Do you sneak food into the movies?

[Minnesota!]

I like sparkling water, so I bring in one or two. But, I love the popcorn, so I have no problem paying the $$$ for it.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I love movie theater popcorn so I will buy that but candy and soda I usually pick up at the dollar store before hand.

Our theater serves meal boxes so people don’t have to worry about the smell when sneaking in hot food. Theater already smells like it.

 

[Micca]

I prefer not to eat in theaters, so I don't take anything in.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Bottled water, but we buy popcorn.

 

[CruiseTraveler7]

We always end up buying popcorn, but we do bring water bottles from home as I drink water a lot

 

[jdb in AZ]

Our theaters offer a coupon for free popcorn when you buy a gift card from them. So we purchase and use a gift card every time we want the popcorn. Unfortunately, their popcorn butter is rather yucky. (oh well.) They also have a deal where you buy a souvenir drink cup (I think it's 24 oz) and refill it for $1.50 each time you bring it back and use it through the end of the year.

Their offers keep us from using a different movie chain with better popcorn.

 

[AP1209]

Haven't brought my own snacks in a long time because my primary movie theater is a dine in theater so we usually get dinner and drinks there. They have servers walking around all the time so no sneaking around. When we go to a traditional theater we usually get popcorn and a coke icee.

 

[BrianL]

Not often. I might bring candy, but usually I bring a coupl eof peppermints, jsut in case my mouth gets dry. I don't like to drink a huge soda during a movie lest I have to go to the restroom, so usually I just have nothing. Sometimes I do want popcorn, but I'll jsut buy that at the theater.

 

[leebee]

I don't get snacks at the movies. We were never allowed to buy stuff as kids so it's not anything I think about or expect. I also think of it this way: I normally wouldn't snack while watching TV at home, so why at the movies? My husband, on the other hand, is a totally different story! No trip to the movies is complete for him without a large soda, popcorn (preferably without butter, how am I married to this man?), and usually Mike&Ikes and Good-n-Plenty. He pretty much snacks non-stop while we are there. I joke that he makes up for what I don't eat! And yes... we get the candy from Dollar Tree, which is conveniently located right next to the theater!

 

[cayennews]

I never go to the movies anymore, but in the past have brought my own snacks unless I planned on getting popcorn. We do have one very small theater in town that will actually have you open your bags on the way into the theater to look through them. If you try to bring snacks in they ask you to put them in a bowl and you can have them back after the movie. Its tough, because there is a dollar store right next door, so people tend to go there first.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Nah. Theatres make their money on snacks.

 

[Chronic Daydreamer]

Water and maybe a cookie if the theatre doesn't sell them, i'll usually buy popcorn, movie theatre popcorn is the best popcorn!

 

[mrodgers]

I am aware but am more of the" I care more about my bottom line then the movie theater's." Plus I can a better selection of candy and my drink at a dollar store.

I'm more aware of the fact that I'm an adult now vs. when I was 14 at the last time I snuck food into a theater.

If you like to go to the theater to see movies, perhaps one should be a little more aware o f the bottom line of movie theaters. If all they did was sell tickets, they wouldn't be there any more.

 

[smiths02]

I am generally a rule follower, but I will hit up Walmart or DollarTree for candy. It is the exact same thing. I also carry a water bottle and don't feel bad because they would give me water, just in a really awkward cup.
We usually spring for popcorn and icees for the kids. With a family of 5, we don't go often, though.

 

[smiths02]

It appears nobody is aware (or cares?) that theaters receive very little of the ticket price, so get the bulk of their revenue from concession sales?

As I just stated, I usually do buy popcorn and icees. If I didn't "sneak" my candy and water bottle, I would not be buying it at the theater, I might actually cost the theater more money by requesting a free cup of water.

I don't know why the suggestion is that if I'm not willing to buy concessions, then I shouldn't go to the theater at all? Would that be better for their business?

 

[fla4fun]

Well, I haven’t seen a movie in a theater since 1998 because I got tired of rude people in the theater and the sound so loud my ears were in physical pain trying to cover it up. But back when I did go, I didn’t eat or drink in the theater. I usually stopped for a meal before or after.

I prefer to wait and see movies in the comfort of my home these days.

 

[RangerPooh]

Occasionally I do. I usually bring in a bottle of water for myself as I don;t drink soda. We often buy a tub of popcorn, but big bags of licorice fit into my purse quite well. And sometimes a capri sun or two might join it.

 

[belle032]

Movie popcorn is 1 of my top 5 favorite foods ever so I have no problem paying for it. It pretty much counts as a meal for me if I’m going to a movie. And I wouldn’t even be against walking into the theater, only buying popcorn and walking right back out again.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

We do a little of both. We have a refillable popcorn bucket - $4.45 per visit, they'll refill it an unlimited number of times for that visit. Sometimes we buy drinks, sometimes I'll throw water bottles in my purse from home. If we want candy, that is bought at the store before we get there.

Usually, we eat before we go or we know we're eating right after the movie so we don't eat anything there.

 

[mrodgers]

We do a little of both. We have a refillable popcorn bucket - $4.45 per visit, they'll refill it an unlimited number of times for that visit. Sometimes we buy drinks, sometimes I'll throw water bottles in my purse from home. If we want candy, that is bought at the store before we get there.

Usually, we eat before we go or we know we're eating right after the movie so we don't eat anything there.

Wow, $4.45 doesn't get me a small popcorn. Refillable bucket I think is $10.

As for those getting a free cup of water, can't do that either. They sell bottles of water for $5.