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Man sues over price of movie popcorn

If he really wants cost to go down, then sue the stuidos and the distributor that eat up so much of the door from the tickets. It really isn't like the theaters have much choice, concessions pays the bills to keep the lights on and the staff on the schedules.

I did the usher/box thing for a bit: as a rule at the theater I worked (a major chain theater) we (the ushers) didn't give a shit if you brought food in. So long as you weren't making a mess (really, KFC bucket? Fuck you get out, and take your grease and bones with you*) or the other customers weren't whining, we'd ignore you. We weren't going to check bags or backpacks, just don't give us a reason to have to deal with you.(for the record, I never bounced someone for food, we ate for free or at 20% discount and even the staff thought it was highway robbery)

Granted for the shit pay that led to this apathy, we did relish those moments when we got to toss someone out for being an asshole as our only real job perk.


* you wan a smell that won't get out of your clothes? Try KFC leftovers stuff in and under a seat, bottles of piss-beer (PBR I'm looking at you), and god only knows what (seriously we flipped a coin to see who cleaned "it" up), that'd been cooking in a unairconditioned theater on a 100+ degree day for several hours.
 
It's worth point out that it's true that exhibitors take in most of their revenue from concession sales, but it's incorrect to state that they're taking in nothing from the cost of ticket sales, as is often the case for gasoline sales (indeed, with credit card fees, gasoline sales can lose a station money). It's certainly not enough to be profitable, though.

It is true that during the first week, a massive percentage (80-100% of ticket sales) goes back to the movie studio, but as the weeks go on that percentage shifts more and more in favor of exhibitors. This is no good for exhibitors when it comes to films that open big and then fall off a cliff, but for movies that have steady business the revenue is there. Of course, more and more movies are marketed to make most of their money in the first weekend, so it's no wonder that concession prices have been rising.

I do wonder how much theaters get back from 3-D surcharges, since the studios wanted the Digital/3-D conversion to take place very badly.

(Of course, it's also worth noting that some studios have begun to vertically integrate again, buying up movie theaters; they were forced to sell their interest in theaters in the late 1940s, but the federal government no longer pursues anti-trust legislation such as this with much vigor).
 
I think anytime a judge has a frivolous lawsuit in front of him like this, he should fine the plaintiff all court costs, then physically slap plaintiff upside the head and have the bailiff boot them out of the courtroom like a bouncer in a bar at 2am.
 
The price of a whole night at the movies though is outrageous. It runs about $100 for our family of 4 to see a movie with snacks. Usually I bring in candy and we share some popcorn and drinks. When I can buy the movie on blueray for $24 in a couple months or rent it for $5 it really doesn't make a lot of sense for us to go to anything other than the very occasional big movie.
 
Frankly, what the theaters SHOULD do is start charging people every time their phones ring or make noise or screens light up during the show. I bet that'd curb that problem REAL fast.
 
J. Allen said:
I always get snacks when I go to the movies. I usually get a large popcorn and large Diet Coke (the refills are free),
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Why would you waste your money like that? I'm talking about buying the large soda when the refills are free. If you're staying on the premises, why not get a small (and thus pay less money) and just keep getting refills?

I'd understand if you were just driving through, but if you're already there, you're just throwing your money away over the same amount of soda.

and I'll buy snacks for my friends. Yes, the prices of the snacks are high, but the theater has to turn a profit, because they're not getting it from the film. It's like a gas station. People complain about the price of gas, but really the gas station isn't getting anything from selling gas. They depend upon people buying chips, beer, pop, etc., because that's where their actual profits come from. If I'm going to see a movie, I budget accordingly, so that I can still buy those snacks when I get there. That's part of the fun.

If anything, this should point to the shameless greed of the studios. 90%? That's absurd.
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This is why I tend to avoid major chains and "multiplexes" and will go to smaller indie, arthouse theaters (an abundance of which, thankfully, I find in Los Angeles.)
 
If the guy wants to sue someone he should be going after film studios for sucking up almost all the profits from first-release films.

But really people? You can't go for two hours without stuffing your faces with junk food?
 
doubleohfive said:
Why would you waste your money like that? I'm talking about buying the large soda when the refills are free. If you're staying on the premises, why not get a small (and thus pay less money) and just keep getting refills?

I'd understand if you were just driving through, but if you're already there, you're just throwing your money away over the same amount of soda.
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Because only the large gets free refills in our theater. The small is $2.80, the medium is $3.80, and the large is $4.20 (as of late 2009, the last time I was at the theater).


This is why I tend to avoid major chains and "multiplexes" and will go to smaller indie, arthouse theaters (an abundance of which, thankfully, I find in Los Angeles.)
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You're lucky, there. There are no smaller indie or arthouse theaters here. The nearest such theater is about 40 miles away.
 
it's been at least ten years since i've bought a snack at the movies. but yeah, if something is too expensive that isn't essential...then don't buy it.
 
The guy isn't suing because the prices are too high. He's suing because he's forbidden to bring in outside food in lieu of paying the high prices. It would be like a school forcing you to buy the cafeteria food or go hungry.
 
Kelthaz said:
The guy isn't suing because the prices are too high. He's suing because he's forbidden to bring in outside food in lieu of paying the high prices. It would be like a school forcing you to buy the cafeteria food or go hungry.
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i don't see it that way. you don't have to eat something while watching a movie. he won't be harmed by not eating for an hour and a half to two hours.
 
What valid reason does the theater have to prohibit their customers from bringing in outside food?
 
I take drinks in my backpack. I've never been searched, but I keep them stuffed under uni books and various other paraphernalia just in case.
 
Kelthaz said:
What valid reason does the theater have to prohibit their customers from bringing in outside food?
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It's just part of the terms of going there. "You can't bring outside food onto our premises." Same right as a "No shoes, no shirt, no service" policy. Businesses, movie theaters included, have the right to conduct themselves in the manner that they see fit. People have the right to decide whether they use those businesses services.
 
I can remember my mom stopping at the gas station for us to buy snacks before going to see movies nearly 20 years ago. I just grew up with the understanding that I had to sneak stuff in or pay the crazy prices. Most people aren't willing to put in the effort to stop somewhere beforehand and sneak stuff in which is why most theaters don't bother enforcing their "no outside food" rules.

There are other ways for theaters to make money on audiences, but it starts to get complicated when you have tiered seating prices and the like. Overpricing snacks is the easiest and least complicated. All I can see this lawsuit accomplishing for 90% of theaters is a change of signs from "No Outside Food or Drinks" to "Please, No Outside Food or Drinks."
 
The guy's claims are absurd.

a) He doesn't have to buy concessions at the stand so he's not being "gouge." Only necessities can be gouged.

b) A business has the right to set whatever price they want for the stuff they sell.

c) Movie theaters practically make no money off the ticket prices at least not enough to cover their expenses and turn a profit, they have to charge high for concessions to make money.

My local baseball team's stadium also doesn't allow for outside drinks and food to be brought in. There a hotdog, popcorn, beer, and candy all costs way more than they do in the store. Hell, they also charge me $15 for 50 sqft of asphalt to park my car. Why is no one suing baseball and football stadiums for "price gouging?"
 
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