I got robbed

[Knightmare]

Not at gunpoint or knifepoint or anything like that.

I went to the movies.

I took my step-son to see Bridge to Terabithia (Excellent movie, btw!). Since the ex and I broke up, I don't get to spend as much time with him as I would like. So I picked him up and we went to see the matinee.
It cost me $12 for two tickets. And you all know that you can't go see a movie without getting some drinks and popcorn.
I looked at the menu board and saw they had a "value deal." Two large drinks and a large popcorn. But where was the price? There wasn't one listed on there. So I thought to myself it would cost maybe $8.00 at the most.
I place my order and the girl behind the counter got the stuff. She brought it over and rang it up. I looked at the register screen and immediately did this::eek: :jawdrop:
$15.00 for 2 drinks and popcorn!!
$3.00 more than admission!
Granted, I should have asked first. Also, I did not raise a stink or become an SC. I think I may have said "Whoa!" or "Cripes!" or something like that. But I paid it and we went in and saw a very good movie.
I know that concession sales are where the majority of the theater's revenue comes from. I accept that. But at those prices, I think I'll be sneaking in some snacks next time I go to a movie. There are a lot of movies this year he and I plan on seeing. I think I may have to take out a second mortgage to finance it.

For those of you that work in movie theaters: Is that price high, low or average for where you are at? Just curious.

[danegrous_21]

wow, thats all i have to say. down here in my town we have 2 big theater chains, the century system while not public telling this, does not make it illegal for you to bring stuff with you.

[mrsmarit]

Yeah that actually sounds about right...

And theaters make almost all of their money from the concession. When I was working for the theater they made like .08 a ticket after so many days/weeks.


And on those "combo" deals.. they are not deals at all (at least at regal theaters) the price is exactly the same as if you bought the items seperately. It is just an easier way to order.


Hope this helps.

[AirHostess]

I just sneak food in my bag.

[Barefootgirl]

I bring food in, too. Mainly because I dislike cinema popcorn, and i don't want my daughter guzzling too many sweets, which is all they sell at the cinema. Thats why I've got the biggest handbag known to man...

[Greenday]

And on those "combo" deals.. they are not deals at all (at least at regal theaters) the price is exactly the same as if you bought the items seperately. It is just an easier way to order.

Oddly enough, at the movie theaters near me, the combo deal for a large soda and large popcorn is $1 cheaper than getting mediums. I did the math and it was just as they advertised. Confuses me a lil but if it's a buck cheaper, might as well go large. Still costs an arm and a leg though.

[DesignFox]

Sucky or not, I always sneak my food into the theater...those prices are outrageous and I rarely want anything badly enough that I'm willing to pay that much money for it. If they didn't chop my arm off on the tickets, I might be more willing to lose one arm to the concessions... or god forbid, maybe they should bring prices down- then I'd actually buy stuff...

The 15 sounds about right- I took my brother to a private screening of Harry Potter and we paid 16 bucks for two drinks and a popcorn. :eek: Lucky for us, that one was on Dad. :lol:

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Netflix, my friend.

Sit in your jammies, wine in hand, caviar on coffee table, feet up, no assholes on cell phones, no douchbags kicking the back of your chair. No uncomfortable full bladder because you don't want to get up and miss anything.

And, of course, no dry cornholings at the concession stand or ticket booth.

[Becks]

I'd sneak food in, too. Concession prices are obscene.

[blas]

The last movie I think I ever went to see was......Star Wars Episode 3??????

What I do now......order movies off OnDemand from the cable. Granted, it used to get me in trouble with my roomate, but now that it's MY cable, he can go shove it....anywho.....this is what I figure...

Me...or anyone who wants to come over......FREE admission. At least $6-$8 per person saved and still in their pockets.

Microwave popcorn and mt dew and chocolates........oh.....under $10 at Wal-Mart and always in steady supply at my place. And I get the good popcorn.

Movie....$3.99.....

Take that versus going to say Blockbuster or the local video store. New releases at BB run at almost $5. Granted, they have a no late fee grace period of a week or so, but what if the weather is bad or I don't even care to go there or have to go back to return the movie?

My roomate telling me to just BUY the movies or go to BB was the dumbest thing I ever heard. He complained that I spent $4 on a movie, and he'd rather I go spend $20 or more at FYE or another store to BUY the movie? Screw that.

I'm very happy. May not be a night on the town.......but it's cheap, comfortable.....no cell phone people, no mad text messengers, no screaming children, no people having sex in the theater, and no rowdy loud people!

[Rapscallion]

Last time for me was shortly before christmas. I think I made their night.

"Popcorn please."

"Size?"

"Sodding huge."

The guy serving me brightened up at this. "Drink?" he asked.

"Ice blast, cherry, olympic swimming pool, please," I told him.

Leave them liking you, and leave them with high blood sugar - that's what I say.

Rapscallion

[ditchdj]

But didnt you know that prices at the box office are suposed to be going DOWN because they've started airing those obnoxious TV commercials before the showings??? Isnt it great. Ticket prices are "going down" so fast they're even breaching the ten dollar mark in some places! :eek:

Ugh THAT was the last straw that motivated me to swear off movie theaters.

[digilight]

We've got this little local theater in our town, they have real good ticket prices (3 bucks before 6 and 5 bucks after that) they also have $1 hotdogs and we can get a large soda and a large popcorn (the wife and I will share 'em) and a couple of hotdogs for about 10 bucks. It also includes free refills on both the soda and popcorn. So we always refill the popcorn right before we leave and hand it off to my dad (if they were watching the kids) cause he loves movie theater popcorn.

[protege]

That's why I no longer go to the theaters. Ticket prices are high enough here as it is--roughly $40 for a family of four. Throw food on top of that, and you're looking at nearly $60. I'm not even going to mention the 20 minutes of commercials you have to sit through, and the idiots with their cellphones going off.

Er, no thanks. I'll stay at home in my recliner, with a $2 bowl of microwaveable popcorn plus my blankie any day. Blockbuster or Jyunt Iggle stores are only a few minutes away... :D

[Ryu]

ticket prices arent due to the theaters, the theaters practically dont get money from them
concession is where all the money comes from so yeah its expensive
sneaking food in and leaving the trash is one of the most sc things you can do at the movies
i dont buy concessions at the movies anymore due to working there(i dont get them for free or even a discount) but i dont bring food in either and if i were to i would throw it away, which most people dont
i think if everyone always threw their trash away that prices would go way down because you wouldnt need 5 ushers at a time on some nights

[BookstoreEscapee]

One theater near me is $5 all day on Tuesdays (except during the summer and between Thanksgiving and New Year). We used to go all the time but haven't been lately :(

I always try to bring a bottle of water and some candy or something. As long as you're not obnoxious about it (ie, don't bring a pic-a-nic basket or anything ;)) they're not likely to say anything. Though that same theater also sells cotton candy for $2 - probably the most reasonably priced thing they've got. :)

Hey, I just noticed he was on the list!! :popcorn: yay!

[ShortTemperHatesStupidity]

Me...or anyone who wants to come over......FREE admission. At least $6-$8 per person saved and still in their pockets.

Microwave popcorn and mt dew and chocolates........oh.....under $10 at Wal-Mart and always in steady supply at my place. And I get the good popcorn.

Movie....$3.99.....

Saving yourself the sanity, stress of finding a freaking parking space, and dry ass-humping sans KY at the concession stand... priceless.

[Acolyte]

Heh. I used to wear a trenchcoat around most places, including the theater (Although it's been retired in favour of a black duster). Between that and my cargo pants, I got a medium pizza and a 12-pack of Pepsi into the theater.

Of course, I had friends who worked there, and I was there a lot with said trenchcoat, they were used to it and didn't bother to get suspicious. That was awesome.

[tollbaby]

Not at gunpoint or knifepoint or anything like that.

I went to the movies.

$15.00 for 2 drinks and popcorn!!


When my boyfriend was visiting from the UK in January, we decided to take the kids to see a movie. So off we schlepped to the theatre to see... err.... Charlotte's web! (it was good, but not terribly memorable, and I"m always forgetting what it was we went to see).

Two adults, two children under 10. Movie admission price? $36. Ouch. Concessions for me and the kids? (there were special packs for the kids that had popcorn, a drink, and a pack of some kind of gummy candy for $6), so $12 for them, and a popcorn and a drink for me. Total? $25. (the boyfriend hates popcorn).

Rip off? You betcha. And that's why I only go see a movie MAYBE once a year or so, except at the local theatre that has ONE theatre, costs $7 for a ticket ALL THE TIME, has reasonably-priced concessions, and often shows nearly-new movies a month or so after they leave the theatre. Plus, it's comfortable, quiet and they have an annual tradition of showing Rocky Horror Picture Show every Halloween, $2 off the price of your ticket if you come in costume OR bring a virgin, and dry props are permitted :D

[katie kaboom]

Plus, it's comfortable, quiet and they have an annual tradition of showing Rocky Horror Picture Show every Halloween, $2 off the price of your ticket if you come in costume OR bring a virgin, and dry props are permitted :D

That rules:D

None of the theatres around here show Rocky Horror anymore. :(
....but then, how do you prove someone is a RH virgin?:confused:

[myswtghst]

Yeah, in high school my friends and I were masters of sneaking food/drinks into the theatres. I think I'd managed, on seperate occasions:
~A smoothie (giant one from Jamba) in my purse
~A 12-pack worth of soda cans in various pockets
~Taco bell, again, in my purse

The prize winner was when my best friend Evan and I decided to "scam" the system. We bought the biggest popcorn (the one with free refills) and ate two bags worth in one showing, then brought the bag in and out with us in someone's pocket or purse for over a month, each time getting "free refills" until the bag was too gross to continue using. :D

We also were big on "movie-hopping" when I was in high school. Again, too much free time and limited funds led to buying a ticket for one movie, then wandering to find another movie about to start to sneak into. Sometimes we'd get into 3 movies on 1 ticket. :o