Remember when Movie Theater Popcorn was awesome?

[Trekker4747]

When I saw "Get Smart" last weekend I did something I don't normally do and bought theater popcorn. Usually I buy nachos but this time I thought I'd be different and, as expected, I was disapointed.

Nevermind that the way AMC serves you your popcorn makes it all but impossible to get a good, even, coating of butter throughout your bag. Nevermind that AMC has long-since gone to a "McDonalds" style of handling concessions -where everything is made up, ready to go and all the server has to do is grab what you want and hand it to you and never-mind that the butter topping isn't even really butter but "butter flavoring."

But it's something deeper.

A good, solid, 15 years ago I recall there was some hooplah over the type of oil used in popcorn -Coconut Oil- and theaters switched over to Canola Oil. Nevermind that Coconut Oil TASTED BETTER.

And it would seem that ever since theater popcorn has never been the same and has sprial down from there.

I posted over in the popcorn thread in Misc that I've taken to making my own popcorn at home quite a bit -using better quality oil and real butter. But that does me little good at the theater unless I can sneak in there with a fannypack full of my own stuff, not get caught, and have enough in there to last me a movie. Not to mention not look like a tool by wearing a FANNY PACK!

But it would certainly seem that movie theater popcorn -save maybe local or regional chains- isn't what it used to be. But there was a glorious time, that I can recall, when it was great stuff you craved. Until somone made a fuss and ruined it for everyone.

 

[Paxil]

I refuse to buy anything at the theater - on the rare occasion that I go - because of the cost, and because if I drink anything I'll have to get up and pee before the movie is over. I can not eat or drink for two hours, its not that hard.

 

[Trekker4747]

I refuse to buy anything at the theater - on the rare occasion that I go - because of the cost, and because if I drink anything I'll have to get up and pee before the movie is over. I can not eat or drink for two hours, its not that hard.

I can not have to go pee for two hours.

 

[zakkrusz]

No, I can not recall a time when movie theater popcorn wasn't kinda gross and wasn't like eating 4 jumbo hot dogs worth of cholesterol. I don't eat it uless my stomach is completely enpty, in which case the soda I always buy would not sit too well. However, ever since all the theaters here switched to Pepsi products I've said to hell with it and smuggled in my own food and drink, my bank account thanks me too.

 

[Agent Richard07]

I don't buy anything at the theatre either. Everything is too artificial. I just bring a bottle of water. About a decade ago though, I used to get the giant pretzel with cinnamon sugar or icing along with iced tea.

 

[TGTheodore]

First-run movie theaters do NOT get much of the ticket prices if ANY AT ALL. Most major films get OVER 100% of the ticket money the first few weeks. The main source of income for movie theaters is the concession stand (and some of the distributors even get a piece of THAT for awhile.). So don't blame the movie theater for the price of tickets when they don't see any of it for a few weeks. And without the concession receipts, that theater wouldn't be there.

Now, as for popcorn, that's a matter of the individual movie chain. Some is fresh daily, some is popped the day before and reheated ... so the quality depends on the theater you go to.

--Ted

 

[Paxil]

I refuse to buy anything at the theater - on the rare occasion that I go - because of the cost, and because if I drink anything I'll have to get up and pee before the movie is over. I can not eat or drink for two hours, its not that hard.

I can not have to go pee for two hours.

Wait a few years.

 

[NewHorizon]

Yes, I do remember great tasting movie popcorn...and thanks to complaining about it, I still can.

The 'mainstream' theater here used real butter for years, but then switched to 'buttery topping' and it smelled disgusting...like cat urine. I contacted the head office and they told me what it was. I did some research and got back to them about it and explained exactly how it was made, and the health issues involved. This stuff was nasty, it was hydrogenated oil...so naturally it is going to clog up arteries. In addition, it just smelled awful and made gave me cramps for hours after eating it. I used to take in a small dispenser of my own Non-hydrogenated margarine, that I would prepare just before leaving for the Theater.

What infuriated me even more, is that I had been in Vancouver and Toronto movie theaters, where both times I had received Becel Margarine. I live in the Maritime provinces, where we tend to get treated like uneducated, lower class citizens. I called down the movie chain for trying to pass something like this over on us. It was simply unethical.

Anyway, shortly after I filed my complaints, they changed it becel margarine.

The small independent cinema in my town has always had amazing popcorn. They use either real butter or becel margarine. Either is better than that other crap.

 

[Kryton]

I usually get to the theatre within about 8 seconds of the start of the flick, so no...no time to get anything.

Actually, I've only really been to the theatre twice in the past couple years or so...and both within the past month. And if I'm early, I usually go to the Mexican restaurant and have a drink or two, just 'cause I can.

 

[HIj'Qa]

soon it will be "Remember Movie Theatre Popcorn?"
With corn getting snatched up at great prices by the ethanol folks, pop corn will have to be made of some soy product, or formed of plastic from petroleum nobody wants.

 

[Tulin]

Trekker - It's "ever SINCE", not "ever sense".

 

[Gil T.Azell]

soon it will be "Remember Movie Theatre Popcorn?"
With corn getting snatched up at great prices by the ethanol folks, pop corn will have to be made of some soy product, or formed of plastic from petroleum nobody wants.

No loss movie popcorn will soon pass the price of the ticket
It seems like the theaters add a 3 digit % mark up on everything to eat they sell and don't let you bring in your own, they have you by the short and Curlies anyway.

 

[Hoser]

I used to think movie theatres were bad for not letting you bring in food, then my mum got her purse searched at Canada's Wonderland in case she was sneaking in a granola bar. o.O

On topic: Most of the theatres I've been to have been selling real butter, although lately I've noticed they charge for it.

 

[Sheliak]

I can remember when Oreo cookies tasted good and people died before age 60.

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

There's also the salt distribution problem. They don't butter or salt the popcorn before it goes in the bag, so the result is way too much butter and salt on top and nothing on the bottom. I usually ask them to fill it halfway, hand me the bag so I can salt it, then have them fill it to the top. Once I just took a salt shaker from the counter into the theater with me and added salt when needed.

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

I usually get to the theatre within about 8 seconds of the start of the flick, so no...no time to get anything.

Actually, I've only really been to the theatre twice in the past couple years or so...and both within the past month. And if I'm early, I usually go to the Mexican restaurant and have a drink or two, just 'cause I can.

We've got a new theater here that serves drinks to your seat if you're in the balcony. It's 21 and over only, so it keeps out the riff raff.

 

[doubleohfive]

I'd start a revolution,
If I could get up, get up,
Start a revolution, start a revolution!
If I could get up in the morning...

 

[Dusty Ayres]

First-run movie theaters do NOT get much of the ticket prices if ANY AT ALL. Most major films get OVER 100% of the ticket money the first few weeks. The main source of income for movie theaters is the concession stand (and some of the distributors even get a piece of THAT for awhile.). So don't blame the movie theater for the price of tickets when they don't see any of it for a few weeks. And without the concession receipts, that theater wouldn't be there.

Now, as for popcorn, that's a matter of the individual movie chain. Some is fresh daily, some is popped the day before and reheated ... so the quality depends on the theater you go to.

--Ted

Seconded, Ted.

As for movie popcorn-Buy a bottle or a small bag of seasoning, spread it over the popcorn, and you've got better tasting popcorn than what's usually served.

At the two big (now one big) Canadian chains, they offer the option of having flavored popcorn, usually flavors like Cool Ranch, Bar-B-Q, Ketchup (a Canadian thing, eh? Beauty!) Jambalaya Cajun, and other kinds of exotic flavours. Originally, it was free, but now you have to buy it for an extra price. Next time you're in Toronto, or if you live in Santa Ana, California, go to the nearest location of Kernels Popcorn and buy a bottle of the seasoning, then take it to the movie theater, spread it over your popcorn, and savor the flavour.

 

[Trekker4747]

There's also the salt distribution problem. They don't butter or salt the popcorn before it goes in the bag, so the result is way too much butter and salt on top and nothing on the bottom. I usually ask them to fill it halfway, hand me the bag so I can salt it, then have them fill it to the top. Once I just took a salt shaker from the counter into the theater with me and added salt when needed.

Hell, I should bring me a cup of "butter"* into the theater with me. So I can do that. What's bad is that the bags don't allow for a lot of shaking and shuffling of the corn to distribute the butter well. Remember the big, giant, paper tubs you used to get? Good old days.

I've asked my theater before if I can get a half-fill so I can butter it and then fill it up before but they often deny me unless it happens to not be busy.

Can't imagine wanting to *salt* theater propcorn. The Flavorall/oil they use is salty enough!

 

[Spot's Meow]

Hmm, my local theaters seem to be pretty good about this. They are all Regal Theaters. I watch the popcorn popping right in front of me, they put half in the bag and put in some butter, then put in the other half and butter that. And they do have the paper tubs. I still remember movie theater popcorn tasting better, but this kind isn't too bad.