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Originally posted by breyerchic04:
Was it a chain (here we only have keresotes), or induvidual?

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If you took a sandwich and a bag of chips into a restaurant, would you really expect them to serve you coffee and let you sit there and eat?

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Depends on the restaurant. I have done this at several. (Not coffee, but a similar idea.) And I know other people who have, for various reasons, including religious dietary restrictions and food allergies, as well as just not liking the food but wanting to be with their friends. If theaters don't have a clearly stated, clearly posted policy against outside food and/or drink (and the ones I go to don't), they shouldn't try to enforce it.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
Not all theaters do, but if they did try to enforce it, they'd be doing so legitimately.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
It's like this. If you like going to that movie theater -- if you have good experiences there -- support them by buying snacks. That's how they stay in business.

It's just the nice thing to do.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
On the other hand, if they treat you like crap, sneak in whatever you want.... They deserve to lose out.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
I'd fight them, for the reasons I already stated. They post their other rules. Why should they not post a rule they want people to follow?

Of course, if they did have it clearly posted, I would not bring outside food or drink in.

I would probably also take my business to another theater most of the time. If I'm paying $9-$10.50 a ticket, I'm not going to want to pay for food on top of that.

Plus, what if all the food they have makes me sick? Right now the thought of movie food is about to make me lose my saltines.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
You're just being impossible.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
I don't think I'm being impossible.

I think I have clear expectations for what a movie experience should be, and theaters don't provide it very well.

That's why Netflix gets a heck of a lot of business from us.
 

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Posted by raventh1 (Member # 3750) on :
 
For those very reasons I prefer to watch movies at home.

If I could get a dvd/hd-dvd released at the same time, I wouldn't ever go to the theater. However if I wanted to be with a ton of people, it would be cool to rent a theater, but that would mean I knew everyone in the theater. If need be I could kick them out too
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
Well, I love movie theaters and going to the movies. They mean a lot to me.
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
I wonder if the reason they thought to give this speech was the Sci-Fi/Fan Love of Serenity. They didn't want a bunch of Sci-Fi wierdo's doing strange things to their theater.
 

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
I generally refuse to patronize places that search me or my belongings. If stores want to ban outside bags, I'll respect that. But entering a store does not give them consent to search me. I've refused to be searched or have my receipt "checked" on the way out of stores - Best Buy and CompUSA use to try this, but I never let them do it.

Were I to enter a theater with a bag, I would refuse to allow it to be searched. If a sign could be seen prior to buying tickets that bags would be searched, I wouldn't buy. Had I already bought when I found out I would be searched, I would demand to be let in without being searched or a full refund.

Tacking on conditions after sale is not something I tolerate.

If everybody else would stop submitting to these things, most places would stop doing it.
 

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Posted by Astaril (Member # 7440) on :
 
I understand the food/drink need to sell, and the policy. My complaint was the ridiculousness of the enforcement in my one case. It never happened before or after that one time, so I assume the girl just had a bad day or it was her first shift or something.

TL, I agree with your 'invisible' comment. I was an usher at a stage theatre for a while, and that's exactly how we were taught to do our job. Of course, having only one stage, we could spend the entire performance standing to the side of the audience, scanning them for food and cameras, which cinemas don't have the luxury of being able to afford.
 

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Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
 
My local theater 'checked' my bag for security purposes ONCE, andthat was done by a security guard in the first month following 9/11. Didn't happen again.

Astaril - I agree with you that that was ridiculous. Ragu? Oy. I HAVE sneaked protein into a theater before, because sugars and carbs just don't do it for some of us. Usually , though, I buy what's there or do without.

I HAVE brought entire kid's meals along with my children to a restaurant. They can have my money for the grown-up's food and deal with my kid's peanut butter sandwich. My eldest will not touch Mexican food, but my Beloved loves it. *shrug* We don't do it at fancy places, natch, but no one has ever minded. I do usually ask if it's okay, at least the first time.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

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Originally posted by TL:
As for the searching bags/ outside food issue...

Most people don't understand that movie theaters do not operate like most businesses ---

Most businesses do one basic thing, and they make their money from doing whatever that thing is. Take, for example, a sandwich shop... They make you a sandwich, and you pay them for it. At a video store, they make their money renting you videos. Mechanics make money by fixing your car. Etc.

But at a movie theater, the only place they really make money is at the snack bar.

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I have heard this argument before. And I am sorry, but I just ain't buying it.

If it is true, why on earth have ticket prices gotten so ridiculously high? And it's not like there aren't other places with ridiculous concession prices -- ballparks and amusement parks spring to mind. I refuse to buy their food as well.

It's not a "*whine* We can't stay in business otherwise!" issue. It's a "We've got you over a barrel and we're gonna stick it to you!" issue. I won't buy overpriced crap at a theater (in addition to the fact that the majority is not kosher), and I don't appreciate the attempted guilt trip.
 

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Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
 
This is why I loved the theatre on my college campus. Tickets were $2. The popcorn was cheap as well, I think it was in the $1.50 range for a big bag. Of course, there were usually only older movies showing, but occasionally there would be free sneak previews. Unfortunately, they tore the theatre down when they rebuilt the student union. Apparently there is a new theater in the new student union, but I have no idea how good it or its prices are.

</nostalgia>

--Mel
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
*high-fives Rivka*

CrowsWife, I had fun watching the $2 movie with my almost-step-sister when I visited her at NAU. And yes, when we went there, we bought the (cheap) popcorn and sodas they sold (the only things they sold, and reasonably priced, too!) to help support them and because they weren't cheating us.
 

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Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
Concessions is where the money is supposed to be made. But surprise surpise, with people bringing in outside food, it doesn't support a theatre anymore. My theatre tries to keep ticket prices down and has only had a 50 cent increase in nearly 3 years but yeah, the majority of the 7.50 we charge goes to the movie production companies. There is a system around these prices. For instance, a movie that just comes out has nearly all its profit go directly back to WB or Fox, or whoever. The longer we keep a movie, the bigger our precentage becomes. But its a balancing game because sometimes we can make more keeping a popular older-released movie but instead we're forced to give up that screen for a newly-released crap movie that won't get any audience even opening weekend.

The concessions and a tiny part of ticket prices is what pays the employees (which I will tell you is nothing!), pays for maintenance (which is a nightmare because guests seems to go out of their way to destroy seats and bathrooms), etc.

If you don't want to feel guilty, then don't. Go to your movie and whenever you have a problem, go speak with a manager so we can be aware and do what we can to fix it. If not, stay home.

On another note, another reason my theatre doesn't allow bags is because they're a hazard for other patrons. Theatres are dark and if someone needs to get out of their row for a bathroom break, its easy to trip over bags and such. We allow purses which can be held in the lap or shoved safely under the seat, but most backpacks won't fit. Some customers have "promised" to safely tuck them away and have not resulting in injury. So we have to make a blanket policy to protect our patrons. My theatre and my old one, which was located in a mall, would lock all personal and shopping bags in the box office for safe keeping.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
At the theatre I used to go to (in *sniff* New Orleans), you could bring in any food you wanted. It was located right above the food court of the Target mall (seriously, about the only stores there were Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond). I loved it because I could get Subway and eat it while I watched my movie.

I love movie food, though. Like those big pretzels. Yum.

I've never had my bag searched before going into a theatre. Then again, I generally only carry a purse, which is pretty small.

I was, however, somewhat annoyed when a movie theatre near my parents' house decided to start having a POLICE OFFICER check IDs outside the doors to R-rated movies. That seemed like a waste to me. I can understand a theatre employee checking tickets at the door to keep people from sneaking in, but is a cop really necessary?

-pH
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 

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I love movie food, though. Like those big pretzels. Yum.

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The theaters I usually go to sell chicken wings, corn dogs, nachos, fries, really really disgusting reheated hamburgers (some of them) and really bad popcorn

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I was, however, somewhat annoyed when a movie theatre near my parents' house decided to start having a POLICE OFFICER check IDs outside the doors to R-rated movies. That seemed like a waste to me. I can understand a theatre employee checking tickets at the door to keep people from sneaking in, but is a cop really necessary?

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Yes, sometimes the employees are too busy doing other things to spare one person to watch a door. Our cops are there for security and since R-rated movies attract alot of trouble, thats what we use them for. Besides, a cop is a bit more intimidating to an underaged minor trying to sneak in. We always put the cops out there when we have certain patrons there. We have a blacklist of banned guests. We also have a list of people with already one offense. If one of these guests tries to sneak into an R-rated movie and then cusses out the person at the door, we want a cop there instead so that guest can be arrested and removed from the property.
 

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Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
My ideal food: Pretzel bites and a Code Red.

The only time I had Subway at a theatre was during "Trilogy Tuesday," where for $15, you got unlimited soda and popcorn, a sub, and a hot dog with chips. Not too shabby for a 12+ hour marathon.

And when I saw AotC, a guy brought in an entire big bucket of KFC. He wasn't supposed to, but he did. And the guys we wound up sitting with brought in the "everlasting bottle o' Gatorade," which was, actually, wine in a box. (Also very not allowed).
 

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Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
 
*high fives rivka and kq*

I actually get sick from preservatives. I tell you, there is nothing at a movie theatre that I could eat.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
Boxed wine!

Awesome.

-pH
 

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Posted by Astaril (Member # 7440) on :
 
Shanna, I have to say, your theatre sounds like its in a far worse area or at least attracts a far worse crowd than I imagine many of us (myself, at the very least) probably are familiar with. Bombscares? Weapons? Cops? Banned lists of people who need to be arrested?

Wow. No wonder no one wants to go the movies anymore.
 

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Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
You'd think I worked in some scary urban area. Quite the opposite. Its a college town but the majority of the problem comes from high school age kids. There's nothing else for them to do on a Friday night. Our biggest problem has been parents who drop off their kids because they don't want to deal with them, and then don't pick them up until hours past their movie ending. So we have these kids breaking into parked cars, sneaking into movies, getting bored and harrassing employees. We've had to tighten down on rules to eliminate those rare dangerous situations. Parents think we're a babysitting service.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
We have many of the same troubles, Shanna....

But on the other hand, I *am* in a scary urban area. My car has been broken into twice since I started working here and vandalized once.

However we don't prevent bags from coming in, and we definitely don't search backpacks or anything like that.

Our rule is, if someone tries to sneak in outside food (however laughable their attempt may be) we will go ahead and let them in.

However if they are carrying it in the open, we do ask them to finish it in the lobby.

(And those of you who just don't buy that the only money we make is from concessions, I don't know what to tell you. It's true. I'm a movie theater manager, and I see the percentages. The money we make from tickets is so small that any profits from the box office are basically negligable.

That money all goes to the movie theater production companies. [When I say "all" I'm speaking in generalities -- not hard percentages, because we do get a tiny amount.])
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
So if I were to go into the popcorn business, a good strategy to attract customers would be to build a cinema around my popcorn stand?
 

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Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
If you don't mind dealing with the nightmare of running a theatre. =)
 

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Posted by ambyr (Member # 7616) on :
 
It's not that we doubt that concessions supply the majority of most movie theatres' income. It's that we doubt both the quality of the concessions and the wisdom of this business plan.

[ October 03, 2005, 01:45 AM: Message edited by: ambyr ]
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 

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(And those of you who just don't buy that the only money we make is from concessions, I don't know what to tell you. It's true. I'm a movie theater manager, and I see the percentages. The money we make from tickets is so small that any profits from the box office are basically negligable.

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You know, I really don't care. If a theater cannot stay open with the money from my (and everybody else's) ticket, then they might as well close down, because they certainly are not getting any more money from me than those expensive tickets.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
It's not necessarily the movie theatre's fault that Hollywood takes so much of the ticket money, you know.

-pH
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
I still don't care.

If everybody were like me, perhaps most theatres would go out of buisness.

And I still wouldn't care.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
Cool....
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
If Hollywood takes so darned much of the ticket money, then

1) Why do some theaters (in one area) charge $9 a ticket, some charge $9.50, some charge $10, and some charge $11? In Dallas, same thing, but adjust down to the $6.95 to $8.50 range?

2) How do budget theaters, which play one or two of the hottest movies with limited showtimes, and charge something like $2 for kids, $4 for adults, survive? No concessions, they still have ushers and people who pick up after you, they still have three ticket windows...

Not doubting you, asking legitimate questions out of curiosity.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
(And also, I agree with MPH. I'm not going to buy an inferior, overpriced, abhorrent product just because someone decided that it's a better business practice to gamble on my doing so than to sell what I came for.)
 

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Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
Some possible answers:

1) Various movie chains will have different deals with movie companies. And a .50 difference may be basic economics. Trying to stay competitive while trying to pull in a profit.

2) As for the budet theatres, we have one in our town which is actually owned by the big theatre. The movies they show are additional prints sent to the big theatre which decided not to use them. Or, they're movies that were replaced by newer releases and therefore were given to the smaller theatre. The big theatre is picking up the tab and just using the smaller theatre to make a bonus profit. Also, if they don't sell concessions and set their times right, the box office people probably double as ushers and the manager works the projectors. That cuts down on the staff big time.

Just some possible scenarios. I work box office and projection so what business I know is what I've picked up by experience in the last 3-4 years and what I've learned from discussions with my managers.

As for the quality of concessions, its gonna vary from place to place. We sell the basics, soda, popcorn, candy, hotdogs and we just added ice cream and nachos. While I'm at work, I eat the popcorn willingly (we make great popcorn) and even grab a hotdog if I'm working and don't have time to run-out on break. When I see movies, I get my tickets for free but I still buy concessions. Yeah, the prices aren't spectacular but its still worth it for me to have hot popcorn during my movie. If you have a problem with the quality of the product you're purchasing, please tell a manager. Good chance is that some punk worker has gotten lazy and put too much salt in the popcorn, etc. Keep the owners on their toes. Let them know your concerns. They're not gonna try and improve if no one tells them there's a problem.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
I have a cinema question. Why is it that I will stand in line for one guy to sell me the ticket, then stand in line for someone else to tear the ticket in half?

Not like I want someone to lose his job, but wouldn't cut down on personnel costs to sell the tickets already torn in half?
 

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Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
 
So, if theaters make most of their profit from high-priced concessions, and patrons don't like to pay that much, is there any other way theaters could be making money?

Here's a thought: what if they sold tie-in movie merchandise at the theater? Have a little gift shop in a corner. I'd think people would be more apt to buy tie-in merchandise while they're still on a high from seeing the movie. I know I would have loved to be able to buy Serenity stuff like the soundtrack and the visual companion right after the movie.
 

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Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
The ticket-tearer is verifying who is allowable into the theatre because they have a ticket and who isn't. The ticket is torn because some theatres keep records to make sure the number of ticket-stubs matches with the number sold. If we catch a patron in the theatre with an untorn ticket, we know they got in some way other than going through the main doors, which we would need to investigate. Ticket-tearers are also responsible for directing patrons to the correct auditorium. You'd think people could just match the big number on the ticket to the big number on the door, but no. This is especially a problem when we have the same movie showing on multiple screens.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
The only times I've bought concessions at a movie theatre are when I was a teenager and didn't want to appear cheap in front of a date.

When I got older, I decided that being cheap was nothing to be ashamed of.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
xnera, I think that's a good idea.
 

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Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
 
There was at one point (and may still be) a movie theater in Atlanta that actually served dinner-type food. It had smallish screens and small theaters, with wide stadium rows of tables at different heights, plus a couple rows of armchairs closer to the front where you could sit if you just wanted drinks (including alcohol!). It was, IIRC, an adults-only type of place, though I could be mistaken about that. It ROCKED.
 

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Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
 
We have a theater like that in suburban Chicago, Megan. Might even be the same owners, in fact, I do remember reading that he imported the idea from somewhere else.

Hollywood does enforce a 1-item minimum in addition to the ticket price, but we're talking *real* food, decent food, and even booze, so I don't mind it so much when I actually feel the need to go to a full price theater. And yes, ours is also adults-only with the exception of the 4:00 showtime. Needless to say, they typically don't run things like Robots and Racing Stripes after 6:00 LOL

The other thing I like about this place is the lobby ambiance. Lots and lots of movie posters, painted murals on a couple of the walls, a mock-up of the front of Grumman's that you walk through to get to the theaters, even wax dummies of Jake and Elwood. And the last time I was there, they did have some tie-in merchandise available for RHPS - they do midnight shows every weekend, year round - and maybe for some other shows, I don't recall.

A little bit pricy, tickets are 9.50 instead of 8.50 for Cineplex or 8.00 for Classic, and of course you're captive for food and drinks (a burger was 8 bucks, soda was 3 for a 20 ounce), but since I so rarely feel the need to see a movie without the presence of children, it's mostly a non-issue for me anyway.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 

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There was at one point (and may still be) a movie theater in Atlanta that actually served dinner-type food. It had smallish screens and small theaters, with wide stadium rows of tables at different heights, plus a couple rows of armchairs closer to the front where you could sit if you just wanted drinks (including alcohol!). It was, IIRC, an adults-only type of place, though I could be mistaken about that. It ROCKED.

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