'Sneaking' Food into the Cinema

Sorry, but this is another of my ‘do you’ threads, I don’t want this to become a sort of AIBU for STW.

Since time immemorial I have taken a drink / snack to the cinema with me if I fancy one. Brazen as you like – the other evening I took the eldest and two of his mates in – they wanted stuff as kids do, but there was no way I was going to pay £50 or whatever for 3 bags of whatnot and 3 massive cups of thisandthat so we swung by ASDA and bought a load of popcorn, sweets and pop for £5 and send them on their way (they saw some Super Hero toss, and I went to see Bladerunner 2049 on my own).

But I see these Memes on facebook about ‘sneaking’ snacks in under hats and coats, shady as you like and then trying not to get caught consuming them?! Is this a rule? I’ve never seen a sign, and I don’t hide it, I pass my ticket to the usher, say thanks and walk off with a bottle of pop in hand.

I’m a breaking a rule here, is it merely ‘frowned upon’ or is this one of those internet things, probably started by the cinemas to try to make out “outside food is not allowed”?

For reference, I wouldn’t take a 6 pack of lager into the pub with more or a cheese sandwich into Harvester – but I don’t see it as the same thing.

I don’t see it as the same as taking your own beer to a pub either.

I always buy some snacks before I go to see a film and wouldn’t ever consider buying snacks from the cinema foyer.

Nope, just march in with a big bag, as bold as brass.

Our local cinema is right next door to ASDA.

Never been a problem. We even take our own plastic popcorn tubs to stop the kids rustling a bag and keep the popcorn quiet.

No, there’s no rule for most cinemas, for those you can take anything you like in. Some do stipulate, but I wouldn’t go to any of them.

Firstly

Generally never bother, the 2 cinemas here will sell you a sensibly priced been and I can go more than 2hrs between eating.

I always take stuff in. They shouldn’t charge such utterly stupid proces for stuff (but then that’s obvious!) I don’t sneak it. What, is some spotty teenager in a black UCI jumper going to confiscate it? 😆

One thing I always do, is take my rubbish out with me. I notice the majority of in cinema purchasers don’t. Maybe that’s why they have to pay extra.

That graphic above must be at least 10 years old – £8.50! It’s 12 -15 quid now.

I rarely go to the cinema, it sucks. But when we do we always take a little red wine 😮

the 2 cinemas here will sell you a sensibly priced been

define sensible?!

Funnily enough, last weekend I took a little pot in with some sweets in it. Sweets finished, it fell off my seat and rolled down the isle! ha! It was only during “Justice League” though, so most people were pleased to get a bit of distraction from Superman’s weird CGI gob.

define sensible?!

Same price as the bar next door.

I take bottled beer in, super chilled and wrapped in newspaper as a makeshift cool bag. It works, nice and cold. I stopped gointo london cines when it hit 15 quid.

From VUE cinemas FAQ’s…..

Can I bring food from outside?

Yes – we allow food from outside to be eaten in our cinemas with the exception of hot food or alcohol.

Funnily enough, last weekend I took a little pot in with some sweets in it. Sweets finished, it fell off my seat and rolled down the isle! ha! It was only during “Justice League” though, so most people were pleased to get a bit of distraction from Superman’s weird CGI gob.

I’ve completely had my fill of Super Hero films, but I was surprised to read how much of a cynical money making venture it had become that rather than wait a few week for an actor to become full available, they spent $25m on CGI and gave superman a daft gob to get it out on time.

Why do Vue charge so much then? Doesn’t make sense – except to rip people off!

Why do Vue charge so much then?

Because idiots.

Re – Superman – indeed P-Jay, luckily for me my vision isn’t good enough (especially with my eyes shut zzzzZ), so I only noticed at the end when my kid pointed it out.
Film is utter garbage anyway. The script is nonsensical.

So. My local Cineworld has a Poundland opposite. I don’t worry about popping in there to get my food / drink to visit that one.

However my other local is part of a small Picturedome chain. They keep the food and tickets (2.50 Monday to Friday £3.50 Sat / Sun) cheap and have a sign up saying in order to keep the prices cheap please don’t bring in your own food. Happy to do as they request.

Lovely intimate venue, tickets / seats all bookable online.

Fine to take your own food in as long as it’s not noisy or stinky.

I wouldn’t take a 6 pack of lager into the pub

You’d be on rocky ground if you took your own film in to the cinema to watch.

I like going to the shop with my boy, filling our pockets with sweets and pop bought from the local shop that he’s not normally allowed and then sneaking them into the cinema.
It makes it even more exciting for him (and me).

The Vue near Bike Park Wales is only £2.99 btw 🙂

Why do Vue charge so much then? Doesn’t make sense – except to rip people off!

Someone who’s paid to work out such things, worked out the most effective way to make money from it. Convince plays a big factor, some people will think “£11 for a tinned hotdog in a stale roll – aye, why not” just because it’s there in front of them.

I think they probably push a bit more by their interpretation of ‘show times’ – I don’t go often at all, but I always get caught the same way “starts at 7pm” arrive at 6:45pm because you don’t want to be late…

6:45pm and….

|https://thumbsnap.com/6jDDopAZ[/img]

7pm the ads started, 7:15 the next paying customers arrived, trailers started about 7:40, film at 8pm!

I got bored and bought a Hot Dog.

Normally I would buy at the cinema but some recently have been charging prices that are way above acceptable even for something that you know will priced high.

There’s a limit to p1ss taking.

Why do Vue charge so much then? Doesn’t make sense – except to rip people off!

My understanding has always been that the cinemas make nothing (or very close to nothing) from actually showing the film so need to make as much as possible from the concessions stand. Same reason for the 2 for 1 midweek deals. Get people in for half price and hopefully they’ll spend more on snacks.

No I don’t take food in, I buy it there. Everyman Cinemas have a small food menu and bring it to you before the film starts.

I see no reason to go anywhere else.

Our local Vue is excellent.

They tell you exactly what time the film itself starts and don’t mind food being taken in.

Bag of popcorn and a drink, next to a pub, walking distance.
Sorted.

Always decent sound and usually less than a tenner.

Hebden Picture House is excellent too, good fun night out.

http://deadline.com/2017/11/the-last-jedi-disney-theater-chain-terms-popcorn-concession-sales-1202199763/

Disney is reportedly, per the Wall Street Journal, demanding a 65% cut of The Last Jedi‘s domestic ticket sales along with a four-week hold in each venue’s largest auditorium and a 5% B.O. penalty to any theater owner who breaks any part of the contract including taking the film off-screen. The Force Awakens held the No. 1 box office spot at 4,134 theaters in its first four weekends. Last December’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story held at 4,157 theaters in its first four weekends and charted No. 1 for three of them

The cinema can have my business or not, that’s up to them, but I’m not paying £6 for a box of popcorn!

It is 100% a deal-breaker.

If I can’t take my own stuff in for the kids, then we’ll wait until the DVD comes out thanks very much.

On the rare occasions it is just me or my wife and I, I would rather just not have anything than pay those prices.

I think most of the big chains just have a “don’t bring your own booze or hot food” policy.

I remember reading a few years back that most cinemas struggle to break even on ticket sales, so they rely on the food/drink to make any money. So if everyone did, you might find yourself without a local cinema after a while.

Mrs Binners never carries a handbag EXCEPT when we go the the piccies. In which case she uses one of those mahoosive ones like you see Victoria Beckham carrying. Somebody who clearly doesn’t know her that well bought her one for Christmas a few years back. It now earns its keep exclusively as a fizzy pop and monster munch dispenser 😀

So if everyone did, you might find yourself without a local cinema after a while.

Which isn’t necessarily a problem……..

Going to the cinema is a leisure activity after all – if it becomes prohibitively expensive then I won’t go. If enough people do the same then somebody has a decision to make…..

If they insisted, I’d still go, but just wouldn’t buy any food.

Don’t always take food in myself and I think the prices are saltier than the popcorn as it is.

But do go quite a lot.

I’ll often buy make sure it’s a good deal offer, yes it’s inflated but it keeps the cinema open.

7pm the ads started, 7:15 the next paying customers arrived, trailers started about 7:40, film at 8pm!

And people still manage to turn up 15 mins after the actual film has started and have to shuffle past everyone to get to their seats.

I’ll often buy make sure it’s a good deal offer, yes it’s inflated but it keeps the cinema open.

except that the markup I’ve seen recently is way too much on commonly sourced items.

I’m pretty cavalier about spending money so for me to balk at their prices and reconsider buying from them means they must have lost a lot of customers.

We even take our own plastic popcorn tubs to stop the kids rustling a bag and keep the popcorn quiet.

Garwd blees ya sir,you considerate cinema goer you .
I can’t stand noisy eaters* at the flicks.

* or old people that talk,fart,snore during all the quiet moments

🙂

For reference, I wouldn’t take a 6 pack of lager into the pub with more or a cheese sandwich into Harvester

my mates grandparents were kicked out of the local cinema for eating sarnies & a drinking a can of stella.

They were mortified, they’d been doing it for 50 years!

Funnily enough, last weekend I took a little pot in

At least that would make the hot dogs edible

😀

I do in the big chains. I don’t at The Rex[/url] because it’s awesome, serves good wine and beer and even has licorice all sorts!