Why is the food so bad AND expensive at movie theaters?

And it's not just limited to popcorn or the location of the theater. This is a running theme across all food-types and theaters in different countries.

I don't care if I look like a cheap dolt next time but I'm not buying that stuff.

Just out of curiosity, what's up with wanting to turn movie goers into soda containers? 1-litre soda glasses have become 'regular'.

Because where else are you going to get the food? They've monopolized the food market while watching movies in a theater.

Movie theaters don't make very much money off of ticket sales, most of that goes back to the movie studios. Theaters make their money by selling food and drinks.

Just sneak it in.

Bigger servings equal bigger profit margins.

If you don't sneak in candy then you're doing it wrong.

I guess you can't really sneak in a drink or food but eh at least you got candy.

@tangoup: Cinemas make the majority of their money from concessions. Even though ticket prices have been rapidly increasing in the past decade, most of that money goes right back to the production company and distributor of any given film. The profit sharing varies on a per-film basis, but typically a cinema only keeps about %20 of revenue from ticket sales. That's not nearly enough to run a huge place and pay all the employees, so they make up the slack by charging more than other places would on food.

It seems "unfair" perhaps, but consider this; higher food prices also keep ticket prices down. If you want to see a film, you need a ticket, but you don't need candy. You could by the ticket only, and avoid the other inflated costs. So they take a risk by basing their income on a non-essential part of their business. The cinema could choose to charge more at the door, and guarantee income that way, but by instead risking profit from the food they allow some folks to just by a lower priced ticket and have others carry the burden for them.

As far as the food being "bad", that's pretty subjective. I always get some nachos and am never disappointed. Generic sure, but damn yummy too!

It's getting to be a bit insane. I caught a matinee between classes so the ticket was $7. Popcorn and a drink combo? $19.

People pay, therefore they keep prices high.

Its so expensive because they want you to buy the biggest items on the menu. They will price something like a small popcorn at $4 and then the medium is $4.50 and large $5 or something because at that point most people are going to say fuck it I'm already in for $4 anyways and get the large bucket o' popcorn.

Its bad because its just... well mass produced food designed with cheap ingredients so it can be sold for a ridiculous markup and huge profits.

So you actually paid like $10 for a popcorn and $10 for a drink? And at no point in the process of your transaction did you realize that was crazy?

Don't be part of the problem. Be part of the solution.

Sneak stuff in. Its pretty easy.

BINGO! And yeah, there're a couple of theaters across San Francisco that have customized popcorn toppings. Always makes it worthwhile.

Might have something to do with the fact it's not a freaking restaurant you'r not going their to eat so they don't care.

Ha, movie theaters.

Basically. I'll usually eat before or after I go to a movie if I don't feel like paying for popcorn. But once in a while, I do get a large popcorn to share amongst my buddies just for the hell of it.

I really just get a drink when going to the theaters. Don't want my audible munching to be a distraction.

And I dunno, man, $5 for a rather large Icee over here is pretty good for me.

I can't remember the last time i've gotten food at the theater. I've sneaked in food, hell thats all the time. Buy a taco from the tacobell next to the theater, put it in your jacketpocket (obviously in the wrapping/bag).

These days i usually eat before or after a movie though.

I understand why they overcharge for their shitty food though, cus people buy it, so why not overcharge?

Also i must be weird i dont really like popcorn. It's not bad, its just not really that great either. Though every now and then i get a MASSIVE craving for it, so i'll get some and then i'm like "oh right, its not that great and the skins stick to the roof of your mouth all annoying like.

@joshwent said:

I concur.

As for taste of food, it all depends on where you go and your tastes! I might like butter popcorn in one place while I might hate the popcorn in another.

Also bring some candy in case.

I've tried practically everything on a typical theater's menu and it's always bad regardless of the theater and city and country. If it's nachos and cheese, then the cheese is probably cold and set. Popcorn is always soft and stale and most of their other stuff have problems.

If you're gonna charge more than a TGIF, the decent thing to do would be to make sure the food is atleast good.

Because that's where they earn most of their revenue. Jacking up the prices on easy to produce food equals big profits, which is what theaters desperately need since they don't see much out of movie ticket sales. If movie studios started sharing more of their profit with the theaters that screen their movies then there'd probably be some improvement in quality or pricing.

I actually hate eating while trying to enjoy a movie, so it doesn't affect me. It is surprising how many people buy food though. I went to World War Z with some friends last night, and almost everyone in the theater had at least a drink and something else.

Sneak it in and don't get popcorn, problem solved. Vote with your money.

@mendelson9 said:

So... the government should require money to vote?

PROBLEM SOLVED

Sneak in food. If you buy it at the theater you're a sucker.

1) If you're not a girl then always go to the movies with a girl and have her take her biggest purse.

2) I tend to go to the movies in the colder months so I can wear my big coat with lots of secret pockets inside.

3) Fill it all with snacks and cans.

4) Stick it to the MAN!

I'm sure if you did some digging online you could probably find some sort of explanation, but personally I have no idea. I would assume it's because people actually pay their prices? Supply/demand only works so long as there's demand to support the supply.
Have you ever gone to a sporting event? The prices for beers or what-have-you at those things are astronomical as well. So long as people pay those prices though, they really have no real reason to charge less.

My suggestion would be to A) sneak a can of soda/bag of popcorn in to avoid the high prices, or B) (and this is what I do) simply wait until the movie is over. Why people distract themselves from their activity with eating is beyond me, but hey, to each their own, hm?

Buy a large drink and sneak in a flask. Thats what made World War Z a little bit more enjoyable for me.

Also I think thats how they make most of there money but I'm not fully sure on that.

Here in Houston the AMC has gotten a LITTLE bit better on the food options they have now with some pizza, chicken tenders and even coffee choices. So I guess you could say they have improved compared to what it was.

I worked in an "art house" cinema that actually used 90% real butter on the popcorn. Sooooooooo fucking good. Especially when you have like an hour downtime between shows with nothing else to do but eat it. In most mainstream cinemas though, it's really just veg/canola oil with butter flavor. Choose your poison.

I think you figured it all out. Grab your portable DVD player, call up this asshole, head out to your favorite TGIFriday's and you've got a one way ticket to cinematic flavor town. Booyah!

(or just don't eat food for 2 hours if you don't like it)

Because they know that suckers will be suckers, sucker. That's why nobody goes to movie theaters any more.

You're part of the problem

Because that's how they make the majority of their money. Studios make something like 90% of the gross for the first week or so.

Edit: They make about 70% of their profit from their concession stand

I know. Never again.

It's bad cause they have to serve massive quantities of it in quick succession, and expensive because since they ban outside food or drink they can charge as much as the market will hold. As a side note I actually find the popcorn to be pretty good at the theatres at my town.

Yeah and for $5 I can get a massive bucket that you're allowed to refill. I never do though because I'd die if I ate that.

No, I walked the fuck away. It's insane.

It's all about the nachos, homie. Then again, I'm surprised people still buy food at the concession stands.

@video_game_king: I miss Nobuo Uematsu, I'm gonna go buy The Last Story now. Fuck it if it's on the Wii.

No competition

The cinema where I live actually has pretty good food and drink. You can even get a mixed sweet and salty bucket of popcorn and you can buy alcohol there as well. Prices are not bad either, especially when you consider the size of the portions. I'm never able to eat it all.

I like theater food regardless of quality...that makes me a bad person doesn't it

If I'm already sneaking in booze I may as well sneak some food in too.

I've heard that the longer a movie is in theaters the less money the studio gets back. So after a couple months or so the percentages shift a little more in the theaters favor, and if a movie can stick around a very long time it's 80% theater 20% studio. But of course movies make the most money in the first month or so, so the lion share of the profits make it back to the studio.

captive audience, lack of competition.

Solution: I sneak in burritos and 40s.

Theaters don't get money from ticket sales until almost a month after a film has hit the theaters. Having expensive food is one of the few ways they've decided to increase revenue.

You're a captive audience - you have no choice.

Frankly, this is a dumb question. You know when people say, "There are no dumb questions,"? Yeah, well they lied.

I love movie popcorn. It's part of the reason I still go to the theater.