Sneaking treats into the movie theater

[Golf4food]

I worked in a movie theater in college. I know how much those concessions really cost back then and how insanely jacked up the prices were to the patrons. Insanity. There is no reason for the theater to be making 500% profit on things. As someone said earlier, if Publix can sell a candy bar for $0.89 and still make a profit, so can the theater. Soda costs them probably $0.10 per giant cup yet they charge us $4 or $5 for it and we get mostly ice, which is next to free for them.

I also refuse to buy concessions at pro football games for the same reasons. Stop gouging the customers and you will sell much more item! A theme park where you are more or less trapped is one thing - they have the power over you to gouge you on food (cough, Disney, cough) - but a theater where you are only there for a couple of hours? We should all stop buying their overpriced junk until they get their prices closer to reality. Let capitalism do its job.

But as long as there are enough crazy people willing to pay $20 for crappy popcorn and coke that is worth about $1.50 they'll just keep doing it - because they can.

 

[Scurvy]

For those who are so against breaking the rules about bringing food into the theater....Do you drive the speed limit 100% of the time? Or do you "keep up with traffic?" Really, if you are doing something you know is not right, but everyone else is doing, isn't that the same thing?
I usually bring in a light snack for the kids. I have never hidden it, as our theater never had a problem with it. I do sometimes buy popcorn for the kids when I can. I think their food is overpriced and they charge what they charge because they can. Just like Disney and any other place where you are locked in and have to buy their food.

I try to follow the speed limit, though I do occasionally catch myself accidentally speeding. I have yet to accidentally bring food into a theater, though! Of course in some areas they write tickets for going significantly slower than the flow of traffic even when you are going the speed limit, which I find insane.

I'm not sure I find the two situations to be all that similar, though.

Regarding the bolded, I guess I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that the fact that lots of people break a rule makes it okay to break it? Or are you saying that if a person breaks one rule that they give up their right to say people should follow any rules? Sorry - my brain is fuzzy today and I just don't get it.

Why do you have to buy Disney's food?

 

[puffkin]

Just a few insights, since I worked in a movie theater for 5 years and met my DH there

1. Movie theaters do not see much profit from ticket sales. I think it works out to roughly 50 cents a ticket. All that money goes back to the studios and the distributors to pay for the prints. Each print of a first run movie can cost upwards of $10,000 and that was several years ago. They also need to pay kickbacks to Dolby, DTS, IMAX ect. They make very little money on ticket sales.

2. Pretty much all their operating costs and profit come out of food sales (and increasingly now on screen advertising). Do you expect Digital equipment, stadium seating, fantastic sound system? All that is paid out of the concession sales.

3. There really is no way to enforce the no food policy. Our policy was if we didn't sell it, that you could bring it in. For example, we did not sell coffee, so we never stopped people carrying a coffee cup in. However, we did draw the line at families trying to bring in whole pizzas and subs and things like that (happened ALL THE TIME). As far as candies and sodas stuck in purses, no way to stop that.

I miss movie theater popcorn. Nothing comes even close to it straight from the popper. I never got tired of it, even after 5 years. We hardly ever go to the movies anymore due to the costs but working there for years I kind of understand why the costs need to be so high. It is a vicious cycle unfortunately.....

 

[Poohbug]

Sometimes I do sneak candy in for the kids and I always sneak my can of Diet Coke in because my theater does not sell Coke products.

We usually buy a popcorn/drink combo that has refills and we share. Well, the others share the drink and we all share the popcorn. Tupperware has those bowls that store flat and they work well for sharing popcorn.

 

[jenlynn0808]

I admit I take in Goldfish crackers for DS4. DS has a heridatary condition that limits some of the things he can eat. If he eats popcorn, within 1/2 hour his stomache balloons out and then the (gross out coming) explosive diareha starts.
We tell him he's allergic to popcorn, so he tells others the same thing now. Since there really isn't a lot of other options for him when I buy DD her popcorn, it's the goldfish crackers go in with us, or a manger will be refunding my tickets.

 

[wshupnastar]

Wow, this thread is getting interesting...wanted to add my 2 cents, for all it's worth.

First up, I will bring in candy items, only to theaters where no sign is posted. If there is a sign up, I abide by the rules. Not judging others, I am just not a rule-breaker. DH makes fun of me all of the time...yes, I do abide by the speed limits, don't open others mail, if I know a rule...I follow it.

I agree it's crazy to pay so much for movie treats...but I still do it, depending on whether or not I want something.

I cannot agree that the theaters are not making money from the ticket sales...otherwise all movie theaters would cost the same. I frequent 3 different theaters...a big chain, which costs $10 - $12 per movie ticket, depending on which location we go to, a mid sized chain, which costs around $7 per ticket (and it every bit as nice as the bigger chain) and a local theater...cost per ticket...$4! And the local theater still has the big blockbusters the day they open...no waiting required. The reason we don't see all of our movies at the local place...they don't run matinees, and I like to see my movies during the day (DH can't stay up for an evening one!). When we go to the large chain, which isn't often, we don't pay for popcorn and drinks...they offer some specialty items, so I usually splurge on those. It's not as much about the cost...just that I can get better popcorn at the local $4 theater...why pay for a lesser product!

 

[espana94]

LOL, it was the Classic Cinema in Elmhurst. Now mind you, I've been known to bring in the $1 candy from Walgreens and they've never come near me so I don't know that they police it too much.

Ah, we go to Classic Cinemas in St Charles. We usually buy the popcorn there. You can't beat the free refills! But, I have been known to stop at Walmart for movie candy.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I've never brought food/drinks into a movie theater but then I very rarely go to the movies (maybe 2 times a year). Our ticket prices are now $10 to sit in a crowded movie theater with people talking on their cell phones/texting throughout the movie . When I do go to the movies if I really want something I'll just buy it. If money is tight and/or I don't really feel like anything I put my big girl pants on and sit through 2-3 hours of a movie without food/drink.

Concessions is where movie theaters make the most of their money (profit) so I don't fault them for it. Businesses are in business to make profits, however excessive people may think they are. If I owned a movie theater I certainly wouldn't be sitting at a meeting saying "let's lower our prices because it's the fair thing to do". Money talks and if people don't like the prices then don't pay them and then things may change. I either pay or don't get to drink/eat something for 2-3 hours (I sit through 2-3 hours of work without eating/drinking something). Our movie theaters around here have banned outside food/drink for as long as I can remember. Growing up we didn't get to go to the movies that often. But when we did my parents didn't bring anything with them (outside food/drink was banned back then too) and they certainly didn't buy anything and I survived . Not saying it isn't nice sometimes to have food/drink while watching a movie but, like a PP said, it's not mandatory.

By the way I went to Cedar Point over the summer and for a medium fountain drink it was $5 so I don't think movie theaters are so greatly above other entertainment venues.

 

[kaytieeldr]

For those who are so against breaking the rules about bringing food into the theater....Do you drive the speed limit 100% of the time? Or do you "keep up with traffic?"

Go see my posts on the recent "venting about slow drivers" thread
Exceeding the speed limit does not cheat a business owner of revenue. Sneaking food into a movie theater, does - sneaking being the operative word. As Scurvy points out, when you hide outside food until a point when you think you won't be caught - it shouldn't be done. If you can bring your own food openly into the lobby and then theater, then it's a legitimate action.

As someone said earlier, if Publix can sell a candy bar for $0.89 and still make a profit, so can the theater. Soda costs them probably $0.10 per giant cup yet they charge us $4 or $5 for it and we get mostly ice, which is next to free for them.

Again, Publix sells thousands of items (even more than the Walgreens in the original example). Theaters sell a couple of dozen different candies, maybe fifty items tops. Again, the theater pays a LOT per ticket to the distributor for the right to show the movie. The soda may cost ten cents - but there's also the cost of the cup, and the carbonation system, and the water for the ice, and the freezer, and the electricity, and the attendant's pay...

 

[C.Ann]

I don't understand why people can't get through a 2 or 3 hour movie without having to eat or drink..

If you're hungry, rather than spend those ridiculous amounts on the movie theaters soda, candy, and popcorn, go out to dinner before the movie if you're hungry.. Makes a nice date night - with or without the kids - and you'll feel like you're paying for something that is actually worth it..

You can do the soda, candy, and popcorn for "movie nights" at home - much, much cheaper..

 

[luvsJack]

You all keep saying that they have to make a profit; true. But they do not have to have 300% mark-up or more to make that profit. Plus, I have noticed several things that are local cinema does that is almost cheating the consumer out of more money at the concession stand.

We stop at Dollar General and get several kinds of candy at like 10 for $1.00. We may buy a couple of bags of chips along with the candy and then we buy drinks from concessions.

Remember the old drive ins? Mom and Dad used to pop big bowls of popcorn and fix hot dogs to take with us. Made going to the movies an inexpensive night out--sooo unlike going to the movies today.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If money is tight and/or I don't really feel like anything I put my big girl pants on and sit through 2-3 hours of a movie without food/drink.

I asked this a couple of pages back with no response: when did it become necessary to eat/drink in a movie theater? We're not spending hours away from civilization; it doesn't take 'forever' to travel to and from the theater. Simply because the theater sells food doesn't mean anyone is required to eat while they're in the theater. If the proximity of food is so tempting that one must eat, the ethical procedure is to purchase the food from the theater.

For the record, I've been going to movies since they were 25 cents - and 'no outside food' has always been the policy, everywhere. Even if it's not posted, it's ingrained.

I'm envisioning a blog site where people could get fired up and download little graphic print outs to give to the manager expressing their disgust with the prices of concessions... Just a small 3" slip of paper or circle (all the same) circulating throughout theaters across the US, at a grass roots level by folks fed up with price gouging.

Would be more likely to add to the mess in the theater - and so require more people to clean the theater (and yes, they DO) and result in higher payroll costs, which since the theater profits little from the movie itself, must instead be covered by the profit on concessions.

I cannot agree that the theaters are not making money from the ticket sales...otherwise all movie theaters would cost the same. I frequent 3 different theaters...a big chain, which costs $10 - $12 per movie ticket, depending on which location we go to, a mid sized chain, which costs around $7 per ticket (and it every bit as nice as the bigger chain) and a local theater...cost per ticket...$4!

Your local theater is probably privately owned and doesn't have the same operating costs as the chains. They don't have to contribute to the chain's income (expenses, fees, payroll, etc.) and can charge less. It's probably also an older building with fewer features - maybe the 'old-fashioned' sloped-floor seating instead of stadium seating, maybe not, but less up-to-date and competitive.

Operating costs for the mid-size chain are probably lower than for the large chain. Yes, every cent spent in the theater goes toward ALL that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You all keep saying that they have to make a profit; true. But they do not have to have 300% mark-up or more to make that profit. Plus, I have noticed several things that are local cinema does that is almost cheating the consumer out of more money at the concession stand.

If your local theater is cheating consumers - even if you just suspect they are - you NEED to notify your state's consumer affairs division or attorney general... or at the very least, a local consumer reporter.

A 300% mark-up is NOT in ANY way indicative of a 300% profit. Most of that mark-up is applied to the theater's operating expenses. Sure, a little bit is profit - but a business that's losing money can't stay in business. Surely nobody here begrudges a business its income?

 

[Scurvy]

You all keep saying that they have to make a profit; true. But they do not have to have 300% mark-up or more to make that profit. Plus, I have noticed several things that are local cinema does that is almost cheating the consumer out of more money at the concession stand.

No, they don't have to - they choose to. Just as we don't have to go to the theater - we choose to. I don't get the rationale that it's okay to pick and choose which rules to follow once you decide to go to an establishment. In my opinion, if you choose to go to an establishment you need to be willing to follow their rules. Don't want to follow the rules? Don't go. Stay at home where you can make your own rules or go someplace that has rules you are willing to adhere to.

Regarding the bolded: That's terrible! Do you have local news that you could report them to? Someone needs to bring attention to that. What are they doing to cheat the customer out of money? Charging more than the posted prices? I don't understand why people would still patronize someplace with fraudulent business practices. I certainly wouldn't. I think that continuing to do business with a place like that implies that you approve of their rules and practices.

 

[minnie1928]

Our policy was if we didn't sell it, that you could bring it in. For example, we did not sell coffee, so we never stopped people carrying a coffee cup in. However, we did draw the line at families trying to bring in whole pizzas and subs and things like that (happened ALL THE TIME).

This makes sense to me. That way people with food allergies could still feel comfortable bringing in their special treats.

 

[hipchickie]

Admittedly, I have only skimmed the responses - but I didn't see this mentioned

I have heard that concessions are the ONLY way a theatre makes money these days. The studios make them pay so exorbitantly for films that there is no way they make a profit off of ticket sales. So all the overhead for the theatre is solely derived from what you buy food wise.

Sadly, our 2 closest theatres have closed in the past year because they just couldn't make a profit But these movie stars have 4, 5, 6 mansions all over the world...making millions for a couple months work - it is the same for professional sports - players making millions, and no one can actually afford to go to a game with their family.

I don't begrudge them - but I am sad that that is the way it is

 

[tar heel]

When did AMC do this? We took our Starbux in just five days ago.

Sign up for the Movie Watcher club at AMC and you'll regularly get coupons for candy for a dollar. It will say something specific, such as Sweetarts or Butterfingers, but they're usually pretty flexible about what you can get. You also eventually get free popcorn, drinks and tickets.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I asked this a couple of pages back with no response: when did it become necessary to eat/drink in a movie theater? We're not spending hours away from civilization; it doesn't take 'forever' to travel to and from the theater. Simply because the theater sells food doesn't mean anyone is required to eat while they're in the theater. If the proximity of food is so tempting that one must eat, the ethical procedure is to purchase the food from the theater.

I completely agree with you. That's what I was saying in my post, it's not a big deal if I have to go 2-3 hours without food/drink. Even when I was a kid growing up we didn't get (or expect) treats at a movie theater.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

We took our Starbux in just five days ago.

I do wish they would offer better selections of hot drinks at the movie theater though. Our AMC and Regal don't allow outside food/drink and I'm always so cold in the theater it would be nice to have a hot chocolate or coffee drink while watching the movie.

 

[eliza61]

I asked this a couple of pages back with no response: when did it become necessary to eat/drink in a movie theater? We're not spending hours away from civilization; it doesn't take 'forever' to travel to and from the theater. Simply because the theater sells food doesn't mean anyone is required to eat while they're in the theater. If the proximity of food is so tempting that one must eat, the ethical procedure is to purchase the food from the theater.

.

Nothing is a necessity. well at least entertainment wise. I think it's just one of those ingrained, very American things we do. Popcorn at the movies, hot dogs at baseball games, barbeques on 4th of July. None of these things are "required" for our existence but I hope I haven't sunk to the level of simply eeking out an existence and I surely hope I haven't given my kids experiences that are "necessary". That would be a sad sorry childhood.

I also am of an age where I remember $1.00 movies and double features where my parents would drop me and my brothers off and we'd spend all day Saturday in the theater.
And back then we snuck food into the movies.