With the big exception of the AMC theatre chain, which allows customers to bring in their own drinks so long as they are not in cans or bottles, most theatres force you to shop at the concession stand after you purchase a ticket there if you want food and drink with your movie. They then charge somewhere around three-times the average consumer rate for the purchase of any item.
This is just bloody insane! It is harder now than ever to get people into a theatre to begin with. The extremely high rates of movie tickets, and the use of cable and DVD, make such outings overly stressful for the majority of consumers. Then, if you manage to find yourself in a place where you can afford it, you find these extremely-high priced soda's.
Now for someone like myself, who doesn't drink soda, things are ever worse. Even if I wanted to buy something at the concession-stand, they don't sell anything that I drink! So, in order to see a movie, you have to be relatively wealthy, drink carbonated kool-aid, and enjoy the idea of sitting in a small theatre listening to your feet stick to the floor.
As I have mentioned, there are chains that are doing something to change this. AMC theatres allow drinks to be brought in from outside, and if you have an AMC movie-watcher card, you can earn rewards such as free movies and free popcorn. Then there are other theatres that offer a complete menu, sort of a dinner-and-a-movie type thing. This is great, because then you don't have to make time for dinner before or after the movie.
Choice is the keyword here. If I go to, say, Orange Julius or Starbucks and get something to drink, I want to bring that drink with me. If the theatre that I go to will not allow it, they don't want my business. I don't want to be forced to buy something I don't like just to line some greedy old man's pockets. If they really wanted my business at the concession stands, they would at least serve alternatives to soda.
Besides, I much prefer sitting at home and watching movies on DVD while doing chores. It's just easier all around.
Knight_of_BAAWA Philosophical Prodigy
Joined: Mar 09, 2003
Posts: 4517
Location: USA
Posted:
Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:10 pm
They make the money at the concession stands, actually. Movie theaters make diddly/squat on ticket sales.
Dissident1 Confident Learner
Joined: Apr 29, 2006
Posts: 99
Posted:
Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:07 am
And that is all fine and well, if they actually have things at the concession stand that people are willing to purchase. It would not be a costly expenditure to put tea and coffee on the menu. Yet they only wish to serve soda!
There is this one theatre that my sister goes to that has a vending machine with fruit juices and the like in the lobby. But that is very rare.
Knight_of_BAAWA Philosophical Prodigy
Joined: Mar 09, 2003
Posts: 4517
Location: USA
Posted:
Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:34 am
I suppose that if enough people said something, they'd consider offering coffee and tea. However, soda reigns supreme because of families. Gotta have stuff to keep the kids happy.
View next topic View previous topic
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
* You can syndicate our news and blog using the file