Bring your own movie snacks?i

[pixiewings71]

We buy popcorn and drinks but take our own chocolate most of the time. Sometimes we buy M&M's but that's really the only chocolate that our theater sells that we like.

 

[tasha99]

I believe in following the rules and I also believe in not being taken. At the movies it's a fine line.

The concession prices are outrageous and I don't like most of it so I have brought in a Starbucks iced coffee once upon a time.

We sometimes buy popcorn but I refuse to pay 5.00 for a bottle of water!

So I guess I am a rule breaker. I am not sure if there is a sign but it's a national chain so it does not take a rocket scientist to know that it's not allowed.

I don't judge or care either way.

Lisa

This. For a few years, I enforced the "no outside snacks" policy with my young family. Then I decided I was teaching them to just blindly follow every rule. Sometimes I just say no to a rule--for example the speed limit on the road I drive every day is 55. I routinely go 64.

We bring drinks and buy popcorn. Basically, the theaters can ask us to leave and we'll never be back (no great loss for them as we go to 1 to 3 movies per year) or they can let it go.

 

[Styx Fan]

I worked for years at a movie theatre. We got free movies and they even let us fill up our own cups and containers with popcorn and pop! We didn't sell any other food items then...just pop, popcorn and candy. But even we would stop and buy candy to take in....most of us were kids paying for college.

And of course, we were paid minimum wage, never got raises for years, worked all holidays and weekends for straight time and were never paid overtime so taking in our own candy just didn't register as wrong

Our company did not make a big deal about outside food or drinks, but it was strictly no glass, alcohol we could tell was alcohol and messy food. Since we didn't sell things with condiments, big messy containers or smelly items (beyond the expected popcorn smell) we really didn't feel it appropriate to mess up the theatre with that type of item.

 

[jenlynn0808]

Yes. One of my kiddos has food allergies and it is easier/safer for us to bring our own snacks.

 

[disykat]

I generally go the two hours a movie takes without eating. As rarely as I go to movies, they usually involve dinner prior or a treat afterwards.

 

[sam_gordon]

This. For a few years, I enforced the "no outside snacks" policy with my young family. Then I decided I was teaching them to just blindly follow every rule. Sometimes I just say no to a rule--for example the speed limit on the road I drive every day is 55. I routinely go 64.

We bring drinks and buy popcorn. Basically, the theaters can ask us to leave and we'll never be back (no great loss for them as we go to 1 to 3 movies per year) or they can let it go.

The bolded is an interesting spin. So what happens if your kids decide they're not going to follow your bedtime "rule" or chore "rule" because they disagree with it, and you've taught them it's ok to ignore rules you don't agree with?

 

[Sparkly]

Most UK cinemas actually will allow outside food and drinks, they just don't like hot food or food that has strong smells.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Both movie theater near my house have signs saying no outside food or drink.

My purse is tiny and not big enough to sneak anything in so we buy everything in the theater.

 

[powellrj]

We use to have a small theater that would let you bring your own containers and they would fill them for $2. It was great! They stopped it a few years ago.

I buy snacks there if we even get snacks. When I bring little kids with me, I will get a large popcorn and put it in baggies for them so they each have their own.

 

[Minnesota!]

We practically live at our movie theater these days - since they got the dream loungers, we cannot get enough! It's typically $30 for all of us to see a movie (we go to the 555 shows....matinee pricing ends at 6). Snacks are where they get us - usually around $40 for 1 large popcorn, 2 large drinks, then the kid combos. I am ok with paying it....it's one of our splurges nothing beats movie popcorn and a fountain drink! Add in the dreamloungers and I just cannot stay away...

 

[Andtototoo]

To be honest, I couldn't tell you the last time I wanted a snack during a movie, but I don't snack much anyway. I'll occasionally buy a drink if I'm thirsty.

 

[sapdaddy2]

I worked at a theater for a # of years in HS / College -- unless times have changes, the workers REALLY dont care....and the last thing any of them want is to have confrontation with someone over it.

In 3 years working....I turned away 1 person.....and he showed up carrying a Pizza Hut box that he has his and buddy were planning on eating in the movie. That was just a bit too much.....

As a general rule, if we couldnt see you bring it in --- we didnt care.

I beg to differ. I was caught drinking a can of soda a few years ago and the theater worker told me he had to take the soda. I was already half done so I just finished it and gave him the empty. He did not like me bringing in my own soda made sure I knew it. He bothered a lot of people in the theater trying to see the movie by confronting and lecturing me.

 

[family3indisney]

my 85y old gram loves to go to the movies so we take turns taking her. She is diet restricted, so she always has food in her purse (usually grapes or some kind of rice cake). When she gets to the theater she always looks for the manager and confesses to him/her that she is smuggling in food and are they "going to throw an old lady out"? She has never had anybody tell her to get out. Its kind of cute now that they know her so well she just flashes her purse open and they smile and tell her to enjoy.

 

[WowLookAtThat]

I used to but now that my theater started selling chocolate covered strawberries and bananas I stopped and bought those instead!

 

[FLSarah]

In 3 years working....I turned away 1 person.....and he showed up carrying a Pizza Hut box

I was sitting in class and someone walked in with a large pizza. He sat at the back tables and ate the whole thing during class.

I think the difference in your comparison is that line jumping inconveniences other customers by causing them to wait longer, yet sneaking food into a theater does not inconvenience other customers.

I was going to say the same thing.

When she gets to the theater she always looks for the manager and confesses to him/her that she is smuggling in food and are they "going to throw an old lady out"?

This is so cute!

 

[bluespiano42]

"Honey, we're going to the movies..get the BIG purse!" -- me

:-D

 

[bittybabygrower]

OMG!! ^^That is me! "Get my big orange Coach bag " And my DD uses it when she and her friends go to the movies lol lol Amazing what I can fit in there lol

 

[ebtbmom]

We buy popcorn and drinks but we'll take in candy if we have what we want at home.

I was really hungry one day and didn't have time to eat so I took in a couple of tacos from taco bell. It was, sadly, quite difficult to eat while watching a movie.

 

[tasha99]

The bolded is an interesting spin. So what happens if your kids decide they're not going to follow your bedtime "rule" or chore "rule" because they disagree with it, and you've taught them it's ok to ignore rules you don't agree with?

They would face the natural consequence. We bring snacks and might get asked to leave. I speed and might get a ticket. My one child left at home has a weekday bedtime of midnight. He follows it or he'll be tired at school. If he broke some rule outrageously there would be something but we haven't had a problem yet, and he's 16.

 

[lizabu]

They would face the natural consequence. We bring snacks and might get asked to leave. I speed and might get a ticket. My one child left at home has a weekday bedtime of midnight. He follows it or he'll be tired at school. If he broke some rule outrageously there would be something but we haven't had a problem yet, and he's 16.

And that's it. If you can live with the consequences you are making an informed choice. I have personally seen ushers ask people to throw their snacks in the garbage. If I snuck a snack in and they asked me to throw it out I would realize I'm busted and just do it without a fuss.