 to go to a yankee game in NY.
If those greedy bastards did'nt charge 10 arms and 15 legs for thier products they would not have to worry about it. I read in the paper a hew days ago a family of 4 cost $725.00 to go to a yankee game in NY.
You still have to be careful what you allow in. Fried chicken bones and potato chips can play havoc in an auditorium and you will lose just as many customers if you have no rules.
Those big coats also hide guns, beer and whiskey at the kid shows. Shopping bags can include pets, pet food (live crickets), and bombs. When we started checking we found all of the above.
Well, another across the board big chain policy that us independents can take advantage of by allowing outside food!
We’ve always allowed outside food at my theaters. Of course you don’t want people eating smelly main courses, but we patrol for that anyhow when ushers do their theater checks. Considering what some of these mega plexes sell (burgers, nachos, chili dogs) they obviously aren’t doing it for smell issues!
Our customers appreciate that we’re not going to make them throw out their coffee or ice cream cone etc. and they like it when we say “don’t throw it away – we’re not like that here!” even when we sell it ourselves.
By allowing outside snacks, and not being a ‘food nazi’ you might lose some concession sales, but you gain a happy customer, and that is something you always want!
And sneaking in candy in your pocket is a tradition that I’m sure goes back to the first nickelodeon.
I’ve been sneaking in snacks and drinks into the movie theater for damn near 20 years now. It’s incredibly easy, especially during the colder months when you’re wearing a coat with deep pockets. I do it without hesitation, guilt or shame. Concession food prices are nothing short of monetary rape!
Theater owners would have to have their employees frisk their patrons and check their bags if they ultimately wanted to stop outside food from getting into their theaters. Yeah, like patrons are ever going to allow THAT to happen!
This article didn’t elaborate, but when did theaters actually “allow” food in? For the last 40 years, I was always under the impression that was a no-no and you had to sneak snacks in. The Denver Business makes it sound like this is something new. But have people been openly walking in with pizzas and McDonald’s bags? I’ve read posts about the AMC-Loews Boston Common theater where people are constantly eating Chinese food in the auditoriums.
Its not greedy bastards—-what it takes in food $$$$$ to survive and yes make a profit…….
Nonprofit theaters in Philadelphia area most offer popcorn and soda for a grand total that’s much less, like $6, than for profit theaters. The for profit chains expect you to pay $10 + for the popcorn and soda, and that’s too much. You can get an entire meal in the nearby Food Court of the malls for less than that. What you should NOT do is expect to bring that entire meal into the movie theater. Eat it in the Food Court, where the smells & clean up are the responsibility of the Food Court or the trashcans there.
Yes, people (not me) sneak in a bit of candy, and no, no theater operator is going to do a body search.
Ugh, it pains me to read some of these responses. Movie Theatres are a for profit business, the profit comes almost entirely from concession sales. Yes, food costs more at the concession stand, but that markup goes to cover rent, facility upkeep, salaries, advertising, etc.; while hopfully keeping enough to pull in a profit. Additionally, they must take advantage of very short sales windows (i.e. they don’t have day long opportunities, only the brief time before each set of shows starts). Theatre owners, even the big chains, aren’t out to rip anyone off, nor are they particularly greedy across the board. They are simply businesses trying to work within a very tight profit margin. If you take a look at most theatres' finances, you’ll find that they aren’t rolling in huge profits (especially in comparison to other industries).
Other theatre chains like some of these independent art houses sell alcoholic beverages to those under 18 years of age. But the prices these days…….outrageous in some of these megaplexes!!! A popcorn and drink is at $6.00 and a small thing of candy is around $4.00???
Its no wonder that you paid over $10.00 for the movie and another $8.00 for concessions. No wonder people are sneaking in their own food. At one time,folks were sneaking in bags of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Hamburgers from the local Hardees. They still do at the local drive-in.
By the way,if AMC and Regal are banning outside food from theatres,other megaplex chains like Carmike and Edwards Theatres are following suit. Instead of banning outside food….Let’s start banning those individuals who during a movie are texting their friends and calling folks on a cell phone….it really pisses me off when during a movie that you paid over $10 for and the person sitting next to you has a cell phone ringing during the show.
I heard a concession worker at a big chain say not to buy popcorn on the weekdays, especially earlier in the week. The popcorn is left over from the weekend.
You know, half the time, the popcorn is not even that fresh – it has either been sitting around all day and gets cold, it’s come out of one of those humungous bags I see sitting on the floor and isn’t freshly-popped, or the butter has been sitting around so long that it tastes rancid! This might be fine if you were paying a lot less for it, but the disgustingly high price you have to pay, your popcorn could, at the very least, be fresh, hot, with fresh butter and salt, and hey, here’s a great idea that might put an enthusiastic spin on the whole experience – free popcorn refills!
I wouldn’t allow outside food or beverages in my theatre, but never shook anybody down. The theatre concession prices are WAY over the top now. Many customers have been lost over the past 15 years, and now if a patron tries to bring in outside food or beverages and are embarrassed by the shakedown, they will lose even more.
I have NEVER brought in outside food or beverages, and probably never will, but I can tell you one thing, I WILL NEVER pay the prices I had to pay the last time I went. It will be a snack free performance, and THAT ALSO leads to a less than enjoyable movie experience.
Thats about right. A small coffee cup size of beer is $6.00 and a regular size with a Yankee plastic cup goes for $10-11.
If I’m lazy that day I will buy a drink & a popcorn. But if I have time I will buy just popcorn and sneak in a drink.
We use to stop by the old Woolworths or Newberrys type stores and get candy for the show. I don’t like buying a candy bar that is so big that I could watch “Gone with the Wind” and still have some to eat.
When will the public understand that snack bar is the only way theatre makes money and that the majority of the $9-15 ticket goes to the distributor?
If those greedy bastards did'nt charge 10 arms and 15 legs for thier products they would not have to worry about it. I read in the paper a hew days ago a family of 4 cost $725.00 to go to a yankee game in NY.
If those greedy bastards did'nt charge 10 arms and 15 legs for thier products they would not have to worry about it. I read in the paper a hew days ago a family of 4 cost $725.00 to go to a yankee game in NY.
and a mic. That’s why film has those codes on to protect pirates from recording movies so that they won’t reach youtube and the internet.
Oh, I forgot the video recorder, complete with tripod.
You still have to be careful what you allow in. Fried chicken bones and potato chips can play havoc in an auditorium and you will lose just as many customers if you have no rules.
Those big coats also hide guns, beer and whiskey at the kid shows. Shopping bags can include pets, pet food (live crickets), and bombs. When we started checking we found all of the above.
We do not allow outside food but dont get crazy about it—Regal by us now searches bags.
Well, another across the board big chain policy that us independents can take advantage of by allowing outside food!
We’ve always allowed outside food at my theaters. Of course you don’t want people eating smelly main courses, but we patrol for that anyhow when ushers do their theater checks. Considering what some of these mega plexes sell (burgers, nachos, chili dogs) they obviously aren’t doing it for smell issues!
Our customers appreciate that we’re not going to make them throw out their coffee or ice cream cone etc. and they like it when we say “don’t throw it away – we’re not like that here!” even when we sell it ourselves.
By allowing outside snacks, and not being a ‘food nazi’ you might lose some concession sales, but you gain a happy customer, and that is something you always want!
And sneaking in candy in your pocket is a tradition that I’m sure goes back to the first nickelodeon.
I’ve been sneaking in snacks and drinks into the movie theater for damn near 20 years now. It’s incredibly easy, especially during the colder months when you’re wearing a coat with deep pockets. I do it without hesitation, guilt or shame. Concession food prices are nothing short of monetary rape!
Theater owners would have to have their employees frisk their patrons and check their bags if they ultimately wanted to stop outside food from getting into their theaters. Yeah, like patrons are ever going to allow THAT to happen!
This article didn’t elaborate, but when did theaters actually “allow” food in? For the last 40 years, I was always under the impression that was a no-no and you had to sneak snacks in. The Denver Business makes it sound like this is something new. But have people been openly walking in with pizzas and McDonald’s bags? I’ve read posts about the AMC-Loews Boston Common theater where people are constantly eating Chinese food in the auditoriums.