# Movie theater etiquette - thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920 "2011-08-16T17:07:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/81 "2011-08-17T18:49:24Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Moving down a seat or two is not that big of a deal. For some people, but I like to sit in the _exact_ center of the theatre. I even get annoyed at first if the seats split the center and there is not one which is _exactly_ in the center, although I get over that when the movie starts. But a whole seat’s difference does remove me from the movie somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/82 "2011-08-17T18:50:38Z")
A person sitting in their own seat, minding their own business does not equal “stubborn.” ---
**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:** [August 17, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/83 "2011-08-17T18:54:47Z")
Well, we can’t take your word for it, Dio, because, by definition, any position you take is stubborn. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/84 "2011-08-17T19:01:57Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I vastly prefer to have one or even two buffer seats, if the theater isn’t full. I HATE having to put my purse and possibly my wrap on the theater floor. That floor is probably all sticky and filthy. Now, if the theater is nearly full, that changes, because the latecomers do have more right to a seat than my purse does. But if there are plenty of empty seats, then the other people can choose from those empty seats, rather than expecting others to move. Just to clarify–even though I like having a buffer seat between me and other people, I am fine with moving my stuff (which usually amounts to the various wrapping/box/napkins, etc. from whatever junk food I’m eating) from an empty seat if someone wants to sit there. Particularly since I know a lot of people like the row I like, I wouldn’t be at all cranky about that. The only thing I don’t like to do is physically move _me_ over, since I specifically get there to pick out the center seat in the row. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/85 "2011-08-17T19:02:14Z")
If the movie is about to start, then why should they need to sit together? They shouldn’t be talking to each other anyway. Of course, I may not be up on current movie etiquette. I have a 92 inch projection screen and Netflix at home, so the only time I went to a theater in the last 6 years was for Avatar and someone gave me the tickets as a gift. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/86 "2011-08-17T19:03:58Z")
I wonder if the disconnect we’re having here is from two different personality types; the first one expects other people to think about what they’re asking, and not ask for too much, and the second one asks for everything they want, and puts the onus on other people to tell them “no.” I think the OP is from the first group, and the large group of latecomers is in the second group. ETA: Checks for \*\*JoelUpchurch’s \*\* location. 🙂 ---
**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:** [August 17, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/87 "2011-08-17T19:13:23Z")
Nobody asked the OP for anything. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/88 "2011-08-17T19:19:54Z")
Even less reason for the OP to move then. Still, I have seen this phenomenon of large groups coming in late and then expecting everybody to shove over for them. I’ve even seen them try to get ushers to make people move. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/89 "2011-08-17T19:41:41Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Well, we can’t take your word for it, Dio, because, by definition, any position you take is stubborn. Leave the **Dio** -baiting in The BBQ Pit where it belongs. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/90 "2011-08-17T19:44:00Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Not the same comfort level - am I seriously the only one who finds it unpleasant to sit right next to a stranger if the theater isn’t full? Nope, that would be my objection. My Wife and I do the same as the OP. Get the same seats too, from the description. But we make sure we arrive early enough to do it. Got a large group that want’s to sit together? Guess what… you need to get to the theater early enough to find seats to do it. It’s not that hard to figure out. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/91 "2011-08-17T19:44:18Z")
2 warnings, 21 posts apart. Who knew this was such a hot topic? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/92 "2011-08-17T19:46:21Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I agree, it can be awkward getting seated. It’s dark, the movie is about to start, you’re blocking people by standing up, you’re worried about getting a seat, etc. > > A stubborn person down the row does nothing to help the situation. There were plenty of empty seats; it’s not like they had to hunt down a place to sit. And it take only a few moments for a person’s eyes to adjust in the dark. So they could have stood at the side of the aisle, waited a bit until they could see, and then taken any of the freely available seats in any other row. Or, they could have, you know, arrived on time (or, the horror, early!) so as not to be stumbling around in the dark. But of course that’s just too much to ask. People who show up late should be rewarded with the prime seats, right? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/93 "2011-08-17T20:03:21Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > 2 warnings, 21 posts apart. Who knew this was such a hot topic? First world problems. The smaller the problem, the larger the fight. That said, if there were plenty of seats, hell no I wouldn’t move. I probably _would_ be kind of dickish even if asked; I’d look around, check that there were in fact empty seats, and say “Meh, you got room.” And of course if it’s a packed theater, I’d do what I could to accommodate. At that point my personal desire is less important than not dicking anyone out of a seat. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920/94 "2011-08-18T14:26:40Z")
Wow, the SDMB Offenderati are out in full force. OP, you did fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-theater-etiquette-thoughts/592920.md?page=4)