I think one cineplex chain made a big deal of re-introducing it a few years ago, but it didn’t last. Why not? Is it just too expensive, compared to corn oil or whatever that “topping” now offered is?
Yes. Since theaters makes their money on concessions, every corner they can cut means more profit for them. This stuff is a lot cheaper than butter, and it doesn’t have to be melted. Or stored refrigerated either.
And clogs your arteries a lot more efficiently than the real thing!
Incidentally, when’s the last time anyone’s been to a theater that still put real melted butter on their popcorn? For me, it was in 1987 at the Varsity Theater in Seattle.
It’s a mess, and it goes rancid, and it has to refrigerated and then melted. Plus it’s more expensive, and most people can’t tell the difference. Making it a less pleasant world for those of us who can.
The last time I thought to order concessions at the theater was for the Watchman. I decided I wasn’t going to look at the prices and I was just going to order, bite the bullet, and enjoy some soda and popcorn for the first time in years. I didn’t order popcorn because I accidentally glanced up and saw that it would run me over $10. Just one of the many reasons I don’t go to the movies as often as I used to.
I can’t remember the last time real butter was used on popcorn. Quite frankly, I don’t know if I’ve ever had real buttered popcorn at the theater. If so I was a wee lad.
Odesio
Wow, this is weird. I went to the show yesterday and saw that they offered “real butter” for $1 extra.
The worker asked what kind of ‘butter’ I wanted with my popcorn. I said, ‘what are my choices?’ He said, ‘real butter is $1 extra.’ ‘What’s the other butter choice?’, I ask.
‘Ummm…mmmm…some kind of oil.’
Oh my God people! Real butter is sooooo much better than that oil crap they substitute. I would happily pay $1.00 or more for real butter. Mrsin is from the dairy state and we always have real buttered popcorn when we watch movies at home. When we go to the movies at the theater (very seldom these days) we get it dry to avoid the yuck taste of that oily yellow substance that they put on popcorn these days.
And, “get off my lawn” in case you were wondering.
There are some art theaters around here that offer it, I think.
We are also of a “certain age” but still go to the movies about once a week at least.
Here in Las Vegas, we usually go to the Regal Theaters, and they have a Regal Card you swipe every time you go - and about every other time we get a free movie ticket, or free popcorn, or free drink. Worth using their card.
However, to the OP’s question, we always get the large popcorn (split between the two of us) and the “butter” they use doesn’t taste half bad. Yes, I know it is probably about as unhealthy as you can get, but hey - we have been doing this for decades now and still going to movies last check up, both our cholesterol and other vitals were just fine.
BTW, with large popcorn and large drinks, they offer free re-fills here. With the drinks, we might re-fill on the way out, but have never had to re-fill the popcorn in all those years…
There’s the Gold Class Cinema in Los Angeles that offers calamari, New York steak sandwiches. I assume that given the price, popcorn with real butter might be offered.
I worked at a movie theater in the 70’s. My dad was in charge of popping all the popcorn for the theaters and it was sent out in great big plastic bags. I remember putting pounds of butter in the warmer and squirting it on the cups of popcorn - most people asked for more than the allotted two or three squirts! I suppose oil is cheaper, less messy, more portable, no surprise real melted butter is no more. Like a box of popcorn for 50 cents. No more.
“TBHQ and Citric acid to retard Oxidation.”
Yeah, you don’t have to worry about it going rancid. Just worry about it rusting. 
What I really hate is that none of our local theatres will put the butter/whatever on for you. I always liked them to put 1/3 popcorn in, butter, another 1/3 popcorn, more butter, last 1/3 popcorn, butter. That way, you got the buttery goodness all the way through. Now, they have the butter machine OUTSIDE the stand and you are expected to butter your own, which of course only gets the top.
I have asked a couple times if they would fill it half way, let me butter and then finish filling, but I get dirty looks and grumbling. I don’t even buy it any more, if I wanted dry popcorn, I would just bring a bag of microwave with me. (I have before… tote bags are good. :p)
Do movie theaters let you bring tote bags in?
There was a time after 9/11 when you couldn’t bring any shopping bags into the theater, if you were shopping at the mall beforehand. Even a package of underpants from Old Navy - might be an underwear bomb!
When I do this, it’s just a canvas bag, I use it as a purse. I’ve never had anyone stop me.
Senator Theatre in Baltimore, MD. Last film I saw there was Rashomon, fall 2009. Real butter or nothing!
The Studio Movie Grill chain here in Dallas (which has tables and chairs, and serves a full menu – including BOOZE!), offers melted butter for its popcorn (which is pretty damned good even without the butter, but with… ohhhhhhhh yeahhhhh).
I freaking LOVE Studio Movie Grill.
Personally, I can’t get enough TBHQ on my popcorn.
The stuff they put on movie theater popcorn is definitely of the Soylent variety.
My local theater does this and uses real butter. No extra charge. They don’t even have an option. Organic powered Cheddar cheese and Brewers yeast and other toppings are also available.
We only have one screen for the whole town though. It is a nice theater though.