Yes, it’s still not common in the United States for movie theaters to make available a wide range of food choices. It’s usually just popcorn, sodas, hot dogs, pretzels, and candy. More and more places are selling capuccino drinks and fancy juices, though. I’ve never seen franchise outlets like Pizza Hut in a movie theater.
The ones in our theatres are all very cut-down versions (“Express” models if you prefer) of their standalone stores, and as such their menus are pretty skimpy (you’re limited to personal pan pizzas and other small items at Pizza Hut for example) but it’s good enough for theatre-going. Some of them also incorporate sit-down cafes, which is good if you went in early. As expected however, it’s all “stadium-priced,” so it’s a mixed blessing.
There was some talk of the theatre I worked at serving alcohol, and it was vetoed pretty quickly, because in Nevada you have to be 18 to serve and 21 to pour, so very few of the employees could actually serve alcohol. They’d have to hire a bunch of 18-or-21 year olds to serve it, and a good chance of the time people that age range want more than minimum wage for a thankless job.
As for snackfoods, our theatre had hot dogs, nachoes, and churros. The reason, as far as I could tell, that the snack foods were so damn expensive, was because the parent company got a smallish chunk of the ticket sales, but a really good portion of the sales went back to the movie companies. They had to make money somehow.
(Keep in mind that I worked for a smallish chain of theaters that only charged $4.50 matinee and $6.50 normal for tickets)
~Tasha
In the DFW area, there’s also Movie Tavern . IMHO, it’s the best way to watch a movie other than at home. They have a decent menu and terrific blue margaritas. I like the tables in between the rows of seats.
Add to that Hollywood Blvd in Woodridge, IL.
Ticket price is $8.00 and you have to buy one item off the food menu. But you sit in some nice leather office chairs with a shelf style table in front of you and a lot of leg and arm room. Food prices aren’t any worse than they are at Applebee’s or Friday’s. My fiancee and I saw X-Men 3 there and the tickets, a margarita each (which was large and tasty) and dinner (burger for me, portabello sandwhich for her) cost me maybe $30-$35 which is at least what I’d drop at any chain restaurant.
I’m sounding like a commerical but I guess that you can have that sort of food served but you need special accomodations for it. Unless you’re in a niche market, most theatres are happier with the “stuff 'em tight on opening night” row seating and popcorn.
You will find alcohol here though. And tickets are only $4. Nobody under 21 allowed. Free pool. A decent menu. I love this place so, so, so much. It truly is the best thing about moving to Utah.
Yeah, and while they’re ginning up the quality of the food they should also start selling diet soda that doesn’t have caffeine. You’d think this would be obvious: they sell great big honkin’ sodas late at night. Maybe, just maybe, the people buying these great big honkin’ sodas would like to get to sleep sometime before 4 am. Or is it just me?
What percentage of patrons who stopped buying popcorn and soda would it take for the theaters to lose enough money to up the movie prices?
Huh–can’t believe I’ve never heard of these. There’s one just a few minutes down I-20 from my home! Guess I know where my next date with the spousal unit will be at …
I don’t like colas, with or without caffeine. And I reallly shouldn’t have much caffeine any time of the day or night. I’d love to buy a diet noncola.
As long as we’re listing theaters, the Parkway in Oakland serves a variety of food and has couches and tables in the two theaters. You order at the concession stand, they give you a placard with a number, and then they deliver the food to you during the movie (depending on the prep time involved for the menu item). Great stuff, they’re opening a second theater in El Cerrito.
And of course the Naz 8 chain in California shows Indian movies and sells various Indian food items (samosas, kabobs, naan) at the concession stand, as well as “non-traditional” ice cream flavors (lychee, mango, coconut).
Yeah, and you can only find them where? Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax and St. John’s?
I’ve never seen anything like that. I just wanted to state it isn’t the norm in Canada - just the urban centers.
Well, yeah, but the urban centers represent 80% of the population of Canada. 80% pretty much defines the norm.