The AMC Movie Theater chain announced this week that they are officially changing their policy to prevent customers from bringing outside food and drink into their theaters. Every person I know who has heard the announcement has said the same thing: “We were allowed to bring outside food and drink into the theater?”
“You are not really paying for the movie when you buy a ticket. A certain percentage goes to the studio, and then we have to pay for the double-high ceilings, the digital equipment,” Screenland theaters owner Butch Rigby told The Star. “Yes, it is more expensive to buy a candy bar in a movie theater, but you are paying for the experience. We do most of our profits, if not all, on concessions. You wouldn’t take an entree into a restaurant.” (1)
From what I understand gas stations make very little money off of actually selling gasoline, but they don’t charge $3 for a Coke. I’ll be the first to say that movie theaters have the right to make a profit, but earlier this year one charged us an extra fifty cents just to put butter on our popcorn — that’s a little ridiculous.
And yeah, I wouldn’t bring an entree to a restaurant. The point of going to a restaurant is to buy an entree. Now, if restaurants start charging $5 for napkins, then yes, I might start bringing my own.
I’ll be the first to admit that a trip to the movies for us often starts with a stop by the Dollar General right around the corner from our house. We typically buy one big tub of popcorn to share and drinks for the kids and that runs us around $10-$12, which is about all I’m willing to spend extra.
We were allowed to bring outside food and drink into the theater? :-D
My wife and I never buy food. However, my wife can’t resist buying candy from See’s directly across the isle from the mall theater.
Rob, you’ll love this one… In one of the movie theatres where I have games the manager and I were having a conversation about the above topic. he then went on to tell me about the “things” they find left behind when they go to sweep up. One of the more common snacks found in movie theatres is empty cans of Dog Food… yup! Dog Food.he wasnt surprised at all and says it quite a regular thing. I told him.. dude.. that doesnt say much for your hot dogs!
And how do they plan on enforcing this? Searching bags, purses, and pockets? Is there a detector you walk through that will detect chocolate? Good luck to them.
Aw, that sucks ‘cuz I like to get a Charley’s sammich and take it in. Seems like they’ll be losing business (and the food court will suffer too). You’d think during a recession, they would be more lax with their restrictions.