13 Things a Movie Theater Employee Won’t Tell You

Costumers?  Nice job, Editors!

I LOVE the previews!!!

I rarely go to the movies anymore, TOO TOO EXPENSIVE…. My kids are teens now, but when they were younger, I used to take them with another mother who used to bring a big bag-filled with drinks and snacks- only one theater around us would question whether we have crap in her bag, so she starter buying a drink. After a while, after I was totally BROKE (on SSI for disability), I started doing the same thing.. I would buy one drink and a large OVER PRICED POPCORN…. I really hated when all the theaters got the candy by the pound and those stupid Crane machines… my kids learned how to win on most of the crane machines -except the light ones with the ipods… other mothers would give us dirty looks like we had an ‘in’. NO, and my kids normally gave extras away, still did not help… so glad they are older

13 things that are realy annoying:  Having you gray out what I’m looking at on each of the “”13 things that …” in order to tell me I have an outdated browser.  After the first one, two things should be obvious.  First, I got the message.  Second, it doesn’t matter or I wouldn’t be continuing down the list.  You’ve just convinced me to give up on “13 things” because, frankly, they’re nice, but not nice enough to be worth the anoyance.

I work at (relatively small) theater. I agree with most of this stuff (like expensive concessions so that we can actually pay to have the movie you want to see), but I completely laughed at 1. I’ve made popcorn hundreds of times now, and we don’t have any special ingredients to make the popcorn smell good (maybe some places do?). We have the popcorn seed, coconut oil, and popcorn salt. And it smells delicious because it’s popcorn…

And I’m proud to say that our combination deals ARE a deal and that if you’re spending more money for less, we will let you know. :) Oh, and we make fresh popcorn everyday. :)

Who wrote this? If it is supposed to be things they won’t tell you, then #10 doesn’t make any sense.

“They” who do not tell someone something do not exist!!!!!

My brother said the popcorn butter contains coconut oil, which is suprisingly also in those FUZE drinks.

My brother said the popcorn butter contains coconut oil, which is suprisingly also in those FUZE drinks.

haha! this is so true! 

i too work as a manager in a movie theater. we do not have chemicals either in the popcorn to make it smell better, nor is it in the coconut butter or oil.We have flavoring butter..SURPRISE its not even real butter, just a flavor of butter. I love the inventory statement. I count inventory every night and i cant tell you how many times a day i get asked for another cup or bag. Do they think theyre really paying 4.97 for soda? no its for the cup. We make fresh popcorn everyday. we never save popcorn, nachos, hotdogs,etc for the next day. its always fresh. Yes, concession is overpriced, that IS because of movie tickets. they are not profitable for the first few weeks, and midnight premieres. We get complaints that the ushers havent finished cleaning the theater yet so customers can go in, but if we let them in a dirty theater, wed still get complaints. Everyday i get jaws dropped when they ask how much a bottle of water is (4.19) we pay 3.99 for a case of 24, and they pay 4.19 for one bottle and then they get mad at me . i do not make the price i just sell them. I get yelled at for ratings of movies and how terrible some are. I actually had one customer tell me to stop putting bad movies in my theater and that i should be ashamed of myself for showing that to the public and i have had others tell me that i need to pick better actors!! I also hear “why isnt this in 3d the theater closer to home has it in 3d.” actually it doesnt, if a movie isnt filmed in 3D no theater has it, if it is in 3D every theater that has digital 3d,  have the featured film in 3d, and 2d. I also have customers tell me that we need to put better movies in IMAX. Imax makes movies in “imax” form. They film it with special cameras to it the screen. We dont choose the movie, then our corporate negotiates with imax which imax movies we get.I have people order a large popcorn, eat the whole bag and at the end of the movie come out and tell me it was too salty and they wanted their money back. If you come out a half hr into the movie and only eaten no more than half a bag i will probably give you money back or a new batch, if you wait, i will not because then you probably just wanted a free outing, as well as movie tickets. dont wait until after the movie to tell me you were offended, or just didnt like it and want your money back. I dont go to a restaurant   or amusement park and tell them i didnt like the 3 course meal and desert or i didnt have fun on their rides even though i spent the whole day there and ask for my money back. its entertainment, i am not going to let you just test the movie. i do theater checks, i make sure you are not talking, texting and talking on your cell phones and hopping theaters. sometimes if its busy you may get away with it, but 99 times out of 100 i will throw you out. we find money under seats and in the arm rests, and we do keep it, including the ushers. Dont come to the concession and order meals for a family of 8, chicken strips french fries hot dogs nachos pizzas , they take time to cook, go out to lunch before hand, wed be losing money but you wont have to miss the first 20 minutes of your movie and complain and ask for a manager and miss another 15 minutes. stop asking me if i watch all of the movies. I watch some of them, but honestly when i do watch them its at 3am after hours when theres noone else there so i can actually enjoy it. I dont spend time there if i dont have to, and i will be honest and tell you if i have seen the movie or not. 

I also am a small theater manager and we NEVER reuse popcorn.  The chemical comment is just insane.  We pop Orville Redenbacher corn and do not add anything to make it smell into the theaters.
Our combo deals also save money, and all our prices are listed on our menu, anyone who can count can add it all up and see!  This list sounds like an ex-theater employee who is quite disgruntled!

Have you considered clicking the link to see the slideshow on one page?

That might help the with annoyance level. If nothing else, you would only get the message about your “outdated browser” once, twice at most. :)

I don’t know about number 13.. I worked in a movie theatre for quite some time and we dumped any leftover popcorn at the end of the night and started fresh when the first customer walked in. But every theatre is different, I suppose.

Wow over half of these are not true! I work at a movie theater and these are so not true or researched enough! 

These are not true and hoenstly you need to research what you are writing poking fun at! 

Must have gone to University 16 Regal….they shut it down!!

Where is that link?

Why don’t you just update your browser? I’m sure this isn’t the only site you’re getting that message on. It’s not hard to update your browser and then you can see what everyone else is talking about. 

I worked at a movie theater in high school a few years ago, I’ve never heard of popcorn being kept overnight    we were barely willing to give huge trash bags of the stuff to stray cats let alone actually try to sell it to someone,  I don’t believe 13. But 1-12 is true

I bought a pizza there once.. Never did THAT again.

I bought a pizza there once.. Never did THAT again.

Not all of these are true, my boyfriend and I have both worked at theaters, where we worked the only thing you had to look out for was the ice, the icebox got pretty nasty after a while so now I always order my drinks with no ice.

Absolutley ridiculous article. Must have interviewed those few employees that are definitely disgruntled for being paid minimum wage for very minimal work. Or probably don’t work there anymore because they’ve been fired for lousy performance. This may be the philosophy of small inexpensive theaters, $1 movie houses, etc but I have never seen this type of stuff at major  movie theaters in the 40 + years of going to the movies. (And have family members who actually work their tails off at customer relations, let alone give someone a reason to close a theater for unsafe concession practices) Way to go , llana. 

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

about #5, NEVER buy movie-hotdogs!! they are NASTY.

I also hear the soft drink syrup is very cheap. The profit ios in the concessions.

I also hear the soft drink syrup is very cheap. The profit ios in the concessions.

Im a manager at a larger theatre chain and all above is true.

I ran a 10 plex theater for almost 3 yrs and the “chemical’s in the popcorn” comment is complete bs and we made everything fresh every day. You never got stale pc at our theater. The company I worked for didn’t use any chemicals and they’re the 4th largest theater company in the US.

Some of this stuff is true (we did inventory everything cups/bags/nacho trays, trailer times for our company were a minimum of 15mins, I didn’t trust the nachos just b/c they were gross, theaters don’t make anything off of ticket sales for the first few weeks and then they only make a % that increases each week capping @ 90-100% on about wk 12-14).

One thing I will comment on is how many of the theater companies treat their employees. It’s pretty sad really. Don’t blast the little guys at movie theaters, they literally have “0″ control over anything. It’s always the managers that you need to talk too. Some of the managers actually tell their employees that they are replaceable at any moment. The managers are instructed by upper management and corporate figures to use these types of tactics on their employees and that always really bothered me.

i worked at a huge theatre and we did reuse the popcorn. everynight we would scoop it into garbage bags and in the morning we would dump it back into the warming bins! i refuse to eat popcorn at movies now! soo dirty!

Most of the things on this list are screaming “FACT CHECK ME!”

Interviewing a couple of random employees isn’t how you gather information for any sort of article, nor are they reliable sources. And, based on the comments I’ve seen, many of the things on this list are FAR from universal. 

None of this is “secret” information. Anyone who goes to the movies even semi-regularly (or can count) already knows this.

Actually with the exception of the day old popcorn and managers not caring about complaints, most of it is true.  But most of the items you can notice yourself if you go to the movies regularly.

Actually with the exception of the day old popcorn and managers not caring about complaints, most of it is true.  But most of the items you can notice yourself if you go to the movies regularly.

When I was a kid growing up in Dayton Ohio we three kids would walk with our mother all the way downtown to the movies. At that time the price of admission was cheaper for kids under twelve years old. We had quite a choice of movie theatres since there were five at that time. My brother was the youngest  and one day mom got so mad because they wanted to charge adult admission for my brother who at that time was only ten. My mother corrected the ticket seller stating that he should be charged at the childs rate. The lady said it was because he was as big as a twelve year old. He wasn’t fat but he was probably large for his age. The manager came out and she told him his birth date but he sided with the ticket seller. Mom was a good Christian woman and would never cheat anyone and resented anyone cheating her. Money was tight for us and she budgeted wisely. We never went back to that theatre again. Do you think we were treated unfairly? I do.

hmmmm….so THAT’S why I don’t go to the movies anymore……just as I suspected…….I KNEW that popcorn was stale!

I feel your pain, girlfriend.  When I was a Disney Store castmember in the early nineties, I often got yelled at because “Snow White” was not available on VHS and at the time they had no plans to release it.  Like it was my fault.  And I also got a riot act once because the crowds at Disneyland were my fault, too.   The “General Public”….aaaacckkk, they’re the WORST!

Perhaps they don’t mean theater owners put the chemicals in the popcorn themselves….it probably happens at the processing point, before it gets shipped to theaters. So even YOU won’t know about it!

Yes that’s unfair!  Would they charge a disabled person more because their chair is too big?  Would they charge a person with clinical dwarfism less because they are the size of a child?  Did they offer to refund the difference if your mother came back with the ticket stub and your brother’s birth certificate?  At the very least, they should have offered that, but I bet they didn’t. 

Going to the movies is definitely too expensive! I remember they were $1 on Saturdays when I was a kid. Now tickets at the movie theater are $12.50 EACH. And at the Live Theatre, tickets are a whopping $38 each!

It’s MUCH cheaper to rent a redbox video for $1 and watch it at home!

I work at a movie theater, and I can attest that everything here is 100% true plus some other things I know that you don’t want to know about. such as the roach motels in the concession stand and that fact that some boxed candy is over 1 year old.

Popcorn-lovely GMO trash.
I would mind paying the ridiculous price if it were Organic and popped with Coconut Oil

Popcorn-lovely GMO trash.
I would mind paying the ridiculous price if it were Organic and popped with Coconut Oil

Popcorn-lovely GMO trash.
I would mind paying the ridiculous price if it were Organic and popped with Coconut Oil

Popcorn-lovely GMO trash.
I would mind paying the ridiculous price if it were Organic and popped with Coconut Oil

Popcorn-lovely GMO trash.
I would mind paying the ridiculous price if it were Organic and popped with Coconut Oil

Five things theater customers should tell you:  (at least this one..)

1. Smile and be nice to us:  We paid exorbitantly for this experience
2. The sound is way too loud in your theater.  You are just as responsible for hearing loss as loud music. Either turn it down or hand out hearing protection with your 3-D glasses. (ps: I’m the guy who is wearing ear plugs in your movie because I want to hear violins when I’m 80)
3. Your food is too expensive, so my pockets and jacket are stuffed with my own goodies
4.  We only go to theatres to see films that are panoramic and demand a big screen to get full effect. Silly, dimwitted situation comedies look just as good on a TV size screen and I’ll wait. Tell hollywood…)
5. Follow Alamo theaters example and kick out people who will not TURN OFF their cell phones. The lights of phones while constant texting and checking messages has reached overload. Get technology that can automatically kill the phone signals. Enough already!

If it’s a movie I know I want to see, it’s cheaper just to wait until it comes out on DVD. A year later most of them will be in the discount bin anyway.

Way to spread lies and give movie employees more crabby customers. Jerk.

This is honestly one of the worse articles I have ever read in my entire life and I have NEVER commented on ANY article before online. Not only is almost everything presented in this article false, anything left is just poorly written conjecture. I have worked at a movie theater which is the exact opposite of this article in almost every way, and it was even a crappy movie theater, I can only imagine how much better the nice ones are. Whoever wrote this should be ashamed of their research and writing skills. I am now blocking this website so I will never again have to read such drivel.

You’re right. Cinemas are just going to put themselves out of business. With movies being available on DVD much sooner after release than they used to, fewer people will bother with the overpriced tickets, overpriced food and people talking on their phones.

Perhaps if you’d learned to paragraph and write in English at school you wouldn’t be working in a movie theatre. Seriously, reading what you wrote was painful.

I work at a theater. All true. And asking for “Fresh” popcorn, is annoying. Luckily, I am now a projectionist. XD

I love my movie Theater hot dogs – they are so good!! All beef and cooked to order :D And no, we NEVER keep our popcorn over night or “a day or two”. Almost all of these are completely ridiculous and stupid; most likely coming from a disgruntled employee. And I make it a point to go over and through the isles in my theaters to recheck under seats when I ush. I hate popcorn under the seats and will go out of my way to get that last popcorn kernel. This is a stupid article.

And you plan on KEEPING your job at the theater?

I think i’m pretty lucky my local theatre is 6 bucks to get in for adults (4.50) for kids and popcorn a jumbo is like 3$

Almost everything is true on this list.  The one about reusing popcorn is very untrue! At the end of the night we put the unsold popcorn in big yellow bags and employees can take it home if they desire to have a ton of popcorn to snack on, or we just throw it in the trash.  Hotdogs are not nasty… they are always freshly cooked and ours are 100% angus beef (they are quite good but not worth 5.50).  We also pop our orville redenbacher corn in oil and top it with coconut oil “buttered flavored” no extra chemicals added.

That’s why I DOWNLOAD movies

Pretentious at all?  I worked in theaters throughout high school and some summers in college.  My coworkers were mostly bright, enthusiastic, and hard-working students.  If YOU found it painful perhaps you either need an eye exam or better comprehension skills.  Writing in the Queen’s English isn’t required to make communication successful.

there are still cheap movie theaters, as long as you’re willing to wait for the second run

The Palladium in Birmingham,Michigan sells movie tickets for $5.00/each until 6pm. AND the theater is absolutely beautiful and no I don’t work there.

I worked at a Regal Theater for a year.  Loved every minute of it.  And yes this stuff is all true.

I agree, I use Redbox like crazy. And lucky for me, there’s a dollar theatre nearby that plays movies like right when they’re out of the theatres. i dont bother seeing anything until i can see it for a dollar!

Mmmmh! What about people having sex in movie theater?

A lady once refused to give me candy on Halloween because she said I was “too old to be trick or treating.”  I was 10! I was just tall for my age, she actually gave candy to all my friends who were older than me, just shorter. I also knew a mom that had to carry her son’s birth certificate around with her because he was so tall that other mom’s would complain at baseball and basketball games that he was too old for the team. Some people are just rude and yes, your family was treated unfairly, but I bet your brother likes being a big guy now!

It is good to pay to see a cinema at a commercial theatre instead of sneaking in. One way is to avoid each the same? Money causes the world of cinema theatres to get around. It is one of the ways a studio gets around to getting a cinema at a theatre. A number may rather see a theatre with a screen get animating pictures on it through projectionists activating projectors to getting them on than a building housing them getting a turning into a real estate office.

See above and before. The confusion is like turning a cinema theatre into a real estate office. It is greater to pay too see a cinema at a commercial theatre than sneak in. Money gets the world around. Studios then get around to get cinemas to the cinema theatres. Care there are no subliminal messages to eattoward what one is not paying during a cinema feature.

Or, knowing how the economy is right now, even if you have a masters degree, you might be working in a movie theater.  Reading Noch’s ridiculous statement was painful.

Airlines sometimes charge really large people for 2 seats aboard an airplane.  I think it’s fair.  It’s a safety issue for the people around them.

Technology that blocks cell phones is simple, but big-time illegal.

Not sure where you are getting your “employees,” but my first job was in a drive-in and I owned a walk-in theater for many years and I disagree with nearly all 13 points. #1) NEVER did we add chemicals. You don’t need to … it’s usually the smell of the coconut oil for the popcorn that smells so good. Want to test the theory, pop some with canola and see what you think.#2) You are comparing apples and oranges here. They are two different systems. #3) Define overpriced concessions? The concessions are where theater owners make their money … which pays for the movie, building, utilities, staff, etc.
#4) Semi-true here. We do know all the ways. And if we are any good, we reduce the number as much as possible. However at the end of a run we “might” let you in. Doubt it seriously though, since I’m sure you are going to tell all your friends about it if I let you stay! #5) Probably true at some theater. Remember, these employees and owners eat there too. They care about the quality of product and sanitation procedures. If they didn’t – they wouldn’t stay in business.#6) Really, someone told you this? What a rotten manager that theater has! That is not the norm. If the employee is wrong – no way I’m going to be patting their back! 
#7) This you got right! But that is true for ANY business from the grocery store to a fast food place to an elegant restaurant to a dry cleaner. Most owner/operators will discount items when purchased together.
#8) Okay, really? Regardless of what you call the package … you should still not expect diet food in a theater.
#9) This you got right! Microwaves don’t cook pizza in 30 seconds – anywhere! So, I’m not sure what that statement is doing in this list.#10)  A complete inventory in a theater is a VERY time consuming job. Most owner/operators I know don’t inventory every night … usually just at the end of the week to prepare an order of what will be needed for the next week.
#11) The innuendo is that it remains under the seat – please! Yes we may sweep the carpet or blow the mess to the front, away from patrons, between shows but we used to scrub the floors at the end of the evening and pressure wash concrete each week.#12) Movietimes can be delayed if there are still people in line to purchase a ticket…so they don’t miss the beginning. Ushers clean up when the film is finished, there is time built in to accomplish this between showings.#13) I may have to give you partial credit here. You have two true statements, but they have nothing to do with each other. No theater owners I know use “day-old” popcorn.

are you really such a dimwit that you think someone is charged more for 2 seats because they are a safety issue?!? If anyone or anything is a “safety issue” to be/have on a plane, it’s not getting on the plane. Period. A larger person will be charged for two seats if THEY ARE USING TWO SEATS! DUH!

You Suck

I used to work at a theater and can attest to all 13 being
true, and add a few more. You can often time’s get free passes by taking the
time to complain to a manager about things like. 1. A dirty print, in a non
digital theater the film print becomes dirty over time. If your seeing spots
appear from time to time or what looks like a pubic hair moving around then
it’s time to complain. But do it after the movie has ended. 2. You can also
complain if it was too hot or too cold. If the sound quality was bad. Or too
loud or too soft. They want you happy so you will come back and the easiest way
to do this is with free passes which cost them next to nothing. 3. If you are
going to a major chain such as AMC, Cinemark or Regal theaters join they’re
Movie watcher club, it’s free and you can build points for free drinks, popcorn
and movies.

That was really stupid fat-boy burger…actually, you’re an idiot. Noch made a perfectly valad point & you ruined it with your negative words. The guy can’t write Burger boy. He’s probally a fine example of what comes out of the public school system.

If you are still reading then you are an unemployed loser or moron…

If you are still reading then you are an unemployed loser or moron…

You just might be a tad judgmental here, as I am an employed former theatre employee and an avid moviegoer. My local second-run theatre, the Culver Plaza, near Los Angeles, CA, is awesome and I will never stop going to movie theatres despite DVDs, etc. Further, I do not care if all the above is true. It’s not bad enough to discourage my attendance.

Eat before you go or eat later to save money and get a better dinner

What’s a valad point? I would probally know that since I went to a public school. I guess I went to a bad one since I like to make valid points and I probably understand that the red squiggle under the words I type means that they are spelled wrong. That was just too awesome to resist.

I love the thirteen things about theater employees–I have to admit, I do love going to movies once-in-a-while.  “The Help” (my most recently seen movie) is an awesome movie–yes, I know, i could have waited until it came out on DVD.  It was great seeing it with my family on Thanksgiving Day, however, and it really opened my eyes to injustices done to Afro-Americans!  The gal who decides to go against age-old traditions played her part well–It is one of the few movies I have ever cried in (Yes, it is ok for guys to cry!).  Anyway, I never buy concessions at theaters, and I do agree that many theaters r not very well kept.  However, lets not just put the blame on theater employees (or managers)–Some people just need to either be less messy or clean up after themselves–Same goes for people in stadiums, churches, or any other public places (I KNOW-that is a subject for another day!)!  I also think that we Americans need to spend less time in theaters and more time “doing good” and “making something of ourselves”!  If we spend less time in theaters, parents and kids (if not together) will know what is happening, when it happens, and nobody will have to blame somebody for not taking care of his or her child, or, worse, sue somebody for neglect.  Then, the world would be a better place, and we wouldn’t need to worry about having public theaters!  We would all be so rich (because of fewer lawsuits, more educated children and adults, and less potential for accidents or crimes–because of fewer people driving to and from theaters or loitering around them), we could have our own home theaters, their would be more family and friend togetherness, and–did I mention?–the world would be a better place!!  I rest my case:)

I haven’t been to a movie theater in close to a decade. It’s an industry I just cannot bring myself to support.

God bless the Dollar Store that’s in the same strip mall as the multi-theater. They rock.

Make that almost 30 years for me without visiting a movie theater.  I became fed up with
grossly overpriced snacks,  boisterous noisy audiences, sagging seats, dirty smelly rest rooms, rude ushers, ear-busting  audio, too cool or too warm ventilation, etc, etc. Who needs that aggravation when for $4.50 I and several friends can watch the same films on satellite HD TV in the comfort of my Lazy Boy or sofa.  And all with cheap snacks and drinks, comfy heat or A/C, control of audio volume, and best of all no gang of pimply faced juvenile delinquents loudly exchanging obscenities with their buddies seated a couple of rows in front of me.

and also dangerous.

Wow, over-react a little more! They said a safety issue for THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM which it is, as the person cannot oftentimes even fasten their seatbelt. There was a recent story of a man having to stand for his entire flight because the man next to him took up most of his seat.

no one forced you into reading it in the first place

go to the dollar movies,a lot of times they are new movies.But,you are right its to expensive.

actually, its the most expensive item out of all concessions!

actually, its the most expensive item out of all concessions!

thank you,  i now know more than i wanted to know  <;0)

I love you Alan Kahn!  But don’t kill cell phones.  Doctors, parents and others w/legitimate emergency phone needs have to have them.

hmmm define overpriced concessions. $4 for a tiny bag of skittles…

Ok this had me LMAO!!!!  No S*** people.  Why are you ordering a pizza at a movie theater.

For the same price of one theater ticket I can watch 100 movies a month from Netflix. They don’t have new releases, but most Hollywood new releases are crap based on comic books or toys.
Also, in the thousands of movie theaters in the USA, you will not find one piece of food for sale that is not bad for you, with processed sugar, and canola oil on the popcorn is a slow poison. In my opinion, Hollywood and the theater owners are shooting themselves in the foot on full automatic.
In 2008 at Director’s Guild of America’s digital seminar, it was revealed that more people were watching Youtube than all the TV channels combined. Because TV and Movies are mostly loud pointless shoot outs and explosions, your audience has left the building. There are no more $100 million dollar openings, that is now the exclusive domain of video games. In the current business climate, the mantra is “Adapt or Die.” I don’t see the theater owners adapting at all, just showing the same crap in 3-D, just like they did in the 1950′s when they were afraid of Television. I believe there will always be a market for theater viewing, but it is in the process of being pared down greatly to a niche status, where only charismatic Theaters like Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome will survive, but you basic mall multiplex with a dozen theaters will eventually become extinct.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

I haven’t gone to a theater in over 10 years since they are noisy, stinky, costly, and FOLLYWOOD hasn’t made a movie in years that is worth my time going to a theater. At least watching FOOLYWOOD movies at home on my big screen monitor, I can change channels once I realize they aren’t worth my time – and most aren’t worth my time. Theaters don’t give you your money back once you realize the “product” isn’t worth the money.

And aren’t most of these lefty FOLLYWOOD freaks the first to tell you to stop wars, violence, killings, …. yet they promote war, violence, killings, in graphic displays in their pointless movies.

And aren’t most of these lefty FOLLYWOOD freaks the first to tell you to stop wars, violence, killings, …. yet they promote war, violence, killings, in graphic displays in their pointless movies.

And aren’t most of these lefty FOLLYWOOD freaks the first to tell you to stop wars, violence, killings, …. yet they promote war, violence, killings, in graphic displays in their pointless movies.

BUT THE COST is OUTRAGOUS

BUT THE COST is OUTRAGOUS

BUT THE COST is OUTRAGOUS

BUT THE COST is OUTRAGOUS

And the popcorn is over-salted in order to make you thirsty for the expensive sodas.

And the popcorn is over-salted in order to make you thirsty for the expensive sodas.

everything you sell is a chemical. Everything is made of chemicals. Some are created by nature, some by people. Either kind can be good, bad or indifferent.

everything you sell is a chemical. Everything is made of chemicals. Some are created by nature, some by people. Either kind can be good, bad or indifferent.

The business/profit model for American cinema is outdated; Hollywood just doesn’t seem to care about anything except selling more 3D tickets.  With Netflix, Redbox, and bootleg well on the rise, the movie-viewing populace has sundry choices to paying upwards of $10 for a prime-time cinema experience.  All the while, concessions prices seem out of touch with a stagnant economy.

I can’t enjoy the movie without watching the previews. I go early just for that.

This is why I have what my family calls the “movie purse”
Oddly, it always comes in way larger then it is when we leave.  Though we haven’t even made it to a move since last summer.

I don’t go to movies often anymore because the theaters are always cold.  It doesn’t matter if it’s winter or summer -  I can’t stay warm even with my winter coat on!  I recently wrote to my local movie theater to ask why it was so cold.  I was told that it was always set at 70 degrees, but that’s really not possible when I’ve got three layers on and I’m still cold.

this is one messed up page.  have to back and back and reload the page and click next it goes back to #1.

this is one messed up page.  have to back and back and reload the page and click next it goes back to #1.

So pretty much theaters take us for idiots and suckers…. hmm good luck with that and the internet hollywood.

So pretty much theaters take us for idiots and suckers…. hmm good luck with that and the internet hollywood.

As the manager of a movie theatre, I can tell you that most of the items here are flat out false, or gross exaggerations. And common sense will also tell you this is the case.

For example: Concessions are not over-priced. The price reflects the cost structure of running a movie theatre. Sure you can buy a bag of popcorn and pop it at home for a small fraction of what it costs at the theatre, but that popcorn you pop at home isn’t paying for projection and sound systems that cost as much as luxury cars; it’s not paying for heating/cooling large spaces; it’s not paying the insurance for a public gathering place.

Theatres use several standard sizes for popcorn and soda. The names may change by location, but the sizes are pretty consistent. Popcorn usually comes in a 46oz, 85oz, 130oz, or 170oz bag or tub. Soda usually comes in a 16oz, 20oz, 32oz, or 44oz cup. And most theatres have the sizes on full display for anyone to see.

Theatre food is just as safe as what you get in any restaurant. We are subject to the same food handling laws; we are inspected by the health department; and we are required to have certified food handlers in most states.

Yes, popcorn does stay fresh for a few days. But I think most people can see, hear, and smell the fresh popped corn coming out of those poppers as they come in the doors.

Yes, some theatre employees do sweep the popcorn under the seats, and some managers don’t take customer complaints seriously. As with any business, there will be good employees and managers, and their will be poor ones.

Finally, if you think movie tickets are over-priced, here’s some food for thought. The national average ticket price in 2011 was $7.96. The average ticket price in 1971 was $1.65. Adjusted for inflation, that 1971 ticket would cost you $9.22.

As the manager of a movie theatre, I can tell you that most of the items here are flat out false, or gross exaggerations. And common sense will also tell you this is the case.

For example: Concessions are not over-priced. The price reflects the cost structure of running a movie theatre. Sure you can buy a bag of popcorn and pop it at home for a small fraction of what it costs at the theatre, but that popcorn you pop at home isn’t paying for projection and sound systems that cost as much as luxury cars; it’s not paying for heating/cooling large spaces; it’s not paying the insurance for a public gathering place.

Theatres use several standard sizes for popcorn and soda. The names may change by location, but the sizes are pretty consistent. Popcorn usually comes in a 46oz, 85oz, 130oz, or 170oz bag or tub. Soda usually comes in a 16oz, 20oz, 32oz, or 44oz cup. And most theatres have the sizes on full display for anyone to see.

Theatre food is just as safe as what you get in any restaurant. We are subject to the same food handling laws; we are inspected by the health department; and we are required to have certified food handlers in most states.

Yes, popcorn does stay fresh for a few days. But I think most people can see, hear, and smell the fresh popped corn coming out of those poppers as they come in the doors.

Yes, some theatre employees do sweep the popcorn under the seats, and some managers don’t take customer complaints seriously. As with any business, there will be good employees and managers, and their will be poor ones.

Finally, if you think movie tickets are over-priced, here’s some food for thought. The national average ticket price in 2011 was $7.96. The average ticket price in 1971 was $1.65. Adjusted for inflation, that 1971 ticket would cost you $9.22.

Actually, if you can’t use your own experience and common sense to see that most of these are false or exaggerations, than you are showing yourself to be an idiot.

Fior the first two weeks, Hollywod takes 95% of the ticket sales. After two weeks it drops significantly. If you want to help theaters, wait until the movie has been out two weeks.

We already know that popcorn and drinks are overpriced. Drinks are also overpriced in restaurants, to help them cover for cheaper food prices. It all evens out in the end. The hotdogs taste amazing. Not sure how they do it. The pretzels always suck and take about 5 minutes to microwave.

I hate slideshows

Who pays to see movies anymore?

I went to a matinee with a middle schooler and two high schoolers the other day. We bought two (small) drinks, two (small) popcorns and the total for the outing came to nearly $65. RIDICULOUS. Sorry, movie industry: until you improve the quality of product (e.g., make movies worthy to be seen on the big screen) I’ll stay home and spend less than $10 for pay-per-view, my own (freshly made) popcorn, and drinks. 

How can this be right? How many movies run in the same theatre for two months?

“Chemicals in the popcorn….”  LOL!  What a load of crap.  

 I can compose a message using the Queen’s English.  Both you and Noch are pretentious. 

 I can compose a message using the Queen’s English.  Both you and Noch are pretentious. 

Seriously!  You have to put it on fourteen pages??!

I worked in a theater.  That’s when I realized how dumb most of the public is.  I was asked what time the midnight movie started, and how much it cost on dollar night, by people who were NOT joking.  We put a clock in the box office to avoid constant questions about the time, and people would ask “if the clock is right.” A man came roaring out of a PG-rated film ranting about the bad language.  He thought PG meant “pretty good.”  

Another woman screamed at me for lying about having matinees.  The theater across town charged a lower price for their matinees, and she insisted that the word “matinee” means a movie with a lower admission fee.

 Seating was not reserved, but a large party of adult moviegoers pitched an obscenity-laced fit because the party of teenagers (who, in contrast to the adults, were extremely civilized) wouldn’t get up and let them have their row of seats.

Parents tried to use us as free babysitters. They’d drop the kids off for the first movie, expecting them to watch the movie over and over until they got off work. It got so bad in the summer that we started clearing the theater after each showing, and told kids who protested that they needed to call their parents. Mom and Dad would rant at us when they picked them up.  Sorry, you only bought ONE ticket.

People would show up thirty minutes into a showing and expect to be let in free “because we’ve missed part of the movie.”  No, sir.  I’m sorry. Would you like a ticket to the next showing?

I worked in a theater.  That’s when I realized how dumb most of the public is.  I was asked what time the midnight movie started, and how much it cost on dollar night, by people who were NOT joking.  We put a clock in the box office to avoid constant questions about the time, and people would ask “if the clock is right.” A man came roaring out of a PG-rated film ranting about the bad language.  He thought PG meant “pretty good.”  

Another woman screamed at me for lying about having matinees.  The theater across town charged a lower price for their matinees, and she insisted that the word “matinee” means a movie with a lower admission fee.

 Seating was not reserved, but a large party of adult moviegoers pitched an obscenity-laced fit because the party of teenagers (who, in contrast to the adults, were extremely civilized) wouldn’t get up and let them have their row of seats.

Parents tried to use us as free babysitters. They’d drop the kids off for the first movie, expecting them to watch the movie over and over until they got off work. It got so bad in the summer that we started clearing the theater after each showing, and told kids who protested that they needed to call their parents. Mom and Dad would rant at us when they picked them up.  Sorry, you only bought ONE ticket.

People would show up thirty minutes into a showing and expect to be let in free “because we’ve missed part of the movie.”  No, sir.  I’m sorry. Would you like a ticket to the next showing?

Absolutely 100% not true. I design cinemas for a living, “Extreme Digital” or any of the private label large format auditoriums are often of a higher quality than IMAX, and have the ability to play far more titles.

Worked at a theatre for four years; told my customers all of these points at least once.

But seriously, some of this stuff is way off. Nobody cares about Readers Digest anyways, and it’s probably because of bogus articles like this. RD isn’t even a has-been, it’s a never-was.

feed them to the families of the workers and watch and laugh your butts of

It’s just so much easier to stay home where the atmosphere, movie viewing, and food is SO much better.  No wear and tear on the car and no getting all dressed up to sit in the dark and get all stiff in the joints!  I know many people still love to go, but for the spoiled and lazy, home is just better!

I’ll do you one better, with a little patience, I can borrow them from my library for free :)

I’ll do you one better, with a little patience, I can borrow them from my library for free :)

I’m curious to what chemicals you’re referring since where I work we either coconut or canola oil, popcorn, and salt nothing else and real butter on top. Before you make a blanket statement maybe you should state what chemicals to which you are referring.  Microwave popcorn has plenty of cancer causing chemicals that have only been recently removed. Our popcorn comes in 35 lb bags and lists no chemical additives. Our popcorn makes the news and cities list of number one popcorn consistently. We have done it the same for the 20+ years I’ve been there. Please clarify your remarks.

LOL! Thats pretty funny. I used to work at a movie theater years ago and most of this stuff is true!

I have not been to the movies in 10 years and will never again it is easier to get satelite and order from the house and it will cost less than going to the movies by a large amount. My popcorn cast almost nothing and my drinks come from Walmart save your money and enjoy the movie at home.

I have not been to the movies in 10 years and will never again it is easier to get satelite and order from the house and it will cost less than going to the movies by a large amount. My popcorn cast almost nothing and my drinks come from Walmart save your money and enjoy the movie at home.

I have not been to the movies in 10 years and will never again it is easier to get satelite and order from the house and it will cost less than going to the movies by a large amount. My popcorn cast almost nothing and my drinks come from Walmart save your money and enjoy the movie at home.

I have not been to the movies in 10 years and will never again it is easier to get satelite and order from the house and it will cost less than going to the movies by a large amount. My popcorn cast almost nothing and my drinks come from Walmart save your money and enjoy the movie at home.

All you people are just not sociable, complaining about the cost. Stay home and never enjoy being out. That’s a life you can keep and that I will never be a part of, I have kids that love going to the Movies and if it cost me a $100.00 to have that precious moment with them, that’s a small price to pay. 

hehe yeah they are overpriced. spielberg joked one time that if you make Harry Potter you make a billion dollars. I don’t see any need to put more money in their pockets, but that’s just me

Something else to think about is that theaters are actually forced to charge so high for the concession items. That is they pay their employees. As for the tickets price, 92% of that goes back to the production company, meaning on a $10 ticket, $9.20 of that goes back to Paramount, Fox, etc., the theater only gets 80 cents of it. If it wasn’t for the production companies demanding such high fees, the concession products would be much cheaper. Where it gets out of hand is theater companies like Regal raising ticket prices over what is necessary just to try and milk it more.

A little bit over sci-fi.  Chemicals, chemicals.  Whatever you think you’re putting in something, some scents just lift and spread anyway.  Maybe you’ve given it a slight edge–to the butter I’m sure.  My mom must have done that to her dinners growing up–or else how else did our whole house smell like food???  Likewise, hot dogs are hot dogs.  If they’re good, they’re good.  Ff.  ::

A little bit over sci-fi.  Chemicals, chemicals.  Whatever you think you’re putting in something, some scents just lift and spread anyway.  Maybe you’ve given it a slight edge–to the butter I’m sure.  My mom must have done that to her dinners growing up–or else how else did our whole house smell like food???  Likewise, hot dogs are hot dogs.  If they’re good, they’re good.  Ff.  ::

Most of these are completely wrong.  No theater(at least none I’ve worked) keeps popcorn around for a day or two.  It goes stale after a few hours.  And there aren’t added chemicals to make the popcorn smell better.  Also, start times are when the movie previews begin, and nearly always start on time.  There is usually only one projector, and missing the start time on one movie could ruin the start times for all the movies the rest of the day.  Obviously, if we know the end time, then we know the start time.  
And ushers have more than enough time to sweep a theater, they don’t just hide it under chairs, or they would not be working there. 

Popcorn cost’s almost nothing to make? Let see, are the kernals almost free, the electricity almost free, the oil, almost free, the labor to make it, serve it and ring up the sale on the register almost free? I am not saying that it inn’t over priced, but almost free is ignorant of any business sense.

I worked a movie house in the 80s.  Ushers reuse tickets and pocket the cash from the second selling.  Popcorn cups in good condition were reused and that cash was also pocketed.

It is not even CLOSE to month or TWO of release that the theaters get nothing. It falls from the very first week, though for the first 4 weeks or so it is still very much in the studio’s favor. But by the end of the second month, it is close to 50-50

It is not even CLOSE to month or TWO of release that the theaters get nothing. It falls from the very first week, though for the first 4 weeks or so it is still very much in the studio’s favor. But by the end of the second month, it is close to 50-50

I call BS on the popcorn thing.  Popcorn naturally fills the room with that smell.  The CONSTANT popping on new batches is going to only fill it more.  A well used popcorn machine will make a room smell like popcorn even if it’s not even being used.

…”Thinking Is FREE”….I Take My Movie List To The Library & Wait For Them To Call Me When They Arrive…

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lol

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lol

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lol

#6 is a horrible statement. At no time should any manager YELL at an employee in front of ANYONE. Have a little respect, mistakes happen.

Justin you are being overly sensitive since you know the secret is out. I know, I worked at a movie theater in high school. Yes it was a long time ago but these things are true. I saw it all from day old popcorn being bagged and reused, hot dogs that should have never been put on the spindles etc. the house isn’t always thoroughly cleaned because there isn’t enough time. And sorry to say the concessions “are” overpriced in comparison to anywhere else, not just at home. Look at the candy, much cheaper to buy at the grocery store.
But I do feel the concessions are justified due to the ticket structure so I’m not taking the side that it is wrong. Sport stadiums and other events do the same things.
As for the complaints, I’m sure this varies on a case by case basis but in a public arena the job is to keep the public calm.

Pretty dumb article.  Most of this is obvious, patently false or no big deal.  Next, it will be “Crazy, shocking secret #14:  Ticket prices keep going up, which is why movie sales keep breaking records even though fewer and fewer people go to the movies each year.”  What???  Really??? Scandalous!!!

Pretty dumb article.  Most of this is obvious, patently false or no big deal.  Next, it will be “Crazy, shocking secret #14:  Ticket prices keep going up, which is why movie sales keep breaking records even though fewer and fewer people go to the movies each year.”  What???  Really??? Scandalous!!!

Pretty dumb article.  Most of this is obvious, patently false or no big deal.  Next, it will be “Crazy, shocking secret #14:  Ticket prices keep going up, which is why movie sales keep breaking records even though fewer and fewer people go to the movies each year.”  What???  Really??? Scandalous!!!

Mada?&$@!$

Most of these “hidden” comments are already known by people so it’s really no big surprise.
Any who thinks otherwise is just fooling themselves!

Movie and media companies are going after people for downloading movies because that’s the “cheapest” method of seeing a movie.

I’m willing to fork over the money to see a “good” movie but most movies nowadays are just cr#p! I’d pay for the bargain matinee show even though most are about $8-10 now. OUCH!

Movie companies are really killing themselves by paying the overpriced salaries of actors/actresses and high advertisements then charging people high prices to see the movies just to recoup their costs!

It’s no wonder that people aren’t watching much movies (legally) anymore!

I don’t buy movies anymore.
The VHS tapes I still have will eventually rot and disposed of or be donated to a local library. Cable channels ofter replay older movies repeatedly so why buy movie DVDs anymore?

You forgot the biggest “I won’t tell”   The “butter” on the popcorn isn’t butter and you wouldn’t want to see it before it’s melted….It looks like lard when it arrives in buckets.  

Goodness me~! The photo accompanying #6 just may be the most irritating thing I’ve encountered on the internet. You just know he’s a Kevin.

i’ve worked at a movie theater, and actually, the popcorn, candy and drinks are the foods you can trust least. all the “real” food has an expiration time around 2 hours, and a beef hotdog slow cooked for an hour is really tasty! the popcorn can be sitting there all day if no one buys it, the candy near the front (or back, depending on the display set up) sometimes doesn’t get rotated out for months at a time, and the teenagers behind the concession counter do NOT clean the drink spigots nearly as well as they should (can you say thick black mildew?). no, no. better to just bring a large purse and visit the $1 store, first. as long as you don’t flaunt your secret snackage, no one cares. :)

i’ve worked at a movie theater, and actually, the popcorn, candy and drinks are the foods you can trust least. all the “real” food has an expiration time around 2 hours, and a beef hotdog slow cooked for an hour is really tasty! the popcorn can be sitting there all day if no one buys it, the candy near the front (or back, depending on the display set up) sometimes doesn’t get rotated out for months at a time, and the teenagers behind the concession counter do NOT clean the drink spigots nearly as well as they should (can you say thick black mildew?). no, no. better to just bring a large purse and visit the $1 store, first. as long as you don’t flaunt your secret snackage, no one cares. :)

i’ve worked at a movie theater, and actually, the popcorn, candy and drinks are the foods you can trust least. all the “real” food has an expiration time around 2 hours, and a beef hotdog slow cooked for an hour is really tasty! the popcorn can be sitting there all day if no one buys it, the candy near the front (or back, depending on the display set up) sometimes doesn’t get rotated out for months at a time, and the teenagers behind the concession counter do NOT clean the drink spigots nearly as well as they should (can you say thick black mildew?). no, no. better to just bring a large purse and visit the $1 store, first. as long as you don’t flaunt your secret snackage, no one cares. :)

As a movie theater manager, all but the last one is correct.  Well, technically it is correct, too, but we never kept day old popcorn.  Always made more.  But that is a very accurate list indeed.