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I've never felt the need to eat while watching a movie.
I also haven't been to the movies since I became a mom. Maybe when the kids get old enough to go we can start going again.
I used to do this when my youngest was really small, around ages 3-5. It was only because I knew she wouldn't let me enjoy the movie unless she had something to snack on. I didn't do it for myself, though.
I always go out to eat before seeing a movie. By the time you buy popcorn and such for 3-4 people, you've bought a medium priced meal or at least a couple pizzas.
I've got a real frugal idea here. I don't go to movie theaters. Haven't been in years.
Much more economical to either rent a DVD or wait for it to come On Demand on cable which sometimes has no additional charge, or a very minimal charge.
This way, sneaking food into a movie theater is moot.
I agree, if you're being frugal you wouldn't go to the theater.
I agree, if you're being frugal you wouldn't go to the theater.
That is not true for my and many other situations...
There are options for people like I said in my earlier post.
I can go to the dollar movie theater in my town and bring in snacks.
To me its a better option than renting a movie at home because its the same price or cheaper than renting and we get to go out and watch a great movie in a theater.
Again, there are other options for some than paying FULL price.
The real question is why do you have to eat every time you go to the movies? And once at the movies it's always junk that people anyway.
I find it odd that people can't go a few hours eating. Why not eat a healthy meal before going instead of all that junk food?
busta
Due to movie schedule times/locations, my schedule and my friends schedule it is not always possible to find the perfect time to watch a movie in between meals. Avatar is 2hours 40 mins long.
I bring my own candy (don't like the theater's selection) and usually a can of Diet Coke. Sometimes I even make my own popcorn! But on a rare occasion I buy their nachos and a soda.
I'll be the first to agree that many of the prices charged are high, but after you break out payroll, power, supplies, additional cleaning expense, licenses, taxes, and so on, the final profit isn't as much as you might think, especially in the smaller theatres and the ones with limited attendance.
The movie industries stupid business model is not my problem. I will minimize my costs whenever I can and bringing in your own soda/snacks is just rather trivial.
But the issue here is not their power, supplies, cleaning expenses and all that. Its that they are sucked dry by the companies distributing/producing the movies.
If i do the jumbos it because we are movie hoping... oooopps did i admit to that?
Actually most theaters don't care about movie hoping, unless you are hoping into a sold out movie. Its a form of price discrimination, the idea being if you prevented movie hoppers from hoping they would not come at all. But you keep it "against the rules" because there are many that won't bother because they don't want to "get in trouble".
What they pay in royalties and such is based on ticket sales, so having you sitting in a half empty theater costs them nothing. They will more than likely make money as you will get hungry, yet they are paying zero royalties for you watching the movie since you were never official there.
Actually most theaters don't care about movie hoping, unless you are hoping into a sold out movie. Its a form of price discrimination, the idea being if you prevented movie hoppers from hoping they would not come at all. But you keep it "against the rules" because there are many that won't bother because they don't want to "get in trouble".
What they pay in royalties and such is based on ticket sales, so having you sitting in a half empty theater costs them nothing. They will more than likely make money as you will get hungry, yet they are paying zero royalties for you watching the movie since you were never official there.
First of all, it is movie hopping, not hoping. Secondly, you have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about. Depending on their contracts, the rental on a movie can be anywhere from 90% to flat rate. They also have checkers (both "blind" and assigned) that come in to verify how many butts are sitting in seats. Movie hopping is a prime way to tell if a theatre is going to fail. Those that allow it are poorly managed, understaffed, and totally ticking off customers that do pay. I say that with years and years of experience and observation.
In your other post, you are absolutely correct. You have no responsibility for the flawed business model of theatres. IMO, it is time to roll back the anti-trust legislation on movie theatres and allow the producers of films to have a linear monopoly on their product through the theatre level, now that video is established. Anti-trust mattered when movies were a major influence in public opinion and there was no tv, but movies are peripheral at best these days, and the mainstream films like the Twilight series have no influence on how people will vote or support the government.
Depending on their contracts, the rental on a movie can be anywhere from 90% to flat rate.
90% of what exactly? Wait...ticket sales? Whether the theater is paying a percentage of ticket sales, a flat rate or whatever else does not matter in what I'm describing. What is important is that the marginal cost to have an extra "unofficial" body in non-full theater is near zero.
Quote:
Originally Posted by harry chickpea
They also have checkers (both "blind" and assigned) that come in to verify how many butts are sitting in seats.
Who is they exactly? I've been to plenty of movies and have never seen someone count seats. Obviously, different theaters will have different policies. The sort of price discrimination I'm talking about is well known...that of course does not mean every theater practices it. The effectiveness of the strategy details of the individual theater.
Tell me, why does a theater care whether someone movie hops or not? If the theater is no where near sold out, how much does it cost them to have an extra body in the theater? Near zero. Now, how many of the people that movie hop would simply not to go the theater if they were not able to do so? If it is a decent percentage, then the theater is benefited by allowing movie hopping even in terms of pure ticket sales. But these people often purchase food, after all they are in the theater for many hours. Thus the effectiveness of this pricing strategy will depend on the this question and the percentage could be rather different depending on the area.
But apparently you believe that theaters are going to leave money on the table and actively restrict movie hopping out of principle. And its me that has no idea what I'm talking about...
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