My Theater Responds

Here's a wrap up to our sneaking-food-in-a-theater discussion. For background, I asked if readers thought it was ethical to sneak food into a theater and there was a lot of discussion (80 comments as of this writing.) I then emailed my local theater to see what their policy was as some commented that theaters don't care if you bring in food. It took my theater some time to respond (longer than they told me it would), and here's what they said:

Thank you for your inquiry regarding outside food and beverage.  It is certainly a relevant topic and I appreciate the opportunity to respond. 

I really do empathize with people’s financial situations, and also know that many continue to hold going to a movie as an affordable, enjoyable, and valued experience.  We hope that our guests find value in the movie going experience at our theatres – the big screen, state of the art digital picture and sound, comfortable surroundings, friendly and helpful service, and the best tasting popcorn known to humankind.

In answer to your question, we do not allow outside food and beverage.  Without the concession stand; box office tickets would be much higher, technology upgrades and renovations much lower.  Honestly, without concessions, movie theatres and movie-lovers would both be in big trouble. 

Thank you again for contacting our theatre.  Please accept my humble apology for not meeting our own deadline of response.  For that, I would like to send you 2 free movies passes, if you would provide me your address.  I hope my response to your inquiry has helped and that you’ll find value in your next visit.

So there you have it. Bad news for me, but he was kind enough to offer the two free tickets.

As I told him, I won't take outside food into the theater again, but instead, as many people suggested, I'll simply wait for the movie to come out on DVD for most movies. In the end, the theater will get what it wants from me (no outside food) but will also get fewer visits. Sounds like a lose-lose proposition to me.

Then again, maybe this is just a sign that I don't need to eat so much candy anyway! ;-)

Comments

[Edmund]

I never quite get the logic behind something like this. Does it mean that I am obligated to buy food at the concession stand?

I have actually never sneaked food into the movie theater. I have also almost never bought food at the concession stand.

To say that the concession stand "subsidize" the movie ticket price seems to say that not only should I not sneak food into the movie theater, but I should buy something at the concession stand as well! Is it unethical of me to just watch a movie without buying anything?

This almost sounds like the "advertisement" argument. "Without the commercials, we are not allowed to bring you this service." Does this mean it's unethical to install an ad blocker? Is it unethical for me to surf the web without clicking on ads? Are the ads clicker subsidizing my internet experience?

If I actually have to buy food at the concession stand in order to feel good about myself, well then, the movie tickets really aren't as cheap as I think they are. (By the way, movie tickets aren't really that cheap anymore)

[Ryan]

I have always and will continue to sneak my own snacks into theaters. Why do I care if they 'want' me to buy their food and drink? The bottom line is that buying the theaters snacks and drinks is not a requirement to see the movie, so really its irrelevant to them whether I am going hungry or bringing in my own snack. Its an a la carte affair, the movie and the concessions.

As an aside, why do you think people sneak their own food into the theater? Because the prices for concessions are so incredibly inflated compared to the same product at a different store. If theaters really wanted everyone to purchase their concessions, maybe they should move to a lower-price, higher volume strategy on the concessions.

But then again, there are so many people out there who live way beyond their means and would not think twice about blowing $25 for a few drinks, some popcorn and candy.

[Tracee F.]

There are other reasons people sneak food into movie theatres. Like HEALTH. It's gotten a *bit* better over the years, at least now I can pay $5 or $6 for a $1 bottle of water... but there's nothing else on the menu that can be eaten by anyone with a restricted diet. I've been known to sneak in air-popped popcorn with butter-flavored flakes because by George I wanted to eat popcorn while I watched a movie, but cannot eat that death-in-a-bag they serve at the theatres. And yes, I've given them feedback that healthy food would be appreciated, but it's apparently too small of a population to serve. I don't feel bad when I bring food in that they will not serve, and I am unable to eat what they do serve.

[random john]

I'm a little surprised by what I think is a sense of entitlement here. The theater operators are in the business to make a profit, just like anyone else. They basically price the cost of the ticket as a loss leader so you're a captive audience for their real profit centers. It has nothing to do with them "wanting" you to buy anything, and to claim that it's your right to bring the food with you is absurd. "[B]uying the theaters snacks and drinks is not a requirement to see the movie, so really its irrelevant to them whether I am going hungry or bringing in my own snack." That misses the point.

The DEAL is that you get to see the movie and the theater gets BOTH your cash and the opportunity to sell you the snacks (at the exorbitant markups). You don't get to unilaterally decide which part of their benefit they don't get when you buy the ticket - not bringing food in is a condition to the deal (as we now know). You do, however, get to make the choice that FMF is making, which is to not go at all. The movie theater (leaving aside some of the "public forum" arguments in free-speech cases) is a private establishment. I don't let people in my house with mud on their feet; they don't have to let people in who sneak in food.

I agree that the food they serve is crap, but despite what many of us would choose as individuals, it's their right to pander to the least common denominator (most profitable customer profile).

The fact of the matter is, your ticket buys you admission on their terms - one of which is to not bring in food. Don't go at all if you don't like those terms and maybe that will get them to change their model. But don't act like you're entitled to choose only those parts of the deal that are convenient for you.

[Rod Ferguson]

John - I tried that arguement in the original thread; most people claim to just ignore the social contract because it's inconvenient.

Yes, it is a lose lose proposition. But theater owners have the right to make bad business decisions. Let the market rule.

[MonkeyMonk]

My local theater has a 1-item minimum purchase requirement for buying a ticket. They also have a full bar and dinner service in the theater so I'm guessing they operate as much as a restaurant as they do a movie theater. Still, I don't get the sense of entitlement people have about brining food into a theater either. Do the same people get outraged that they can't bring their own food or drink to a restaurant? Those cocktails restaurants serve are *way* marked up!

And to respond to what FMF said, it's not really a lose-lose situation if you weren't buying concessions in the first place. Although the theater does make a little money on your ticket purchase, they would probably much rather have your ticket go to someone who is going to buy concessions instead.

[FMF]

Monkey --

"My local theater has a 1-item minimum purchase requirement for buying a ticket."

Really? That's certainly unusual.

"They would probably much rather have your ticket go to someone who is going to buy concessions instead."

I'm sure they would, but I don't think it works that way. My decision not to go is a lost ticket sale to them and there's no guarantee that there's someone willing to buy a concession waiting to replace me.

[kitty]

Movie theaters aren't restaurants. Now, I don't normally either bring food into the theater or buy food at a theater, I eat at home before or after. But it is silly. Also, what if somebody is a diabetic, for example? He or she may need to eat while in a theater, but not the type of food they serve.

I understand when the theaters (regular, not movies) don't allow food inside the auditorium to keep it clean. But nobody would prevent me, for example, of taking a sandwich to a Broadway play or a Metropolitan Opera performance and eating it in a hallway or even near their food stand during the intermission - as long as it is outside of the auditorium. Dinner theater is another matter, but if you go to a dinner theater you know that you are going to eat and watch, not to just watch.

What if somebody has some diet requirements, health or religious? It's not like movie theaters stack a whole range of foods for all religious/allergies/other health restrictions. I am yet to see anything I'd care to eat at a movie theater concession stand even if they give it to me for free, and I don't have either religious or health restrictions. In fact, I have to be literally dying of hunger to find anything at a concession stand appealing.

They already make additional money by making us seat through 15 minutes worth of commercials before the movie. And I don't find movie tickets cheap either.

Actually, I haven't really seen anybody being prevented of taking his or her own food into any of the theaters I've been too.

"Do the same people get outraged that they can't bring their own food or drink to a restaurant? "
A movie theater isn't a restaurant (or a dinner theater). People normally go to a movie theater to watch movies, not to eat.

BTW - I did have to bring my own food into a restaurant once, but it was a special situation. We had a group dinner at work for some guy leaving. The lunch was paid for by the company. The guy chose an Indian restaurant. I cannot stand Indian food, so much so, that the only thing I could probably eat there is a cucumber and a glass of mango juice, but this was what the person really wanted. I wasn't in the mood of going hungry, so I took my own lunch. My manager at the time had food allergies, so he brought his own food as well. The restaurant didn't seem to mind - I guess it was a special situation because they got to sell food to a large group of people not paying out of their own pocket.

[Eden]

We had a theater that allowed outside food for a while. In fact, it was right by the food court in the mall so you could order a whole meal and bring it all in. I'm sure this resulted in a lot of messes for the theater to clean up and obviously must have hurt concession sales and this policy didn't last long.

They really need to come up with a better business model if they rely so heavily on concession sales. I go to maybe 2 movies per year. Since I go so rarely I splurge and buy the overpriced food, but that isn't something I would do regularly.

[guinness416]

"My local theater has a 1-item minimum purchase requirement for buying a ticket."

Wow, that's quite shocking! I guess it must be quite a busy cinema. Do they also sell apples? I'm not going to eat or drink that garbage just so I can watch a film.

[MonkeyMonk]

Kitty -- although movie theaters aren't technically restaurants they are most certainly food-serving establishments. By entering their establishment you are agreeing to follow their in-house rules and policies. A lot of your justifications sound dangerously close to the justifications people use to shoplift or pirate music. Just because you don't like the food or think it's too expensive doesn't give you the right to break their rules, it gives you the right (as FMF said) to just not go.

I'm not against taking your own food into theaters . . . only against people breaking a theater's rules in doing so. If you ask, and they agree, by all means take it in.

Guinness -- it is a strange policy but, as I said in my original post, it is a full-restaurant in addition to be a movie theater. Restaurants nearly always require customers to purchase at least one item so I don't have a problem with them requiring it as well.

[Mo Money]

I find it hard to believe that the concessions stand is the difference between profit and loss. If that is the case, maybe they need to make some changes in their operations.

[random john]

@Mo - then you obviously know very little about how the industry actually works. There are still a few major public theater chains left (most have gone out of business or been taken private by private-equity companies). Go read their financial statements. How does that change the thought process anyway? That's their business model and that's their deal. Live up to your part of the bargain (don't bring in outside food, don't talk during the show, pay for the ticket, etc.) or don't use their facilities. I'm all for bad businesses going out of business, and I think we should vote with our feet as FMF will, but I don't condone not abiding by the terms offered.

[pink panther]

Just curious (I don't go to theatres) -- What is the penalty if you sneak snacks into the theatre?

Are you banned for life? If so, how do they know who you are if you pay cash for a ticket later?

Do they have some kind of rent-a-cop escort you out of the building?

Is this a city ordinance, or something the theatre makes up on its own?

I haven't been to a theatre since the Return of the Jedi/Star Trek IV era, so I have no idea... :)

But this could be part of the war on terror - the rent-a-cop has to search everyone for possible terrorist weapons and confiscate all candy bars, food, etc. Maybe amusement parks could do it, too. Air shows? Fireworks displays? Where will it end? :)

[MoneyBeagle]

Mo Money, I find it very EASY to believe that the concession stand is the difference between profit and loss. I don't know the exact numbers, but I know that a pretty small portion of the ticket sale actually stays with the theatre. A bit chunk of it has to get sent up to the studio. That doesn't leave a lot for paying the employees, utilities, keeping the place clean, etc. There's obviously a huge mark-up on the snacks so it would stand to reason that there is money to be made there. I'm not sure how they could shift operations to where ticket sales are profitable enough to sustain operations, without raising prices to $15 or $20 per ticket, in which case they'd just lose customers.

Here's what I do: we generally do take something snacky in, usually some gummy bears or something. But, we will buy a soda from the concession stand. I guess I feel like I'm allowing the theatre to make money on my experience, but also being somewhat responsible with money at the same time. Plus, they don't sell the gummy bears that we enjoy eating for 'sweet snacks'!

[Vera]

Frankly, why does everyone feel entitled to eat in a movie theatre anyway? Personally, I can't stand the sound of crunching and slurping from the stranger next to me when I'm trying to pay attention to the plot of a film. It's a disgusting habit and one I wouldn't mind disappearing altogether. If you don't eat in a symphony or live theatre, why eat in movie theatre? Bring back drive-ins!

FMF, and anyone else who will wait to see a DVD at home: Of course, that's your prerogative. However, I watched Dark Knight on an IMAX theatre last night, and there is no way to replicate that sort of experience in a home theatre. It was incredible and awe-inspiring. I have taught my children to sit quietly in a theatre, speak only in whispers, and not eat anything. The food is terribly unhealthy anyway, and I want my children to understand that food is to be enjoyed and savored, not shoved in your mouth in the dark out of habit and not hunger.

[David]

Why they don't simply charge more for the tickets is beyond me. They get away with almost $20 for IMax tickets, you'd think that they could charge $12 for the normal ones if it's not profitable. It really is bad business. The independent theaters in my town (we're lucky to have two) manage to stay afloat without charging $10 for popcorn somehow. I'm guessing it's because they actually have a viable business model for showing movies that isn't just "volume, volume, volume!" Perhaps they could move away from the "massive megaplex" model and really make it a more enjoyable experience than sitting at home with a DVD.

[Jim]

I'm baffled why people think its OK or their right to break the rules of movie theaters. If you don't like their food prices or quality then just don't eat there. Simple as that.

FMF, seems to me the theater will not lose anything if you stay at home rather than going to their theater and sneaking in food. Since they make their money off the food they aren't really making any money off you and won't lose anything from you. If the theater gains no profit off the movie ticket and you don't buy their concessions then they won't lose anything if you don't visit their theater. In fact they'll save a small amount of labor if you stay at home. Course I don't think the theater would really think of it that way and they probably want to keep your business in any case. I do think the reply from the theater you got was very well written and cordial and you can't complain about 2 free tickets.

Jim

[FMF]

Jim --

They will lose some contribution to overhead if I do not come. There's very little additional cost for one more viewer, but at $7 a pop there's some revenue. Multiply this ove a lot of people that feel the same as I do, and it can have an impact.

[Jim]

FMF,

They probably do make something off your ticket but its not going to be too much. There is additional cost for each viewer. The theaters have to pay the movie studio based on the number of viewers. The theater pay a large % of their per ticket revenue back to the studio.

fivecent had an old article on the topic with a reference to a CNN article saying theaters pay 70-80% of their ticket revenue back to the studios:
http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2007/06/11/how-movie-theaters-make-money/

The details will vary of course I'm sure. The % rate may depend on the film, the studio, the theater, etc. So who knows exactly how much your theater keeps out of your $7, but its probably not more than $1-2. But it could also be nothing. Course if they make anything off the ticket then thats still profit money in their pocket they won't get if you stay at home.

Jim

[Jim]

I should also point out that the cut of the ticket sales that the studio gets decreases over time. SO it is a higher % in the first week or two and then goes down over time.

Jim

[kitty]

@MonkeyMonk: "A lot of your justifications sound dangerously close to the justifications people use to shoplift or pirate music."
An entirely different situation - both shoplifting and pirating is taking something that belongs to others without paying for it. Since movie theaters' official business is showing movies, and they already sell tickets for the movies, they aren't restaurants. People who don't like particular food or cannot eat it for some reasons, can choose other restaurants. But the only was to see a new movie on a big screen is to go to a movie theater.

Taking food into a movie theater - and by the way I did mention that I don't do it, I prefer a hot meal at home - is not taking the stealing their food. But people may have legitimate health or religious reasons for needing to eat something other than what they serve, so unless movie theaters start stocking food for all religions - kosher, vegetarian, etc. or for people with food allergies - then their requirement of not bringing their food may in itself be illegal and discriminatory. Sure most adults can eat at home, as I do, and then go to the movies. But I believe some health condition may require that people eat more often. Some movies are long and unlike drama or music theater they don't have intermissions.

"I'm baffled why people think its OK or their right to break the rules of movie theaters. If you don't like their food prices or quality then just don't eat there."
What if you or your child is a diabetic on insulin and is at risk of hypoglycemia? If I am mistaken they need to carry special snacks with them just in case.

[Ken]

I would be surprised if a theater would take issue with a diabetic who brought in their own snack. Even if they lack genuine concern for their customers health, I doubt they would want to risk the bad publicity or a lawsuit from having forced a diabetic to stand in a long line while having a low blood sugar.

Most businesses do not allow dogs but exceptions are made for seeing eye dogs.