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Topic: Military discounts

Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 06-09-2014 01:07 PM

quote: Scott Norwood
Something that I find to be sort of amusing is art-housey venues that don't show anything that would interest children, but yet which still have child prices

I suspect that most theatres will have some little kids in the audience regardless of the content of the movie being shown. This week so far I have had two 12-and-under admissions for Neighbors; in both cases the kids were accompanying their parents to the show. I assume it's cheaper and more convenient to bring the kids here than it is to pay for a babysitter. (In Saskatchewan, Neighbors is classified 18A which means that anyone 18 or over can come by himself, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by someone 18 or over.)

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-09-2014 02:32 PM

quote: Mike Frese
I have found that military wives expect the discount.....and for themselves to use the discount too. Those of you who offer a military discount, you allow spouse to take advantage of it too?

The Carmike and Starplex theaters here provide a military discount to any adult with a military ID. The person can be active duty or retired military or the spouse of the retired/active duty person. I'm not sure how it works out these days for children of military personnel. I don't remember being able to get any discounts at off-base theaters with my military dependent ID when I was a kid.

quote: Andrew Thomas
We don't offer any discounted tickets, not even matinee pricing. We just keep our tickets low for everybody.

And that's just it. If the standard ticket prices are low enough there shouldn't be any discount. I see no reason for a theater charging as a little as $3 or $4 for a first run, evening show to slice into that further with a discount. It's already a low price.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-09-2014 03:23 PM

quote: Frank Cox
This week so far I have had two 12-and-under admissions for Neighbors; in both cases the kids were accompanying their parents to the show. I assume it's cheaper and more convenient to bring the kids here than it is to pay for a babysitter.

That's the way I always understood the rationale behind kids pricing at movie theaters. In a theater, there is little to no difference in the exhibitor's cost to show a movie to a kid than to an adult. Since we are collecting less money, we are "technically" losing money on the sale. But parents are more likely to go to the movies and pay for their own adult tickets at full a price if they don't have to pay for child care at home. Further, kids are more likely to buy concessions than adults. With a few extra bucks in the parent's pockets from the child's discount, we have a better chance to recoup the ticket money at the concession stand.

At least, that is the way "discriminatory pricing" was explained to me in Economics class.

I suppose we could apply a similar rationale to military discounts.
(I think...)

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-09-2014 03:34 PM

Our regular adult price is $7.25 and has been the same since 2009.

Our senior citizen price (age 65 and up) is $4.25 and some of the seniors gripe that that's too much. Although some others say it's not enough, "You can't make any money at that price!" Proving that sometimes you can't win no matter what you do.

I like the idea of playing it by ear and just punching a military person in as a student discount or something. We just get that request so infrequently that it catches us off guard when it does happen.

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 06-09-2014 03:52 PM

Mike, our prices are higher than yours, but we have pretty much the same pricing model - discounts for children, seniors, and matinees. But no special pricing for military or students.

The thing that always irks me about discounts is people who see them as an entitlement. We actually get seniors who think they should get a discount above the matinee price just so they are paying less than everyone else.

We also get the people who think they should get in free when accompanying a disabled person. The thing is that most of the time they are getting reimbursed by their employer, or their ticket is being paid out of the funds of the person they are accompanying.

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Tony Ratcliff
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 216
From: Madison, IN, USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 06-09-2014 05:16 PM

I have only adult and child, all day long. No matinee price, no discounts. But my theatre is a moveover that charges $6/$4.

And yet fairly often someone will ask for a senior discount, or more accurately they will just walk up and say "One Senior".
My reply to them is "everyone is young here at the theatre" and charge them the $6.

I am not a "senior" yet, but I am annoyed at how entitled many seniors feel about discounts. In my town anyway, a majority of the seniors have more disposable income than myself or any of the families that come to the theatre.

When I ran a theater in Florida, about 95% of the customers were seniors, so I set the "Senior discount price" where I needed the regular ticket price to be so that the place actually could make a profit, because seniors buy so little in the concession stand.

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Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 06-09-2014 08:22 PM

quote: Mike Blakesley
Our senior citizen price (age 65 and up) is $4.25 and some of the seniors gripe that that's too much. Although some others say it's not enough, "You can't make any money at that price!" Proving that sometimes you can't win no matter what you do.

MIKE: Since I am going to be hitting the Big 65 this month;I was hoping you would show a little sympathy and charge me only $1.25
to your theater. Of course that would also include a tour of the Projection Booth and The Large Popcorn and Pop [Eek!]

I think the last Film I saw at an Outdoor here in 77 was "VIVA KNIEVEL" and Gate admission was $1.25 for adults. I'm all for those $1.25 Days
Again...They say all things eventually come full circle;but I'm not holding my breath that you'll ever see that Price again... [uhoh]

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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 06-09-2014 09:04 PM

When I was not yet qualified for a senior discount for everything from annual bus passes and movie tickets, I always envied those who did. I have now enjoyed getting senior discounts these past nine years and appreciate Regal and Consolidated with their special prices for us old folks. Even the city of Honolulu has a very generous fee for a senior bus pass. Just $30.00 for unlimited use for the entire year. The general public pays $65.00 a month.

-Claude

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Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 06-09-2014 11:24 PM

You hit the Mother Lode Claude;I thought six dollars a Month for a Senior Bus Pass was a Super Bargain but at your Bus rate your paying about 58 cents a week. I just looked at Reg Gas today and it was $3.41 at the cheapest Place.So for the Price of One Gallon of Unleaded Regular here you can ride on your Bus for 6 weeks.I just hope that you aren't getting ripped off at that Price [Roll Eyes]

Some Business's are really Hilarious about Senior Citizen Discounts.I was calling a number of places to check on what a Haircut cost. Anywhere from 12 dollars low end to as high as 25 Dollars. When I called this one Barber and asked him if he gave discounts to Senior Citizens;His Response was "YOU BET I DO;I ALWAYS TRY AND HELP SENIOR CITIZENS AS MUCH AS I CAN".His Price was $16.00;so I took his statement as meaning "I help you out of your Money as much as I can". [thumbsdown]

When I was 17 I thought 30 was getting old. When I was 25 I thought 40 was getting over the hill.I remember my 3rd grade teacher looking to us as if she was in her 90's;in fact she died on us in mid year. I recently found her grave in the same Cemetary my Dad is in and just a Few Graves down from his. She died at 66;one year older than what I'll be this Month. I then thought to myself Do I look to Kids like I'm a 90 yr old.I still feel and Act like a 25 year Old but like I said earlier getting older isn't pleasant. So in the midst of a person getting Depressed and annoyed about something he really has no control over; it's always Nice that some people/places still care enough to help you out one way or another while another Sector would just as soon relegate you to the Nursing Home as soon as Possible...

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Randy Pryde
Film Handler

Posts: 32
From: Casper, WY, USA
Registered: Feb 2013

posted 06-10-2014 12:08 AM

Mike,

We have a location with an Air Force base close by and have offered a discount to active military with ID for some time. It is quite popular. This year we added and advertised a military price at our other locations, even though they have no nearby bases. Those taking advantage have been very appreciative. It does not have to be a large discount, our military price is higher than the senior price. The only studio that has a problem with this is Sony, as their per capita computation only recognizes adult and child pricing. So we sometimes get nicked by them for additional film rental. But it is worth it for the PR and to recognize these men and women for their service.

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 06-10-2014 07:03 AM

My barber has a senior pricing model that actually helps his business. Seniors receive a $3 discount on Tuesday - Thursday from 10 AM - 3 PM; hours that his shop would normally be dead. That way he can keep his staff on site and still realize income. I take advantage of this and tip the barber as if the haircut had been full price.

Maybe theaters should consider the same model. It would certainly put some more butts in the seats.

Military discounts are especially nice at places like Home Depot and Lowes. Most of what I purchase is used for maintenance at my local VFW. I have a VA Health card that is accepted as proof of my military service at both places.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-10-2014 07:04 AM

I have noticed as the population "bump" becomes older, the discounts need a higher age to apply. I guess this is to be expected since we are the many who paid for previous senion discounts. Those behind us are working, but they can't spend as much since they don't make it.

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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 06-10-2014 02:36 PM

Steve,
I have been driving during all of my adult life but when my last car I had for over fourteen died after I purchased it new, 'died' a little over two years ago, I never replaced it. Yes, there have been times when I needed a car but when I was faced with that situation, either I would borrow my sisters car or rent one. Such times does not occur very often because I am retired now and I get along very well with Honolulu 's excellent transit service with my annual $30.00 senior bus pass. Auto registration was almost four hundred dollars a year and I believe I paid about fifteen hundred dollars a year for insurance not to mention about three hundred dollars a month for gas. Gas would be much more today at about $4.40 a gallon for regular when it used to be about $3.75 when I had a car and driving.
If there was no bus service with a almost 'free' bus pass, I would still be driving but there is and I am making full use of it and saving a lot of money.

-Claude

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Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 06-11-2014 07:19 PM

I have one price $4, except on Tuesdays when it's $2.

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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 06-11-2014 11:08 PM

What do you show, Robert? Current first run features or 2nd run? Do you also show 3-D and if you do, what is your surcharge for the glasses?

-Claude

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