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

[Andara Bledin]

I almost always buy popcorn when I go to the movies.

Even though I don't finish it, anymore, and the stuff makes me feel awful after. It's just not the full movie experience for me without the oversalted, butter-flavored oily popcorn.

^-.-^

[aurelemsrealm]

When I was single, I used to go to the theater all of the time to get out of the house. Now that I'm married, I generally only go to the theater if my wife and I have time for a date night. Occasionally, I'll go by myself to the theater to see one of the newer horror movies because my wife hates scary movies, and I grew up watching the likes of Freddy Kreuger or Jason. Both of my parents were always big time into horror movies, so my sister and I grew up watching them. My wife is such a wuss about horror movies, but I'm not afraid to sleep in the dark even if I've just seen a movie about chainsaw massacres or hillbilly killers in the middle of the mountains. I sleep just as soundly as if I've watched Veggie Tales videos for several hours straight.

[Boxofficehellhole]

Yeah most people don't understand the whole high prices thing. Most movie theaters are like that, the main profit of the theater is concession income. If I get a customer who mentions the high prices, I sometimes friendly comment to them that most people don't know that's the main income for theaters so that's why they are high anywhere you go see a movie. They usually leave educated and most are like "OK, I didn't know that. That makes sense" and buy something.

I also hate it when teenagers come up and I ask them what movie they would like to see and they get this look of sheer panic and fear on their face and talk softly.

[Anakah]

I admit it, sometimes I'll bring "the big purse" and bring in some of my own stuff. But I never leave any candy wrappers or anything. And I usually do buy stuff while I'm there. Like a drink or my favorite--nachos!

[Broomjockey]

Okay I'll admit it. I'm against sneaking in food on principle (because I know that the theatre makes sweet crappola on ticket sales), but as long as you're discreet, I couldn't care *IF* you clean up after yourself.

I really didn't get paid enough to try and sweep up your sunflower seed shells, or stuff your McDonald's garbage down to make room for the bag of popcorn some 5 year old dumped.
Then again, my theaters weren't sneaky about the sizes of their candy, had a decent variety, and my first wasn't too close to somewhere you could buy stuff to sneak in, but there were plenty of resturants near by.

So really, to everyone sneaking food in, remember that ever single expense comes out of the concession sales: salaries, wages, light, heat, a/c, repairing the seats after people break them, updating the equipment in a timely manner, running water for the bathrooms, soap, paper towels, toilet paper. Everything. So by sneaking in food, you're not going to get prices lowered, but raised, as they'll need to make more money on the sales they do make. <gets off soapbox> Carry on.

[Miffed]

So really, to everyone sneaking food in, remember that ever single expense comes out of the concession sales: salaries, wages, light, heat, a/c, repairing the seats after people break them, updating the equipment in a timely manner, running water for the bathrooms, soap, paper towels, toilet paper. Everything. So by sneaking in food, you're not going to get prices lowered, but raised, as they'll need to make more money on the sales they do make. <gets off soapbox> Carry on.

My theater found a solution to most of those. Don't fix the chairs, don't heat the theaters, use energy efficient light bulbs, very low quality paper towels for the employees, cheap hand dryers for customers, and hire Mexicans to clean up at night


But surprisingly their toilet paper is quite soft.

[MadRocketScientist]

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).

Sadly, this will keep me from a movie more than the cost. I truly enjoy the theater experience and find it worth the cost, but someone who can not keep quiet or keep their kids/infants quiet during a movie can ruin it for me.

Even more so if the theater does nothing about it.

[Geek King]

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

...or "eeegnorant eeedeeeot" --Ren Hoek

[Broomjockey]

But surprisingly their toilet paper is quite soft.

Not so surprisingly. My theatre got more complaints about the toilet paper than anything else. So much so that they actually changed the brand to a more expensive one that didn't rip if you pulled at anything resembling an angle.

As for the rest, sounds like the crap my second theatre pulled when attendance wasn't doing so hot.

[iradney]

Surprisingly, I prefer buying popcorn and soda from the concession stand. I can get two large popcorns and two large sodas for less than $10.

[earl colby pottinger]

My point exactly

Surprisingly, I prefer buying popcorn and soda from the concession stand. I can get two large popcorns and two large sodas for less than $10.

I am not demanding that they lower candy prices at stands, just give us value for our money. If we are going to pay $2.50 for a candy bar, then sell the version that local stores sell for $1.89 and I will not feel so ripped off and probably buy two.

I am sure lots of candy bars are being smuggled in just because of the cost benefits of doing so.

And if you really want sales get your hand on those special large sizes you can't buy in stores, and watch people buy.

[iradney]

I am not demanding that they lower candy prices at stands, just give us value for our money. If we are going to pay $2.50 for a candy bar, then sell the version that local stores sell for $1.89 and I will not feel so ripped off and probably buy two.

I am sure lots of candy bars are being smuggled in just because of the cost benefits of doing so.

And if you really want sales get your hand on those special large sizes you can't buy in stores, and watch people buy.

Hehehe
Mind you, I'm in South Africa. We pay R50 for two movie tickets, and R60 for popcorn and drinks. It's not too bad, really - R110 for a night out!
Of course, that's if you go to the one cinema company. It's rival hasn't yet cottoned on that cheaper tickets = more sales = more concession sales, and charge R40 for an individual ticket. THERE we smuggle in stuff from outside.

[cinema guy]

Sadly, this will keep me from a movie more than the cost. I truly enjoy the theater experience and find it worth the cost, but someone who can not keep quiet or keep their kids/infants quiet during a movie can ruin it for me.

Even more so if the theater does nothing about it.

It irks me when people wait till the end of the movie to complain that someone was making a noise or even that there was a problem with the film. We do check the screens regularly, but we don't always see the problem. When the customer is asked why they didn't come out and tell us there was a problem, they say 'I didn't want to ruin the movie by missing any.' Wasn't movie being ruined already?

We have a mothers and babies screening once a week, with no trailers, quieter sound and the house lights left on.

[Tria]

Surprisingly, I prefer buying popcorn and soda from the concession stand. I can get two large popcorns and two large sodas for less than $10.

And free refills!

[Andara Bledin]

And free refills!

I can never finish even a medium soda, so free refills are worthless to me.

^-.-^