Real smooth, sneaking into movies that started 2 hours ago.

[Miffed]

Surprisingly I don't have to deal with many SCs, but I finally gathered a few things worth posting.

I love how they think they're being so sneaky.

Setting: I'm working behind concessions at the hottest movie theater for annoying teenagers to come to and garner the hatred of all employees, managers included.

A group of wannabe gangsters come in every Saturday night, which happens to be one of my shifts. so I see them every week. There's about five of them, varying ages from 11 to still-not-old-enough-for-R-rated-movies.

They use the typical movie sneaking technique that is used too frequently and is not all that sneaky. There is a G-rated film to my left, entrance fully visible to me, and The Heartbreak Kid to my right, even more visible. They walk towards my left, go into the back hallway out of my sight, come back into my sight from the other side after 1-2 minutes. (time is 8:50, this comes into play later) they loiter around the arcade for a bit, looking around to see if anyone is watching. then they enter HB-Kid and I notify the manager and she says to let her know if I see them again. after a few minutes they come out. Curious, I checked to see when the movie ended, 9:21. I laughed then notified the manager again.

They then circled around and entered the the Gameplan, and then came out a few minutes later. That movie ends 9:12. This is where I became quite amused. They loitered around for a little bit, trying to think of which movie to see next I guess. Then they started slowly heading towards Good Luck Chuck (ends 9:30), right next to Gameplan. Over the walkie again I notified the manager. at this point I had to leave as of my shift was over. so I don't know the outcome but it was pretty funny seeing them enter movies that all started during the 7 o'clock rush.




This is a stick up, hand over all of your money! and here's your candy, enjoy your movie!

my thoughts in italics.

Lady: Wow these prices are high, thats like highway robbery!
Me: Robbery would be me taking your money against your will and giving you nothing in return. You don't have to buy the overpriced candy. Yes the prices are high but you don't have to buy anything.


Yeah, um, no.

Guy: I'll have a small popcorn and could you give me a free soda?
Me: lemme think about--no.


Another guy: Can we have a small popcorn but can you put it in a medium bag
Me: I'm sorry we can't do that, they keep inventory of everything, if I sell a small but give a medium I will get in trouble.
AG: Can't you just give us the medium?
Me: No. I like my job too much to just get in trouble so you can enjoy popcorn


Y'know that was really rude serving a customer while I was still deciding what to get

Me: Hi, what can I get for you
Lady: hmmm, I'm still deciding

Somebody else comes up and asks for a refill. Sure, since the lady is still deciding what to get. So I fill up the drink and hand it off and they walk away happy. The lady then glares at me

Lady: You know its really rude serving someone else while I was waiting
Me: You know it'se really rude blocking the line while you decide what to buy while someone else just wants a refill. I'm sorry, I thought you were still deciding.


Pet peeves

It's annoying during a rush when people, after standing in line for 5 minutes, have no idea what they want. I like the people that come and right away tell me what they want, no fumbling with deciding, no asking what the price of everything is. Straight to the point and their done and off to their movie before the previews even start.

another peeve is annoying teenage girls who practically whisper what they want. Speak up. If I say "I'm sorry, say again?" that means I didn't hear you. that means you weren't talking loud enough, (which is surprising because when they talk to their friends I can hear them all the way form the arcade.) that doesn't mean repeat what you said at the same volume and hope I catch more words this time.

the fact that your friends bothered to notice what bill you paid with does not convince me.

Annoying Preteen and his friends come up to the counter. He just buys some candy and pays with a five. I ring him up and I accidentally closed my drawer before I gave him his change.

Me: I'm sorry I accidentally closed my drawer, lemme just get a managaer so I can get you your change.
AP: Hey it says change is 2.25, the candy is only 2.75, I paid with a 10.
Me: Wow, good for you, you know basic math! however, I'm pretty sure you paid with a five.

at this point all his friends chime in

APF: yeah he paid you with a ten! he gave you a ten! what're you doing he paid with a 10! 10 dollar bill!

Yeah, thats definitely not at all suspicious. Days earlier I read a story on here about quick changing so that immediately popped into my mind

I called a for a manager and explained the situation, she counts my till and I am over $2.25.

AP: Are you trying to steal my money or what?
M: his register is saying you paid with a 5, so here's your change, 2.25
AP: (basically repeating himself at this point and the managers shoos him and his gang away.)




So that's all I have after working for 4 months. Mostly all I have to deal with is people complaining about prices.

[Broomjockey]

Then you're really lucky
My favourite SC's were the ones that insisted there was another showing of a movie at a specific time. I really don't know what they were hoping to accomplish. It's not like there's a spare theatre sitting around for just such an occassion. Yeesh. Lemme go out and build one for ya.

[Crosshair]

Heh, on the candy thing, the one major benefit of cargo pants. However you have to make sure your group doesn't walk so fast that the candy makes noise.

The funniest was when we went to see "Transformers". I was bringing in a ton of Mike and Ikes for everyone in our group. We start to head in and I have to whisper to them, "Slow down guy's, my pants are full of candy." That got the message across and we got all 8 boxes of candy safely into the movie theater.

[ShinyGreenApple]

I like the people that come and right away tell me what they want, no fumbling with deciding, no asking what the price of everything is. Straight to the point and their done and off to their movie before the previews even start.

See, I thought this was a normal thing to do when one goes to the theater. Oh wait . . . I have a rational mind. I just find it humorous that you speak of this as a rare and praiseworthy occasion

But I'm like that when I see movies. I see no point in showing up after the first five minutes. I like to get there really early, especially if it's a new film, just to make sure I get good seats and also give us the opportunity to move if the obnoxious family from Hell decides to come and sit near us.

[Nayeli_Sabia]

Lady: Wow these prices are high, thats like highway robbery!
Me: Robbery would be me taking your money against your will and giving you nothing in return. You don't have to buy the overpriced candy. Yes the prices are high but you don't have to buy anything.

Not all theaters are like this, but my mom used to do accounting for several theater chains. 9 times out of ten, they would break even on the ticket sales vs cost of movie. So their main/only proffit was concessions. When I learned that, I stopped grumbleing. Exception... one theater that has these large boxes, like in most theaters... but IN the box is a bag, and the candy if in the bag. about 1/4-1/3 of the box size. I didn't pay $3.50 for an ounce of candy.

BTW Crosshair, if you open the bag candy before getting to the theater, you can squeeze the air out, makeing them smaller AND quieter.

[AriRashkae]

Y'know that was really rude serving a customer while I was still deciding what to get

Me: Hi, what can I get for you
Lady: hmmm, I'm still deciding

Somebody else comes up and asks for a refill. Sure, since the lady is still deciding what to get. So I fill up the drink and hand it off and they walk away happy. The lady then glares at me

Lady: You know its really rude serving someone else while I was waiting
Me: You know it'se really rude blocking the line while you decide what to buy while someone else just wants a refill. I'm sorry, I thought you were still deciding.


Pet peeves

It's annoying during a rush when people, after standing in line for 5 minutes, have no idea what they want. I like the people that come and right away tell me what they want, no fumbling with deciding, no asking what the price of everything is. Straight to the point and their done and off to their movie before the previews even start.

I must have been lucky at my theater. If it wasn't busy, most people would hang back to read the board, and wouldn't get pissy if they told you "Just looking" and you waited on someone else in the meantime. And if it was busy and they hopped in line, they still had most of their order figured out by the time they got up front.

I actually miss that job sometimes.

[kerrisan]

Guy: I'll have a small popcorn and could you give me a free soda?

E for effort. Oh wait, no, umm . . . e for e-stupid.

[Imogene]

E for effort. Oh wait, no, umm . . . e for e-stupid.

Empty-headed?

[earl colby pottinger]

None

Candy in the theaters all seem to be rip-offs, not because of the high prices but because how little you get. If the regular size in stores is $1.00 and large is $1.89 why do theaters think it is a good idea to try and sell me the regular for $2.50? If instead they were selling the large size for $2.50 they still would be making a good profit, and I would not try sneaking in candy.

Drinks/Popcorn are a little different. The small and the medium are usually expensive for what you get but the Large Sizes are usually very large and worth the money.

Regardless, the cost difference as you go up each size is not that large (why large sizes are often a good deal) and I have a hard time believing that anyone who can afford a movie and a small what-ever can't afford the extra to make it a medium.

[karma_gypsy]

Not all theaters are like this, but my mom used to do accounting for several theater chains. 9 times out of ten, they would break even on the ticket sales vs cost of movie.

I've heard about that as well. It seems with the introduction of movies-on-demand and pay-per-view, theaters are becoming less popular. Locally, we had a single screen theater, the screen was just enormous, the theater also had "rumble" seats (very awesome to watch action movies on), but unfortunately, it closed down due to lack of interest. . .

I still go and see a movie whenever I can and much prefer it over sitting at home, but I just don't have the time (or even the spare cash) anymore to do it. Plus, you have the a-holes who decide to bring their toddlers/babies to the theater and it just ruins the whole experience (happened to me last time).

We'll usually only buy a large soda between my husband and I and we do like Crosshair (occasionally) and sneak in our own candy.

[Sliceanddice]

i see a movie once a week.
I go to movies that if the parents take their kids to they will be scared for life, cause of the sex and the shoving the carrots though ones head (god i loved Shoot 'em up...)
But i have your kids cant keep quiet then i dont have to deal with it stance

[Acolyte]

I've got sneaking food into a movie turned into an art form. My friend and I got a case of pop and a medium pizza in. Granted, most of the people working there at least knew who I was and that the trenchcoat I was wearing at the time was my normal coat (Although it has since been retired), but still.

[Nayeli_Sabia]

I still go and see a movie whenever I can and much prefer it over sitting at home, but I just don't have the time (or even the spare cash) anymore to do it. Plus, you have the a-holes who decide to bring their toddlers/babies to the theater and it just ruins the whole experience (happened to me last time)

I've taken my baby two three movies... to where before noon(matinee prices!) on a wednesday. One of those was 300.... she was 6 months, I brought a blanket and she slept/nursed the whole time. I was amused.

We went to one movie, and she decided NOT to nurse... so my husband took her out in the hall, and let me watch the movie. That was the day we decided she wasn't going anymore. It's also the last movie I've seen in a while. But when she stopped sleeping through them, we stopped taking her. I HATE crying/fussing kids/babies/teens in movies.

[DarthRetard]

Heh, I did it, but not so inconspicuously. We snuck in an entire box of oatmeal creme pies by dumping them down my shirt, giving me a huge beer belly. Cop took one look at me, smiled, and just walked away.

I also played DDR during my short 3 hour pregnancy.

[Miffed]

one theater that has these large boxes, like in most theaters... but IN the box is a bag, and the candy if in the bag. about 1/4-1/3 of the box size. I didn't pay $3.50 for an ounce of candy.

Yeah my theater is like that. Deceptively big boxes with the much smaller bags inside.

I forgot to mention, wal-mart is literally a 3 minute walk from the movie theater and they only charge 88 cents for what we normally charge $3.25. Whenever people complain about prices I'm always screaming in my head "Wal-mart is a stone's throw away! If you hate the prices sot much, goto walmart, buy some candy and with the money you save get some cargo pants!" And none of the employees care if you bring something in. Before I worked there I would purposely brandish my Arby's cup to see if they actually bothered to do anything. I've seen people put their Son of Donald's cups on the counter as they order stuff and the cashier notices but doesn't say anything. And I'm definitely not going to say anything when I work, whenever I come in to see a movie with my family we always bring in some small cups and a big bag of M&Ms.


The way I see it is the smart people sneak in their food, while the dumb people pay ridiculous prices and support the theater for everyone to enjoy