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Author Topic: No outside food or drink rules Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-07-2004 08:57 PM                        I can see both sides of the drive-in no outside food policy. There's a drive-in not too far from me, when in Hamilton, that does well with a voucher policy. They also have a menu larger that any other establishment of any kind I have ever seen, all at a reasonable price. Myself, I usually draw the line at stopping the pizza delivery guy when you shows up at the gate on his way to deliver a pizza to someone parked on the field. Other than that, like Jack, we're usually busy enough that forcing people to either hand over some cash or wait in line at our packed concession stand would just piss them off and end up loosing us money in the long run. Nonetheless, those who do have a voucher policy are in no means overstepping their rights IMHO. quote: I'm sorry, but if you don't have a ticket, you're not a customer and are shit to me. I can't believe I actually just read that. Especially when it concerns a company that deals directly with the public. That has got to be one of the best ways to turn away potential or even regular customers, especially mothers. Do you not sell someone an advance ticket if they walk in with a drink in their hand because it's against the rules to have outside food or drinks in the building?  |  IP: Logged Erick Akers Arse Kicker Posts: 201 From: Dallas, TX, USA Registered: May 2001 posted 03-08-2004 06:26 AM                     Hi guys, I didn't mean to piss anyone off, I just wanted to pose a question to have an idea on how a situation would be handled. Barry, I may have been mistaken about Bengie's, In the early 80's we made several trips acros the U.S. visiting as many D.I.'s as we could before the demise of many of them. I do remember my mom being reembursed after making a purchase from a snack bar. I thought it was Bengies, but it could have been The Sundown or The Comanche ! As stated above the food permit was a very rare practice, and the first one we ever saw was at the Comanche in Wyoming. I'm on your side Barry, remember? I still want to chat with ya about building a D.I. My original question still stands: How many of your patrons that buy a food permit, end up making a purchase at the Snack Bar? and one other: Do you sell condoms behind the counter? Safe sex begins with us, and we all need to do our part!!! Jack, I'm not offended at all by this policy! If the patron, peacefully acknoledged breaking the rules after being asked to leave were to ask for a refund I would most likely comply. Also, If they asked to purchase a permit in liew of being tossed out, I would also comply. Thomas, Join me in a Cyber Toke and Mellow OUT Man!!! Not everone had a priviledged spoiled upbringing. Some of them just don't have the money. My family has been quite literally one step from the curb on a few occaisions. I will admit to smuggling munchies into a theater, for me it was a question of economic hardship. Please don't don't judge people as SHIT just because they arn't a customer, without knowing their background. In retrospect, you just called almost everyone here with the exception of members that visit your establishment. At least Phil admits that he's cheap! Phil, You can't bring in a lunch box without purchasing a permit from the D.I., but you can stay, and eat a box lunch without one. How about that? For the record, I almost always made it a point of purchasing at least one item from the snack bar even when I was sneeking in goods. Erick  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-08-2004 12:48 PM                     quote: That has got to be one of the best ways to turn away potential or even regular customers, especially mothers. Do you not sell someone an advance ticket if they walk in with a drink in their hand because it's against the rules to have outside food or drinks in the building? If they're coming in to use the facilities set aside for PAYING customers, (as it clearly states SIXTEEN TIMES on the doors) then they've just disrespected ME and the establishment, and I don't care to cater to people who show me no respect. Why did they choose the theater? There's THREE restaurants on either side of us. Plain and simple: They don't have a ticket, they're not buying concessions, what are they there for? To browse our movies by walking in to each auditorium? And nine times out of ten, I catch them trying to sneak into a movie (YES, as Daryl said, MOTHERS with CHILDREN) after they leave the bathroom. And they DARE to give me a dirty look when I tell them "The exit is this way." It's just easier to turn them away. And our box office is outside. They can buy all the tickets they want and have a picnic for all I care. But they ain't getting past the door stand with the picnic basket. I simply don't understand this proverbial "ass kissing" to every warm body that walks past the doors because they "might be a potential customer." Sorry, but I don't WANT them to be a customer if they're going to act like spoiled, arrogant, rude, dare I say "people." We let them in with their bag of peanuts and not only do they not buy any of our food, but dump the shells on the floor and piss all over the bathroom. Bingo: We just spent more payroll cleaning up their shit than what that person brought in to the till. As for the "low income" people, this is understandable. I've been down that road and am still trying to hitchike my way back. I've snuck food into the movies, too, but at least I am subtle about it. I don't carry in a SuperSized Burger King cup and set it down on the door post while looking for my ticket stub that I KNEW I would need 3 feet later. That's like a slap in the face. I'd rather spend my energy making the experience more enjoyable for the respectable customers than ruining my nerves dealing with the assholes. The door swings both ways, ecxept the emergency exits... =TMP= P.S. Someone mention something about a toke?  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 03-09-2004 09:36 PM                     If people are that low income, the ticket is too much. If they can squeeze out the ticket price, who says they absolutley require refreshments while watching a film. Maybe all the junk food and cigarettes contribute to the income situation. I am being half sarcastic but I watch movies all the time without food and drink. Sounds like a poor excuse to me. Thomas: You sound a bit bitter. I hope this is just in frustration of how dumb people can be after the fact. When you explain your policies I can't believe you would treat them that way. If so, you don't expect to gain any new customers I hope. Remember every person you royally piss off tells at least 10 others.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-10-2004 10:17 AM                        Daryl: Good point about the delivery pizza. We had that happen for the first time last year. I was so shocked by it that I let the guy make his delivery. After thinking about it for awhile though, I decided that crossed the line... something like the few times that people who bring their pizzas or microwave popcorn in and want us to heat it up for them. You get all kinds! Erick: No offense taken here. It's a good subject and one that I'm comfortable with. Coincidentally, so are Barry and the Bengies' owner. We happen to disagree on one of the details that make up the personality of our drive-ins. However, that's normal with outdoor theatres. You'll rarely find two that look or operate alike... especially if they're independents (which most of them are nowadays). Thomas: Try not to take everything so personally. You're dealing with the PUBLIC, which guarantees the odds that you'll run into just about every personality there is at one time or another. Let them be buttheads. In the end, you're still there & they're gone. R. Andrew: You probably should decide carefully when to "get into someone's face". However, sitting back and smiling at everyone, just to get them to spend their money at your place can create it's own problems. Probably everyone has heard an unhappy patron announce "I'm going to tell all my friends about you". First of all, most people aren't going to lead their lives based on the experiences of their "friends". If you have the show they want to see, they'll probably stop by. Secondly, if all has failed & we're just trading insults, I've generally responded to these people that if their friends are anything like they are, they'll be doing me a favor by helping keep them from my place. Most of the time, that sets up a mental conflict where they don't know if they're doing something good for me or not  |  IP: Logged Gary Crawford Expert Film Handler Posts: 200 From: Neptune NJ USA Registered: Nov 2003 posted 03-10-2004 11:25 AM                     We've been fortunate as far as smuggled food and goodies. Here at Bradley Beach NJ there is a restaurant every twenty feet on Main St. A lot of our regulars do a "dinner and a movie" night out so we all get some business here. People who come in with cups of coffee are usually permitted (we don't sell coffee, there are two convenience stores within fifty feet). A few might sneak in with a can of soda or even a beer. One regular seems to smuggle in a small bottle of rum but he does buy soda from us to dilute it! We stop people with things like ice cream cones / popsicles and ask them to finish them outside and we seldom have problems with that. When we do the pick up after the show we'll find a couple of outside water bottles, maybe a couple soda cans, but our regulars don't seem to abuse it. Back in the days of DIs around here a lot of things were brought in. Coolers were a regular thing and many folks had tailgate parties. I never remember any enforcement of "no outside food/drink" rules, plus the concession food was pretty bad and too expensive. I'm not sure how I'd handle a pizza delivery coming in for a patron. Maybe after cracking up at the shear balls of someone doing that I just might "confiscate" the pizza, for quality control purposes of course.  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 03-11-2004 11:21 PM                        No offense taken here either. I had a lady corner me last fall in front of the concession building and just started ranting on and on about the fact we charged for a food permit and we did not have $5.00 carload pricing!! I just nodded my head, said "uh-huh, I see..." etc. When I then explained to her why we did have these policies, she just kept telling me I was wrong. I replied, "I not changing the policy" ... she started to proceed to cuss me out. You can disagree with me all you want. If you don't like my policies... your more than welcome to drive 80 miles to the next closest drive-in. But DO NOT for one minute, think your going to start cussing me out in front of my other patrons and my employees and think your gonna remain on the property!!! She was told to leave... and I never saw her again.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-12-2004 01:04 AM                        We don't get much of that anymore... but once in a while, someone comes out from under a rock and can't seem to understand why you don't put out two first-run pictures for $5 a car. It's getting harder to keep from laughing at these goofs.  |  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 03-12-2004 01:13 AM                        We do Tuesday and Thursday night carload nights for $7 a car (one regular admission). The only time I'll sit in the box office on a Wednesday night is if I don't have enough staff that I trust with the cash (more so that I can't trust they can make change correctly). Wednesday night is the worst since everyone complains that Tuesday is cheap and Thursday is cheap so Wednesday must be cheap. Well if you knew that, why didn't you come on Tuesday or Wednesday. We usually charge an extra dollar on admission for four features too. "You want eight dollars! Two whole dollars a movie! Are you nuts?".... "Why yes, I put up with idiots like you." Anyway, it's getting pretty hard to keep a straight face while saying "GOOD" when they say they're going to go to one of the indoors in town instead, and then mumbling, "we own those too jackass".  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-12-2004 11:23 AM                     Yeah, I guess I'm being a bit bitter. (okay, a LOT bitter) but that's what happens when I'm asked to watch door for just half an hour while the underagers go on break. But still, these people think that just because I have a uniform that gives them the right to treat me like crap. And you can see it coming, too. The ones walking up with that stupid grin on their face and you just KNOW they've been thinking of something dumb (to them, funny) to ask just to piss you off. Or the look of "Watch this..." when they're with a group of people who are trying to blatantly carry in sodas. Of course, I would never treat people the way I said I would while working for someone else, but if I had my own theater, I'd make sure my "customers" are in check. If they see that they can get away with a little, they'll try a little more next time. You let them in with a cup of soda, next time you'll be letting them in with a bag of chips, then a pizza... Or the people who throw a fit because you won't give them TEN courtesy cups. They just don't understand that they're not the only ones in the world because they've been told that they are their whole lives. Probably an only child. And if someone swears at me or calls me a name, I just walk away from them. I refuse to deal with unreasonable people. Now the problem which I was trying to help them with has become solely their problem. Bye! =TMP=  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 03-13-2004 12:49 AM                     Thomas: I totally agree with not letting customers abuse you or your policies but I prefer to kill them with kindness. It makes them look more silly and unreasonable in a crowd and they ultimatley get more angry, but only at themselves. I get just as angry after the fact. If they begin calling me names I thank them and apologize for my inconveniencing them. It's hilarious how pissed they get, and those around them laugh at them, not you. When swearing occurs, I do the same..conversation over! The most I say is please leave or I will have police ask you to do so. The things I wish I could say to customers would get me fired  |  IP: Logged

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