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Author Topic: NO Outside Food & Beverage! Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 01-23-2003 06:26 PM                        My theater had the policy of "No Outside Food Or Beverage" but management enforcement was pretty lax until maybe 2000. On the seldom occasions I was taking tickets I would factor in a few things before turning away a patron who might be and could continue to be a long-term customer: 1) Did they buy something from us; similar to the "Outside Food/Beverage Permit" I guess. If they bought a Snapple because we don't sell tea/fruit cocktails but did buy a bucket of popcorn and 4 admissions then I would let them in. 2) If they had glass I would allow them to bring it in (in accordance with the above) but ask them to first get a plastic cup from the concession stand and throw away the glass as it could fall to the floor and cause a safety problem for staff/patrons. 3) How soon is their movie starting. If they have 5 minutes to find a seat (if there is even a good one or 4 seats together left) and get settled then I would allow it in accordance with the above. If they have 30 minutes I would ask them to please take a seat on the sofas in our lobby, use the tables we also provide in the lobby, and finish before entering the theater. In any instance I would always take the chance to brag about what selections we had to offer. Being a 20 plex and fairly new we were lucky enough to have a kitchen and coffee bar in addition to popcorn, soda, and candy. We had everything from chicken fingers to fajitas to popcorn shrimp and Nachos with EVERYTHING. A lot of people never even bothered looking at our menus just assuming it was the "same old over-priced popcorn/hotdog/soda" selection. And I do have to admit the food was REALLY good. Often I would buy it for lunch when I was tired of bad chinese food, McD's, and subs from our "food court" in the mall. I think this food, while more expensive, contributed much to the success of our concessions. At least when I worked the kitchen it was VERY busy.  |  IP: Logged Jim Alexander Film Handler Posts: 71 From: Greenwood, Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Nov 1999 posted 01-23-2003 08:30 PM                        We learned, quite a while ago, that: a) People will try to sneek food and drink into the theatre b) Every rule does not cover every situation. From this I expected people to sneek food in their jackets or back packs. To alleviate this, back packs were to be left in the Box Office. Jackets were hard to cover, so we just assumed they were clean. What we didn't expect were those that would come to the theatre with shopping bags full of pop, popcorn, chocolate bars and candy. And I don't mean just a couple of items, these held enough to keep a family of five happy for a whole show. These, people were told, they could not bring into the theatre. Just about everyone was a little upset. A few tried to argue, but non won. We've had a few special diet customer, and these we do not challenge. They are greatful and make special point of purchasing what they can from the canteen. General rule. If they are obvious about it, don't let them. If they are honest about it, compromise. If they are caught, bust'em  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-23-2003 09:51 PM                        Our theater as well has a "No Outside Food" policy. I have never caught anyone that tried to bring anything in that was not concealed, and we rarely have ushers to try to catch them in the auditorium. I do see some outside stuff on the floors on occasion, and have thrown people out who are consuming alcohol on the premises. Fortunately you can smell beer a mile away and even if they hide it in a cup you can eventually find out who it is. This is something we had discussed with the owner once upon a time, and his explanation was the customers just assumed we were a bunch of greedy bastages, and that was one point, but another point is that they could bring in food of questionable quality, consume it during a movie and become sick. The result would be them trying to blame us for the illness. People bringing in beverages in containers other than the standard cups (twist 'n go excepted) could drop them from the balcony, throw them or otherwise injure someone - also a liability problem. As to alcohol, we will turn away customers that have obvious signs of drinking. Not only could they fall and hurt themselves, but it sucks to clean up the they sometimes leave behind. From a customer's perspective, and being on a low carb diet, I usually smuggle in my own food that is acceptable to my diet, but I will try to be fair by buying what I can from the concession stand - usually a large diet soda is about all they have I can eat. There aren't too many low-carb options that would be popular in a movie house (yet). Most of them around here don't bother to check once you're in the theatre anyway.  |  IP: Logged Daniel Boisson Expert Film Handler Posts: 157 From: Buffalo, NY, USA Registered: Oct 2001 posted 01-24-2003 12:13 AM                     we're very strict with no outside foods or beverages. We don't usually allow backpacks and bags either, we tell customers they can put it in their car, or we'll hold on to it in the back room. The drive-in down the street has a "no food or beverage" policy, but it isn't enforced at all, they don't seem to have any major trouble with it.  |  IP: Logged Bill Langfield Master Film Handler Posts: 280 From: Prospect, NSW, Australia Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-26-2003 01:00 PM                        I love drive-in food. I would never bother bringing in Mc'D (It's hatefull stuff anyway, I'll at most get a Quarter Pounder every six months at most. Those other burgers are gross. The 'meat' on cheeseburgers and BigMacs are always died out) Half the fun of going to the drive-in being first into the diner at interval, before everyone else, to get that burger/fries/coke. Eat up, then makeout while second crap (not always) movie is on!!! Oh the drive in I'm taking about is GUO twin at Blacktown, Sydney OZ, just down the road from me, and I work just up the road at a Hoyts cinema. I love the drive-in, I'm glad they are keeping it going, even if it might be taking business off us. (I'd say only at NIGHT though!!) As for the policy of not allowing outside food in, gee, that is a difficult one, us like many others are in a shopping centre, and like many others are located very close to the food court and supermarkets. We dont allow hot food, and don't sell it (well we do if call Popcorn hot food), the only other restriction is no glass bottle or cans. So our 'percap' suffers because they buy coke from the supermarkets and popcorn from 'kernels' at a 1/4 of the price. (Everytime I walk past Kernels and they are offering samples, I say no thanks and think 'GRR youy are the enemy getting me in troublefor low per cap!!) I think any cinema near such strong competetion dropped prices to a reasonable level, they might sell more at the Candy bar, but they will never will. As others have noted, thats where Cinemas make their money, at the CANDY bar (and slide/film ads) not at the box office. How about the Film Distibitors made it 50/50 first release rather than 90/10. But that wont happen. Ok thats the end of a another rant at 5am!! Bill.  |  IP: Logged Nate Lehrke Master Film Handler Posts: 396 From: Denver, CO Registered: Oct 2002 posted 01-26-2003 04:14 PM                     Does anyone know of any theatre/fast-food partnership where the theatre actually sells the restaurant's food? The only one I know of is White Castle burgers & fries being served at a drive-in in Minnesota.  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-26-2003 04:32 PM                     We had Pizzaria Uno at the Greenwood Plaza in Denver. The joke was that they then opened a Pizzaria Uno accross the parking lot from the theatre. I'm not sure it was successful. The staff enjoyed quite a few pizzas.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-26-2003 09:10 PM                        Fast food in a movie theatre (in Canada): Pizza Hut New York Fries Baskin Robbins Yogen Fruz Country Style Donuts Taco Bell A few others I can't remember...  |  IP: Logged Pravin Ratnam Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 844 From: Atlanta, GA,USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 01-27-2003 04:49 AM                     As a patron, I know I can't stand it when people sneak in a hamburger or fish sandwich inside. It reeks. Hot foods in general smell in closed places. And I pray that the people next to me don't buy nachos and cheese when a movie is crowded. It just makes you less relaxed.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-28-2003 05:03 PM                        We had Pizzaria Uno at the Greenwood Plaza in Denver. The joke was that they then opened a Pizzaria Uno across the parking lot from the theater (but it was worse than the UNO inside the theater, even though the theaters' pizzas were smaller). I'm not sure it was successful. I enjoyed quite a few free pizzas. Management did not like it when I did not pay for them.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-28-2003 05:21 PM                        quote: I enjoyed quite a few free pizzas. Management did not like it when I did not pay for them. Uh... that's what spoilage sheets are for.  |  IP: Logged Charles Everett Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2001 posted 01-28-2003 05:58 PM                     The GCC Bridgewater Commons served Uno pizza around 1996-97. That made it a halfway decent alternative to the food court in the mall and the diners nearby. Uno has a lot of locations near theaters. In fact, Uno recently had a pop-up ad that appeared when you called up showtimes for a Movietickets.com theater (AMC, National Amusements). Mega Movies in East Brunswick NJ is within a major mall but has their own brand-name concession stand: Uno, Nathan's Famous, Ben & Jerry's.  |  IP: Logged

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