Do you ever sneak your own food into the cinema?

I seldom go to the movies.

When I when semi-frequently, for the longest time I would sneak food in (like a box of theater candy).
Finally, I realized that eating and drinking during a 2 hour movie is a response conditioned by the movie theater, and that I actually enjoyed the movie more without the distraction.

If I watch a movie at home, eating at the same time is usually a distracting mess. Who says you can’t go 2 hours without stuffing your face and drinking a Big Gulp so you have to miss part of the action to pee?

I used to sometimes when I went with my kids. Now I go but hardly ever buy food or eat in the theatre.

And to answer your comment, it is ridiculously pricey to buy food in the cinema.

I don’t sneak it, I carry it in openly. There were some legal cases a couple of years ago in the US that confirmed that a person can carry their own food into theaters. Prior to the lawsuits, people were being hassled and turned away (or the food confiscated).

Anyway, at least where I am, it’s a non-issue and people carry stuff in all the time.

No cinemas here. I never thought about it. I can easily go 120 minutes without food intake. I love to watch movies at home with friends, though. That’s when the platters of tapas stream in, but my favorite movie snack is still popcorn and coca-cola.

Yes, if my schedule or the timing of the film warrants it, I might take in a snack. I’m not actually “sneaking” it in, but it goes in my purse or pockets, simply for ease of carry.
On almost every thread like this, someone will point out that the only reason the theaters stay in business is because of concession sales. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but if so, it’s a very poor business plan which I feel no obligation to support.

I would if I could. The food here is insanely expensive too. And I don’t know about Ireland or anywhere else, but outside food is strictly prohibitted. They even have a guard outside the cinema just to check whether you have your food with you. Some cinemas even ask us to hand down the receipt for the food we buy there. Why do they have to be so gung-ho about that? Isn’t the ticket costly enough?

I can do without food, but unfortunately I always go to the cinema with friends because most of the movies I want to see aren’t in the cinema. And they want something to chew while watching movies. So I have to share the money for the food, grudgingly.

I used to all the time. As you say, cinema’s food is waaay overpriced.

I once snuck a small cheese pizza in under my raincoat.

@canidmajor :: I was a manager at movie theater for a few years and it is true. The first few weeks a movie is out the studio gets around 90% of the ticket sales. Then each week it it gradually shifts and after about six weeks it becomes about a 50/50 split. So yes, there would be no theaters without concession sales. That is why we would give out free passes so easily. The pass costs us nothing and you might buy some popcorn.

We never really gave a shit if you brought in your own food. We would just ask that you made sure you put your shit in the garbage instead of just leaving it on the floor. People do actually have to clean the theaters between showings. They are so bad we used leaf blowers to clean them.

Regal Cinemas To Check Bags Upon Entry Into Movie Theaters and confiscate outside foods.

@johnpowell: Point taken. However, this is still a very poor business plan. The studio is holding the theater hostage, in a way, but they need the theater to present the product. There are three small, private theaters in my area that do not sell poor quality, overpriced snacks and stay in business year after year. Granted they don’t get the super blockbusters right away, but that’s OK. The amount of money pumped into the “You must see this this movie 10 minutes before it’s released or we’ll kill your dog” ads is obscene, and people would flock to the mega-movies without them.
Poor business plan, not my problem. Cinemark, Regal, et al aren’t going anywhere soon.

I do not eat or drink in the theater – ever! Even if costs were reasonable I still would not do it. Why? :
1) It is messy. I do not want to hold hands with someone who is either sticky, greasy, or salty.
2) There is a chance of spilling.
3) I can sit for 2 hours without stuffing my face.
4) It detracts and lessens the feel of movie.
5) It is calories I don’t need or want.
6) It detracts from the meal I will share with my date later.

BTW can someone tell my why they run those ads for concession stand food just as the feature film is starting? Does anyone actually get up from their seats and run to buy popcorn just as the movie is starting? I haven’t seen it.

@elbanditoroso Ah we can’t do that here. Most (if not all cinemas) in Ireland, have a policy of no food purchased off the premises can be consumed on the premises. Same with cafes, and fast food places.

@ibstubro Wow that’s a bit extreme. Our laws won’t allow that for a cinema, it’s regarded as invasion of privacy. The only exception to this is obviously the airport and nightclubs.

I haven’t carried my own food into a theater outside of a coffee drink and maybe a box of Raisinets.

My ex thought the best thing about the invention of microwave popcorn was that she could pop a bag at home, and put it in her purse to carry into a movie.

I take food in openly, especially when I have my grandson. I will usually still get a popcorn.
Theater concessions are very expensive here, too. A popcorn and soda will cost more than the price of a ticket.

We have staff for that.

Around my area, they still have signs “No outside food permitted in the theater.”

My favorite local cinema makes fresh popcorn with real butter. I splurge on that. Otherwise, I’ll either bring a little bit of something in my purse or skip the food.

@LuckyGuy :: Don’t get me started on those ads. When I started working at the theater it was owned by ACT III and that was alright. I was the dude who assembled the trailers and we had a pretty strict policy that the first trailer was a ACT III logo then three trailers for upcoming films. These were at my own discretion, if a movie looked like it would suck I never added a trailer for it. We had a huge closet full of trailers we could add. And then after the three trailers we had a short one for what type of audio the film was using such as SR-D, Dolby Digital, SDDS, or DTS. And lastly the THX logo. I went through great lengths to ensure that the actual movie would start 9 minutes after I pressed the play button on the projector.

And then ACT III was bought by Regal and things went to shit

They wanted us to start putting in Pepsi ads and ads for cars and all sorts of crazy shit. And we would have to rotate these ads frequently which is a massive pain in the ass. Here what a film looks like on a platter. Keep in mind the film is pulled from the center so changing trailers/ads is a massive pain in the ass.

But this killed me. My 9 minute rule slowly became 16 minutes of mandated trailers and ads. We had to start playing exactly what they wanted us to play since studios would pay to make sure the trailer for their new movie was included before a movie. And we had to do trailer reports and they would audit us.

This is pretty much the story of how I told my boss to fuck off and was fired and then rehired by his boss.

So juggling all these trailers was incredibly time consuming, we are talking 10+ hours a week and I couldn’t change them while movies are going so I had to come in early or stay late. And when you change them you introduce bumps in the film that greatly increase the risk of a brain wrap which is why films melt/break.

Our general manager of the theater was promoted to district manager and a new GM was brought in. I was really good friends with the old GM. We went camping and played paintball together.

So we had a trailer for the Oscars on all the films and then Monday rolled around and I had to pull all the Oscar trailers. I pulled all but one of them (I came into work two hours early to do this) and the one I didn’t pull was a movie that was in our smallest theater and only played once a day.

So Peter, our new general manager was apparently watching that horrible movie with some of his friends and the Oscar trailer played and he ran up into the booth and was bitching about it and was getting really upset and saying that everyone was laughing at him when the trailer played. So after about 15 minutes of his screaming at me while I sort of stood there in shock that this was actually happening I told him to fuck off and was fired.

Then I called my sister to come pick me up. Regal was cheap as hell when it came to to supplies. I had to buy my own wrenches and screwdrivers and multi-meter and oscilloscope so I needed my sister to get me so I could get my thousand dollars worth of tools home. Keep in mind I was only making a dollar above minimum wage at the time.

This was in 1999 and I got a job at Hitachi the next morning making hard drive platters. And I was going to make a lot more a Hitachi.

Then around 8PM Jake, the district manager that I used to go camping with showed up at my door with a sixer of Hamms tallboys and wanted to know what happened. I explained it and he said he would fix things. So the next day Jake says that if I want I can be a technician for southern Oregon. A lot more money and I just go around fixing projectors. Best part is I am now technically Peter’s boss.

Peter was fired a few weeks later. Not by me, but by Jake for something that was unrelated.

I do not eat or drink at the cinema.

Never had.

I think the reason is this. The cinema doesn’t make their money from the film, they make their money from the concessions stand, hence the prices.

I sneak in a bottled water in my purse but no food. I’m not really a popcorn fan and usually I eat lunch before a matinee, rarely go to the movies at night, but yep, I refuse to pay $5 for a bottle of water. haha I just want a few sips if my throat gets dry during the movie. My daughter and I went to a 1:30 showing over the weekend and had lunch first.

Grapes are a favourite if I sneak something. Otherwise the kiddo gets to choose something from the shop. It is stupid expensive but we go very very rarely.

Here is a fun fact. We sold a ton of popcorn to people that didn’t want to watch a movie. They would come in and get popcorn and leave.

Here is a less fun fact. The popcorn machines take a long time to get going so if you go right when we would open you are eating last nights popcorn. We would move it from the warmer back into popper to give the illusion of it being fresh.

@johnpowell Thanks for sharing all those insider fun facts. We, the audience members, have no idea of what really happens behind the projector. “Brain wrap” – very descriptive!

@cazzie My parents took us to the movies when we were little. We learned very young that it was not necessary (and even a negative) to eat in the theater. My kids were taught the same way. None of us have the trigger to eat when we are being entertained.

“People who eat while watching a movie are giving neither the movie nor the food the attention it deserves.”

@LuckyGuy: You keep saying that, and I agree that it’s not always necessary to simply eat because one is watching a movie, but you’d be surprised how often a snack (for oneself or for one’s children) can actually help get people through the film more calmly and less distractedly. For the kids, being hungry (and movie times are not always convenient) can make them fidgety, even something as simple as a pack of peanuts can improve their temperament and attention span. For adults (I presume to speak only for myself, here) that same packet of peanuts gets me to the meal afterward with my attention span intact and my temper much better. Hooray for you (and, to be fair) all the others who make derisive remarks about those of us who don’t have perfect schedules and/or perfectly regulated blood sugar systems, by all means, don’t eat. Me and my peanuts (or grapes or apples or whatever) will happily continue to enjoy our films without distress, because I go prepared.

I usually bring in juice boxes for the kid, because I’d rather him not drink six gallons of soda.

I see less than one movie a year in theatres. I think the lady one I went to that wasn’t a LotR/Hobbit film was The Fountain.

Just thought I would toss in more fun theater stuff we did.

Eugene has a lot of homeless people and it rains a lot. So we would let the homeless in and they could just sit in a theater all day and we would bring them hot dogs and nachos and popcorn. No ticket needed. It was a safe place for them to sleep and get some calories. Our theater had around 3K seats and during the day they were only 100 paying customers so it worked out.

And a good point from @Seek, what they offer, I don’t really want. The big multiplexes (multiplices?) don’t tend to offer stuff that won’t make me ill. At least where I live, organic fruits and/or nuts, real juice, are not offered.

My wife has to have either twizzler or sour patch kids
I like about two fingers of bourbon luckily she has a big goddamn purse.

One place I never sneak anything into is the the Parkway in Oakland, because they serve dinner and drinks to eat during the movie.

More fun theater facts. If you only eat half a bag of Sour Patch Kids or Red Vines the ushers are so hungover they will eat them. At least I was and everyone I worked with.

Might as well toss in another story

The general manager makes a % of concession sales. It was something like 1.5%. So our GM before Jake was named Travis and he was a total piece of shit. He got off on flipping us off when we tried to talk to him.

So one day new stock of candy came in. I might have helped with this. There was a box of 240 boxes of Sour Patch Kids that went missing. So around 600 bucks worth of Sour Patch Kids that went in the dumpster.

Travis got 1.5% of profit, but he also got 100% of the loss. So in that single simple act we cost him 600 bucks. He was not pleased. It was glorious.

@zenvelo Ooh, I have to put that place on the list.

I think Guardians of the Galaxy could bear having some popcorn eaten at it.

@canidmajor Sure some people have blood sugar problem that might cause a problem 2 hours down the road. But that is definitely not the case with most people who immediately run to the concession right after getting tier ticket. I contend that they have been conditioned since childhood that eating in the movies is an integral part of the experience.

Here is my one data point. My nephew has 2 young boys. He live near and shops at WalMart frequently. One day when te kids were about 5 he deiced to stop and put in some money for one of the gumball machines cleverly placed by the door. He gave each kid a treat. From that day on the kids would run to the machine as they were leaving. They are 7 and still doing it! Had he not started he would not have this problem.

Also, @canidmajor my son has food allergies to peanuts. Do you clean up the peanut crumbs when you leave? Do you wipe the arm rests? I doubt it.

.

Handing out popcorn, appropriately enough.

@LuckyGuy I don’t have much of an opinion on whether people should be eating during movies, but I’d like to point out that a one-time experience is usually not enough to warrant the term “conditioning”. So, in the case of eating at the cinema, I’d like to point to myself as “exhibit A” – I buy a candy bar sometimes, but I can get through two hours of concentrating on a movie just fine.

In the case of your nephew’s sons, is it possible that there have been additional opportunities during which the behavior (running to the machines, and possibly whining for treats) has been reinforced? When behavior is reinforced on a variable ratio schedule, it is very hard to extinguish. From the boys’ minds, any day could be the day. They have definitely been well-conditioned!

Intermittent reward, works every time. lol

“Peanuts” was an example, @LuckyGuy, and I do my best to not make a mess wherever I go. Reread my post, I gave your point credit in my first sentence.
But let’s go back to the peanuts, shall we? No, if I eat peanuts I don’t sterilize the environment. Nor do I when I eat strawberries, or any number of other allergens. But my friends who have allergies or kids with allergies take responsibility for their own issues, and they appropriately cleanse the area before use.
Yes, people get conditioned to reacting in certain ways.

But really, your statement: “People who eat while watching a movie are giving neither the movie nor the food the attention it deserves” is just a bit schoolmarmish and absolute. As I explained, I (and a lot of others I know) have a little snack to avoid getting distracted from the movie by hunger. It was just another perspective. :-p

Geez. So much judgment. This is a major reason why I prefer watching movies at home.

If I want to crochet during a movie, I can and will. If I want to drink a few coffees with whiskey, I can and will. And if I want to eat one or two boxes of Oreos, I friggin’ will.

And I don’t have to tell anyone to turn off their goddamned cell phone in order to see the screen or hear the film.

People who eat and drink audibly at the cinema should be turned into sausages.

@ragingloli Haha thats a bit extreme now. The only time I ever got ticked off with someone in the cinema with food, was when some idiot spilt his salsa sauce (from his nachos) all over my jeans. Gawd that was annoying.

…and beer

@zenvelo You’re in my backyard. I just went to a Comedy Oakland event on Saturday. Braved the storm.

Of course, another great reason to avoid the cinema:

People in my neighborhood get shot there.

@Seek A good reason to avoid Florida all together!

I don’t sneak things in. I do take food and drinks in. My husband and I go to the cinema regularly. We like to take a coffee in and some ice cream. We used to buy them at the cinema, but they stopped selling our favourite ice cream. Then they changed the barista and the coffee is now appalling. So we buy our coffee from the Spanish shop next door and some fabulous ice cream. I actually take a couple of small Tupperware containers and two spoons in my handbag and the Spanish shop staff put a scoop of ice cream in each container. Nobody bats an eyelid when we take it in the cinema.

And I have no problem focusing on the film while I eat my ice cream and drink my coffee. I have multi-tasking down pat. It’s not so much about conditioning, as a wonderful experience we like to share.

@johnpowell, we have at least 15-minutes of trailers and ads before the film. Irritates the hell out of me. However, when I’m running late, I’m pretty thankful for them. It’s really interesting how the choice of trailer changes depending on the film and the cinema’s perception of that film’s audience.

@Earthbound_Misfit: I go a lot as well, just as often for the big fun films as for the enlightening ones. I love the ice cream idea! There’s a fabulous place right down from our theater, and the Tupperware idea is great! Thanks for the tip!

You’re welcome @canidmajor! My favourite at the moment is Hazelnut fudge.

M, no. Why would I need to sneak food in to a cinema? I can go a couple hours without eating!

If I’m going to bother to eat while at the movies, it’s something I brought in myself.

I think I have bought food at the cinema three times in my life.

Only to drive inn’s. It’s been a while .

Oh man, our local drive in is a friggin blast. The rednecks out here bring couches sometimes

Smart rednecks!

The only persons that are most likely to sneak food in to cinema appear to be women. They carry handbag and purse which would be perfect to smuggle food and won’t be checked.

I don’t carry food in to cinema. I make sure that I’ve had my fill before I enter the cinema. The only thing I prefer to take with me is a bottle of mineral water (it’s against the rule to bring drink from outside but inside the cinema they sell the same brand, but more pricy mineral water so I’m positive I won’t ever get caught).

I haven’t personally but a few people I went to the movies with have. They weren’t caught. I don’t see what the big deal is if you sneak candy or water. The most they can do is throw you out or prevent you from going in.

I no longer take anything in, except perhaps a (refillable) bottle of water from home. I used to sneak candy in, because who can even afford concession pricing? But eventually, I started to realize that even the desire to munch while watching was something created by movie houses to sell product. That turns me off.

@canidmajor “On almost every thread like this, someone will point out that the only reason the theaters stay in business is because of concession sales. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but if so, it’s a very poor business plan which I feel no obligation to support.”

Yes, I feel that way, too.

I carry a back pack not a purse.

@Unofficial_Member I put food into my manbag. Or if I happen to be clothes shopping I’ll put food in the bag with the clothes.

I’m not understanding this food thing…..

@Dutchess_III: Why not? It’s been explained. Eat, don’t eat, I don’t care, but to not understand it? What’s to understand beyond some people do and some don’t?

@Dutchess_III Well I suppose its more got to do with tradition and culture at this point. Most people are accustomed to having popcorn and hotdogs when at the cinema. Whenever I do pay for cinema food, I usually do purchase the hotdog / drink combo deal, which is not as expensive.

The idea is, that going to a movie is a luxury and type of pleasure. So having some nice food to go along with it, is sort of a creature comfort. It adds to the enjoyment of the movie.

@johnpowell even less fun fact.
Back in the early 80’s I was friends with a theater manager in a small college town and the popcorn came pre-popped in ginormous clear plastic bags to be dumped in the warmer.

I know because during a private showing I had a bag dumped on me from the balcony and I was sitting in popcorn chest deep.

You need to talk to @Dutchess_III in little words.

@NerdyKeith LOL…better be sure that mushroom soup is well sealed when it goes in your manbag full of clothes. haha

@Coloma Oh no worries I have a special flask put away for the mushroom soups hehe

KMA @Rarebear! How’s that for a little word?! ;)

hmmm, anilingus

Oh, I just remembered. The movie was ‘Beowulf’. I was so shocked and numbed. I didn’t bring anything in, but I certainly needed a drink after what I saw on that screen. Horrifying for all the wrong reasons.

I have before yes. It might not be right, but it’s also not right what most of them charge. Ours wants $4.25 just for one bottle of water. You can usually buy a whole case for that.

A hotdog at a movie? Is that an Irish thing, or has it really been that long since I went to an American cinema?

What the hell is the appeal of eating a hotdog while sitting in an easy chair, in the dark, as a $15 movie plays??

Man, you need to re-think this whole thing, @NerdyKeith.

^^We have theaters with hot dogs in the US. Hot dogs, nachos, and the typical popcorn and candy. There are also theaters with full blown restaurants in them.

^^ At least one of our major chains sells hotdogs. I’ve never bought one. I’ve mentioned here before that at the same major chain there is a Gold Class option that provides patrons with reclining chairs and a full menu and alcohol service. You order your food before you to into the cinema and they bring your meals and your drinks at pre-organised time (times) throughout the movie. Each two seats has a table in between them to hold the food and drinks.

@ibstubro Actually there is only one chain of cinemas in Ireland that saves hotdogs; and that is Cineworld cinemas. The main other cinemas we have such as Odeon, IMC and the Savoy; have a much more basic snack bars.

I suppose the appeal is that is really the only type of hot food you can purchase in the cinema. Plus its not a type of food I eat a lot, so its nice every once in a while.

I think, @NerdyKeith, it might be more of an adventure if you try sneaking your own hot dog into the cinema. All dressed, of course, if you know our Canadian neighbor’s secret.

I still think I’d like a light meal and conversation after the movie better. :-)

Nyet, I never buy snacks at theaters either. I eat before the movie at a nearby restaurant. I do not want to uselessly risk being ejected from a theater because I brought food. That is quite immature and senseless.