Do you sneak food into the movie theater?

[TaylorEar]

We almost always buy popcorn and a soda there - if we want candy I bring it in my purse.

 

[bluezy]

Nope. We have an awesome local privately-owned theater where the prices are so great, it's not worth bringing our own food. Plus, that theater doesn't make enough money off of admissions alone to cover their costs so they (like most theaters) rely on the concession sales to cover their costs. Since I like to support local businesses, I would feel like I'm "stealing" something if I brought my own snacks to that theater. The cost for a ticket there is $5 for evening shows and $3 for matinees. A large popcorn is $3.75....and it's huge. Our family (5 of us) goes to that theater about once a month. We buy 5 tickets (usually a Saturday or Sunday matinee), get 3 large popcorns to share; 5 drinks; 5 candies and our total cost for everything is still less than $40.

DH & I also usually go on a date once a month to a movie at one of the big chain theaters. We go to a week-day matinee and even sharing a popcorn and each getting a soda, it usually costs us over $30 just for the 2 of us....which is why we stick to the local theater for family outings.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

When I was in high school, I worked for a movie theater that happened to have a 7-11 across the street. We routinely suggested to people that if they were unhappy with the prices at the theater they were welcome to go over to 7-11. The policy was people could bring in anything we sold there. On only real exceptions were hot food, glass & alcohol.

Concessions is where the theater makes their money, but we were also aware of how inflated the prices were/are.

Personally, we buy the refillable bucket & cups that are good all year (I think we buy for $6 and refill for $3). If I want water or candy, I'll bring it myself.

 

[disney world dreamer]

i do and i'm not ashamed to admit it.
there was a thread about movie theater snacks just last week and i said i never buy food/snacks from there.
i rather spend $1.50 for some candy at walmart to snack on during a movie than spend $4.50 for the same candy at the movie theater.
i just stick it in my purse.
heck in the past i've even brought a can of soda. you just have to open it during a loud part in a preview if you don't want others to hear it lol.

 

[DisPup75]

I snuck in candy when I was a teenager and throughout my 20s. I was too poor to buy it there.

Now, I always bring water although I can't say I so much sneak it in as I just walk in with a water bottle sticking out of my bag in plain sight. I try to avoid the concessions stand as I am totally out of control when it comes to sour patch kids and the movie sized bag will make me sick before I know what happened.

 

[G719]

I snuck in candy when I was a teenager and throughout my 20s. I was too poor to buy it there.

Now, I always bring water although I can't say I so much sneak it in as I just walk in with a water bottle sticking out of my bag in plain sight. I try to avoid the concessions stand as I am totally out of control when it comes to sour patch kids and the movie sized bag will make me sick before I know what happened.

The movie size box would leave you hungry. The box is big but the pouch inside with the candy is small! Lol. I won't buy candy at the theater but I will get popcorn and pop. I'll get the kids candy at the dollar tree.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Wasn't this same question just asked???

No, I think part of the fun is the movie food

Yes, like two weeks ago.


And no, I don't sneak food into the movie theater. It's not permitted at any AMC theater which is the theater chain we go to.

 

[DisPup75]

The movie size box would leave you hungry. The box is big but the pouch inside with the candy is small! Lol. I won't buy candy at the theater but I will get popcorn and pop. I'll get the kids candy at the dollar tree.

Hmmm. Perhaps that box and I need to spend some time at the movies this weekend....

 

[ozliz]

I don't count it as sneaking. The cinemas where I live don't have big signs up saying it is not allowed. I think the rules (not well publicised) are just around hot food for the sake of smells and also alcohol which must be purchased at the cinemas that are licensed and not brought to the others - obviously for liquor license and law reasons.

 

[Stinkerbell92]

Yes we do. We usually head to The Dollar Store and get candy to bring in my oversized purse that I take to the movies. The candy, popcorn, and soda is highway robbery in the movie theaters.

 

[baldy6060]

We went to see the Avengers last weekend and after looking at all the candy in my daughter's purse I said "we are probably the reason they charge $20 for popcorn and drinks."

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't sneak it. I just bring it. I really don't know what the policy is about outside food, and I've never noticed any sign indicating outside food is not allowed.

But I normally don't bring a meatloaf like breakin 2 does, so maybe that's why they let me in.

 

[slo]

I bring in my own candy and a bottle of water.

My DH always buys popcorn and a soda.

 

[mom2rtk]

I usually bring in a meatloaf.

I like your style. But what do you do with the leftovers?

We usually go for the crockpot. But finding a spot near an outlet can be a challenge.

 

[Stinkerbell92]

I don't sneak it. I just bring it. I really don't know what the policy is about outside food, and I've never noticed any sign indicating outside food is not allowed.

But I normally don't bring a meatloaf like breakin 2 does, so maybe that's why they let me in.

I don't think there is any written policy at my theater or at least I have never seen it, but I have seen people come in with soda bottles/cans and candy in hand where they have asks them to go leave that in the car or they were not being let in.

 

[dbarker]

No.
The profits for a movie theater are made through concessions. There is no profit made through the movie ticket sales. Most of the money collected through ticket sales goes to Hollywood.
Plus, it is against the rules of the movie theaters. One could get removed from the establishment without a refund.

 

[bluezy]

I don't think there is any written policy at my theater or at least I have never seen it, but I have seen people come in with soda bottles/cans and candy in hand where they have asks them to go leave that in the car or they were not being let in.

The big chain theaters around here (AMC, Regal, and Carmike) all have signs on the doors that state "no outside food or beverages permitted". I can't say that I've ever seen it enforced, but it's obviously the policy at the specific theaters we go to. Ironically, the only theater we go to that *doesn't* have that policy posted is the independent local theater that -- like I mentioned in a previous post -- has very reasonable concession prices and always has a long line at the counter because nearly everyone buys *something* to eat or drink there.

 

[Topper]

I like your style. But what do you do with the leftovers?

We usually go for the crockpot. But finding a spot near an outlet can be a challenge.

I just run an extension cord from the lobby for my George Foreman grill. Doesn't everyone?

 

[IndyRnRfan]

Nope. We have an awesome local privately-owned theater where the prices are so great, it's not worth bringing our own food. Plus, that theater doesn't make enough money off of admissions alone to cover their costs so they (like most theaters) rely on the concession sales to cover their costs. Since I like to support local businesses, I would feel like I'm "stealing" something if I brought my own snacks to that theater. The cost for a ticket there is $5 for evening shows and $3 for matinees. A large popcorn is $3.75....and it's huge. Our family (5 of us) goes to that theater about once a month. We buy 5 tickets (usually a Saturday or Sunday matinee), get 3 large popcorns to share; 5 drinks; 5 candies and our total cost for everything is still less than $40.

DH & I also usually go on a date once a month to a movie at one of the big chain theaters. We go to a week-day matinee and even sharing a popcorn and each getting a soda, it usually costs us over $30 just for the 2 of us....which is why we stick to the local theater for family outings.

We have one as well. If we go to our locally owned then no. If it is a big name theater yes. I can buy a case of coke for less than a large coke at the movies. This is no joke, we took our son to a movie last year and it cost almost $50 for the 3 of us. Tickets, and two combo's, one for my wife and I and our son got his own. Luckily my wife paid for it but when I found out the cost I almost sh!^ my pants. We could have had a nice dinner for this price. Now, the locally owned theater. We can get 3 tickets, 3 drinks, 2 popcorn, and 2 hot dogs for less than $20. Drink refills are .50. We support locally owned over big business any day.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

The Cookie Store is around the corner from the theater so I always buy a couple of the big cookies to take in the theater