Terminal Frost

THANK YOU! I'd pay a $5 premium in order to sit in a theater without all those disgusting chewing, crunching, and slurping sounds. Going to the theater is just plain disgusting. I think all food should be banned from the movies. What the hell is wrong with people that they can't sit there for two hours and not have something to eat? The independant movie theaters in NYC seem to be the only places where this isn't such a huge problem. The Angelika has a nice little cafe in the lobby with good food for not-so-insane prices. That way people sit, eat and talk BEFORE the movie. I think every place should be set up like this.

StellaLuna

Yup! Stuffed the cooler full of ice, sandwiches, and bottles of water for a quick cheap lunch.

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troit

I see nothing wrong with the idea - it is because of the prices that I rarely (once in the last year) go to the movies. Why do it when I can d/l the movies currently playing and watch them from home?

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snowy

I pay almost as much at the Avalon or Darkside when I see a movie there...though I usually get the mega popcorn that comes with a refill ($5), a hot dog ($2.75, I think, best hot dog in town), and a pint of Oregon Trail Wit (at the Avalon, $4).

I didn't live in Corvallis in the days of the State Theater, though my SO did, and he remembers it fondly. I do, however, remember Act III Cinemas in the Portland area, and while their prices were high compared to those small one-screen theaters, they're nothing compared to what their prices became once Regal bought out Act III. A matinee in Hillsboro went from $3.25 to $4.50.

I guess as prices have gone up across the board I have just become accustomed to paying the gradual increases, even when it comes to my popcorn combo.

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Toaster126

Movie theaters (generally)charge so much for the concessions because that is where they make a profit. The ticket price income is (generally) used for operating expenses. By sneaking in concessions, you are doing your part to drive theaters out of buisness. If no one bought concessions, movie theaters would have to find a different buisness model (maybe find screens that didn't cost 100,000+ dollars or haggle better deals for movies?) or close.

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guthmund

Thank you! Thank you!

I was sitting in the theater just yesterday behind this woman who just kept pulling shit out of her bag. Reese's Pieces, M&M's, bags o' chips and some sort of hard candy that must have been wrapped by some cellophane sadist because it took this woman an enternity to unwrap each one.

[guthmund's movie] Yarrrr! There be... CRINKLE, CRINKLE, CRINKLE...CRINK.....LECRINK...LE Davey Jones beCRINKLECRINKLECRINKLE "oh, i don't like orange..." CRINKLE CRINKLECRINKLE CRINK....LE.... /guthmund gets up and kicks her seat as he moves to the other side of the theater so he can hear the damn movie.

I've sat through some long ass movies and I understand it's nice to have a snack--I've been known to grab some popcorn myself a time or two--but if you're carrying a small drugstore counter display around with you in your bag, then maybe there's a bigger issue here that needs addressing.

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Plan9

I used to hide a Camelbak with gatorade under my leather jacket for the movies. Let the straps out as far as it goes and have the bladder hang low.

I stuff bar-shaped food items into my motorcycle boots for my date during the summer.

Mmmm... anybody tried a SoyJoy yet? Those things are freakin' good.

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ItWasMe

I usually go to the movies specifically for popcorn cravings. They haven't come up with one for the microwave that is nearly as good. I do take m&m's or reses pieces in sometimes, to put in my popcorn.

This is making me hungry for popcorn.

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telekinetic

When not all of my friends were 21, we'd go to an arcade with a bar in it, and those who were 21 would drink, while those who weren't would get cokes. Those cokes were then heavily spiked by the 3 or 4 flasks each of us had in our pockets. We usually spent enough at the bar to not raise suspicion about our drunken behavior.

Also, similar story, the opening night showing of X-Men 3 was made awesome by me and three or four of my friends and my girlfriend splitting a fifth of Jack Daniels between three 1-liter bottles of coke, drinking one of them in line, and smuggling the other two of them into the theater.

All 3 bottles were empty by the end of the movie...goood times.

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Xazy

I do that too, but kosher sandwiches... No option normally at the park. But I feel no guilt at the movies, movie prices are higher, they run commercials, and over-charge for the snacks.

Lady Sage

Fresh popcorn is a must but candy? Why pay $4.00 for a box of candy when I can go to walmart and get the same thing for 97 cents?

Yes I take my own candy and I even empty the boxes into plastic baggies so my purse doesnt rattle.

I have smuggled food into a restaurant yes. Back when I was a weight loss nazi I would take in my own full size bottle of fat free salad dressing, put it on the table and use it. No one ever told me I couldnt and the one time I was asked why, I said because you dont offer it and I cant eat the full calorie stuff. They were satisfied with that.

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Shauk

well if you have financial morals chances are you're not very wise with your money anyways.

The problem is, the whole basis of this thread is that you respect the movie theaters as an "authority" which quite frankly doesn't fly well with me.

I don't get why movie theaters act like some sort of authority acting like they are extending a privilege by having you pay the highest price possible to "gamble" on something you may or may not enjoy (it really is a crap shoot)
on top of that, you can "raise the stakes" by putting more money on 5$ portions of candy that you know sell for 99 cents elsewhere.

If you're self aware, you would know that you are being taken for a sucker, being purposely drained of every cent possible and instead of treating you like a customer, they treat you like a prisoner by imposing limitations on your freedoms as a consumer.

in short, yes, i've stopped at a gas station and spent 4$ on the same amount of food and candy for me and a date that would have otherwise cost 15$ at the theater, and on the money I saved, I could afford dinner or something later.

now if they charged a REASONABLE profit margin for thier product, then, yeah, fine, i'd have no issues with it, but the fact that thier pricing is predatory and ridiculous and on top of that they really don't offer anything healthy to eat during the movie as a snack for people who actually don't like putting crap in to thier bodies (why not let people bring in health bars or something huh? oh thats right, you just want more money)

I think they should not worry about it and let people bring what they want, since the only way they can justify thier price is for the convenience factor of being able to grab it during a lull in the movie or something.

anyways, yes, i've snuck in lots, no one has any reason to try and search me, and once you whip it out and start eating, no one is none the wiser as to where you got it.

medlar

Whether it's right or wrong, I have done it. I can go and buy bulk at some store and sneak it in. Theatres already make their money from tickets sales and when they are charging as much for a drink and popcorn it takes the fun out of going to movie. I work as at a carlot and can easily blow a good part of my paycheck just for going out to catch a film. Besides that, the pop is usually watered down and the popcorn has a pretty evil affect on my insides afterwards.

hambone

I just simply don't have a the forethought to bring something with me, so if I get anything at all, I will be buying it there.

Used to take soda in all the time, but now I just don't remember to do it.

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BigTruck1956

i got to restaurants to eat, and bars to drink. I go to theaters the see movies, and the food is secondary so i bring it in. It's like saying that someone shouldn't bring in a gameboy to a pizza parlor because you would be taking away from their arcade revenue.

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KungFuGuy

I sneak candy into the theatre as well as beverages.

The comparison to restaurants isn't very good, because when you go to a restaurant, you are paying more for better food that you usually don't know how to make at home.

At a theatre, you're paying to see the movie. The food you get at a theatre is exactly the same as food you can get elsewhere.

The comparisons to bars isn't even very apt. At a bar, you're paying extra for the atmosphere and the service of having the booze served to you. If you're a fan of mixed drinks, you might prefer having a pro mix it for you if you can afford it. At a movie theatre, you're paying extra simply because of their mark up. There's no atmosphere centered around the super expensive candy, and there's no skill involved in putting that candy together.

That's why I believe the high concession prices at theatres to be unjustified.

Another thought: I haven't bought any concessions at a theatre for the last 3 years. If they lowered their prices on concessions, then my impulse buying would take over and I'd probably spend and extra 4 or 5 dollars every time I went.

And in closing: I hate it when people bring in picnic baskets and plastic shopping bags to the theatre. It's worse than a cell phone going off. Because you know you're going to be hearing that plastic bag throughout the entire movie. If you gotta open your snacks, at least do it before the movie starts.