# Do cinemas in America really sell those gigantic popcorn buckets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 2, 2007, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391 "2007-01-02T06:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391/61 "2007-01-03T16:55:36Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Popcorn without butter is as pointless as a salad without salad dressing. Popcorn is merely a vehicle for salt & butter. [/QUOTE] Even if this was a comment made in humor, just as salad is wonderful with the right mix of vegetables and nonfattening toppings (vinegar, spices, a few bits of dried fruits, maybe even a spoonful of blue cheese crumbles) popcorn is wonderful with a bit of Pam & the right powdered flavorings, particularly this: [Amazon.com: Kernel Season's Popcorn Seasoning White Cheddar, 2.85 Ounce (Pack of 6) : Grocery & Gourmet Food](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H226VW) ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391/62 "2007-01-03T17:02:25Z")
Not to mention that as with most processed foods, you couldn’t get the calorie content of movie theater popcorn during normal home cooking. > **[Nutrition](https://www.verywellfit.com/nutrition-4157081)** > > Good nutrition is a foundation of good health. From eat well fundamentals to healthy cooking tips to recipes, get the know-how you need to make a good-for-you diet second nature. Going by 10 calories (more or less) per cup, that’s 70 calories of popcorn and 430 calories of butter. More than half a stick, on what’s equivalent to about half a bag of microwave popcorn. Enough to render the whole thing inedible. Even the worst microwave variety, the pour-over cheddar popcorn, has fewer calories, a bit over 300 per half-bag. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391/63 "2007-01-03T17:28:02Z")
[QUOTE=MsRobyn] True, but when you’re talking about a large number of containers times the number of theaters, it can’t add much more than a quarter to the cost of the food, what with economy of scale and all. And some theaters have logos from other companies like Coca-Cola on their containers and I’ve also seen upcoming movies advertised on popcorn bags. The ads have to defray the cost of the container through advertising revenue, since I can’t see movie theaters giving that away for free. Robin [/QUOTE] It might be the bag manufacturer who’s getting the money for the ads. It seems more likely than the theater chains. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391/64 "2007-01-03T18:48:09Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] It might be the bag manufacturer who’s getting the money for the ads. It seems more likely than the theater chains. [/QUOTE] I doubt it very much. I can’t think how it would work. The bag company would have to offer some kind of discount to the theater to accept its advertising-laden bags rather than its plain bags. It’s much more likely to be an arrangement between the theater chains and the movie distributor. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391/65 "2007-01-03T20:23:36Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] I can’t figure out your math or your vision. That site says that small is 100 per case for $25.00 or .25 each. Medium is 100 per case for $30.00 or .30 each. Large is 50 per case for $33.00 or .66 each. Jumbo is 50 per case for $46.00 or .92 each. Better lay off the butter in your popcorn. It’s clogging your arteries! 🙂 [/QUOTE] :smack: I reversed the numbers. 50 units / $25 = :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cinemas-in-america-really-sell-those-gigantic-popcorn-buckets/386391.md?page=3)