Our "No outside food and drink policy", what does that mean to customers? Nothing!

[Lindsey]

We have always had this policy at our movie theatre but have never really enforced it. Corporate finally decided to start doing just that starting on January 1, 2010. We've still been somewhat lenient on it though, allowing these whiny customers to do it "just this once" But now we are getting more strict on it. I was on ticket drop yesterday, and at least half a dozen times I would have someone come up with food or drinks from somewhere else. When I politely tell them of our policy, as you can imagine they get irritated with me and act like I'm being a hard ass.

There's the problem.. you've never enforced the policy before, so these are people who have brought food and drink into your theater over and over again, and are just now being informed that they can't do it.

Unfortunately you'll probably keep getting sucky customers over this for awhile. It's the way it works - even if you had a sign out before stating "No outside food and drink", if you didn't enforce it, it means nothing. Now you're enforcing it and people are going to act outraged. It sucks!

On another note, I've been one of those offenders, but my theater still doesn't enforce their policy. I took my brother and sister to see Michael Jackson's This Is It on Halloween this year, we got there two hours early, bought our tickets, and decided to get Chinese food while we were waiting. We weren't anticipating on the Chinese place being so full!

We waited a long time for our food and didn't actually start eating until 20 minutes before the movie started. So we ate whatever we could, got the rest in takeout containers, and hauled ass to the movie theater. The ticket guy never said a word about the food. Granted, we didn't eat it in the theater, we just didn't want to throw it away and we didn't have a car to leave it in, since we were getting picked up!

[Krivak]

ill bring in candy, usually a bag of reese cups or something, but i ALWAYS put it in a pocket. (you cant seeeeee it!)

Oh, yeah, i always buy a coke too.

Although, some people who think they are masterminds withsmuggling stuff in, arent.

[cinema guy]

I thought it was common practice in the US, but less so in the UK. Although there is one big chain that was doing it, and that cause a big stink a couple of years ago with articles in the papers and even questions in parliament!

The cinema I work at does not have such a policy, although our site does not allow KFC in from next door, or other smelly takeaways.

We did have one incident when a couple had pizza and we wouldn't let them take it in, so they gave the last few slices to the staff.

[roguesqd]

I pretty much figure all theaters do not allow outside food and drink(the more to sell $4-5 cokes), but I have never tried to take either into one

[Shifty]

See this is why my wife has a "movie purse". It's way larger than a purse she would normally use. We use it to "smuggle" candy and drinks. I admit to doing that but at least we don't just walk in carrying it. Sorry, but I'm not paying $4 for that box of junior mints that I can get at a store for $1.

[BowserKoopa1]

We have always had this policy at our movie theatre but have never really enforced it. Corporate finally decided to start doing just that starting on January 1, 2010. We've still been somewhat lenient on it though, allowing these whiny customers to do it "just this once" But now we are getting more strict on it. I was on ticket drop yesterday, and at least half a dozen times I would have someone come up with food or drinks from somewhere else. When I politely tell them of our policy, as you can imagine they get irritated with me and act like I'm being a hard ass.
Ok, I've been working with customers for about 18 years now, and I know how they are. They'll ask us to allow it "just this once" and promise not to do it again. But then they come back with food and try to pull the same thing on us. I decided I wasn't going to put up with it any longer, and so I decided to start enforcing it, that and the managers are watching too.
Now it'll be very interesting to find out how many of you say, "Maybe they didn't really know about your policy" and I'm sure there are those who don't know. Point is, when we tell you about our policy, you should either....
1. Throw away your food
2. Eat it quickly
3. Take it out to your car (don't worry, most people have plenty of time and there's 15 minutes of previews too)
Just once I'd like to have a customer just comply with what I say and not give me the look. Yeah, right, fat chance of that happening, eh?