Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Adult, Child, Senior Ticket Prices

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Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 10-11-2004, 09:20 AM:

For the longest time, the owner of this single screen theater had one admission price for everyone. I suggested having child and senior prices but he didn't want to lower any prices. This causes a lot of frowns on parents when showing something geared towards kids.
This weekend I decided to start charging 12 and under & seniors $1 less than the adult price. This is the second week of "Shark Tale" so I'm comparing last week to this week and guess what's happening, concession sales are way up. So far the owner is happy and patrons don't frown buying tickets now.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 10-11-2004, 12:49 PM:

Seniors and Children are only $5 all day, except the $4 early bird of course. I think it'd anger MANY people if we didn't have that price bracket. I mean, can you imagine paying $7 or more per child for Shrek 2? Hollywood would love it...the folks would hate it.

AJG

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 10-11-2004, 01:40 PM:

Here in San Francisco, at AMC and Loews, the child price IS in fact $7.00. It's an expensive day to take the kids to the movies...

IMO, It's no wonder most families just wait 3 months for the DVD to be released....

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 10-11-2004, 07:50 PM:

Admission Prices (Cash Only, No Credit Cards)
General Admission is $9.00.
Seniors (age 60 and over) and children (12 and under) are $6.00
Bargain matinees daily, all seats $6.00 for the first show of the day.
Tuesday is bargain day, all shows, all seats $6.00
Buy a Rialto Cinemas Passport card and receive 5 admissions for just $35.00, a savings of over 22% off the general admission price. Up to two admissions per card per movie. That's $7.00 per ticket!. (Checks are accepted for Passport sales.)
We now sell Rialto Gift Cards. They make a great gift for the film lover in your family.
(Checks are accepted for Gift Card sales.)

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-11-2004, 08:51 PM:

EDIT: double post, sorry.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-11-2004, 08:54 PM:

We are on the "Economy plan." [Smile]

12 and Over: $5.75
Age 6 - 11: $4.00
Age 3 - 5 and Seniors 65 and over: $3.00
Monday Discount Night: 12 and over: $4.50

5-admission cards: 12 and over: $25.95
Age 6 - 11: $18.95

We've experimented with matinees about 4 times over the years and they always just have the effect of drawing off the evening show crowd.

We're looking at a 50¢ across-the-board price increase after the first of the year.

Posted by Brandon Willis (Member # 2345) on 10-11-2004, 10:01 PM:

Adult matinee - $6.25
Adult evening - $8.25
Child (all shows) - $5.75
Senior (all shows) - $5.75

These prices are for the 2 Regal megaplexes in the Richmond area, the Virginia Center 20 and Short Pump 14.

[ 10-18-2004, 12:47 AM: Message edited by: Brandon Willis ]

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 10-11-2004, 10:10 PM:

Typical prices for the 'Vegas MSA:

Adult $9.00
Matinee (before 6:00pm) $6.00
Students $7.00
Seniors (55 and over) and Children (under 12): $5.50

Age definitions vary by chain, as do the prices, but these are typical. Not all chains offer a student discount. Brenden Palms IMAX is $9.75. Tropicana Cinemas (the only subrun house in town) is $4.00 all seats all day (including popcorn and a drink if you have a coupon).

Posted by Richard C. Wolfe (Member # 431) on 10-11-2004, 11:51 PM:

Edward, you didn't mention what the price of admission at your theatre is. If you are a first run that charges $6.00 or more for adults, then I agree that a lower price is in order for kids and seniors.

However, if you are subrun, or a first run that charges $4.00 or less, I see no reason for a reduced price for anyone. I am subrub, but not discount. I am in a small town that plays after a larger city near me. I play pictures on an intermediate run and presently charge adults at all evening shows $3.00, kids and seniors $2.00. Matinees are all seats $2.00. It is my intent to go to All Seats $3.00 in the evenings as of Dec. 24th this year. The matinee price will remain All Seats $2.00.

I was at one time Americas longest running dollar house, as I charged All Seats $1.00 at all times from Jan. 1971 until Aug. 1996, over twenty five years without changing my price. When I gave up the dollar policy, the first runs were charging adults $6.00 and kids and seniors $4.75.

It was not unusual when I was playing a family film, particularly a Disney film, for parents to ask why we had no kids price. How cheap can people be? They were saving over 83% for themslves and 79% for the kids, and they STILL wanted more! My answer was to tell them: "Yes, we do have a kids price, but we don't have an adult price... everyone gets in for kids price".

I can understand different prices for first run, but it makes no sense for subrun or discount run. Especially for senior citizens, as they don't buy anything at the refreshment stand, yet sneak in their individually wrapped candies, and then let the papers on the floor. Almost all of them buy their $2.00 ticket with a $20.00 bill after getting out of their big fancy cars. I really think they should pay more, not less, but I have to be realistic, as I know that would never work.

I can't wait to go to the All seats $3.00. It will make things so much easier, and faster.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 10-12-2004, 12:35 AM:

Adult Evening (after 6pm) - $7.50
Student/Military - $6.00
Adult Matinee (before 4pm) - $5.50
Child (2-11)/Senior (60+) - $5.00
Twilight (all seats 4p-6p) - $4.50

Posted by Sam Johnson II (Member # 2157) on 10-12-2004, 12:44 AM:

[For first-run 8-plex]

Evening: $6.00 adult, $5.00 child/senior

Matinee: $4.00 adult, $3.00 child/senior

2-year-olds and under free.

At the older theater it used to be Friday-Sunday: $3 adult, $1 child/senior...Monday-Thursday: $1 all seats. But since we opened about 5 months ago, they had to raise their prices to match ours. Personally, I liked the idea of having a Friday-Sunday price and a Monday-Thursday price, but you'll never have people stop complaining about matinees not being cheaper on Friday-Sunday (and that price system was in place for over a year).

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-12-2004, 01:21 AM:

The Senator Theatre in Baltimore has a one price fits all policy (and is 1st run). When asked about discounted tickets for kids and Seniors....their classic response is..."Of couse not, we do not discriminate based on age!"

Steve

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-12-2004, 02:36 AM:

Similar situation here. We get "how come the kids don't get a discount?" on Monday nights. My response is, "the kids ALWAYS get a discount."

Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 10-12-2004, 10:33 AM:

quote: Richard C. Wolfe
Edward, you didn't mention what the price of admission at your theatre is

Matinee adult price is $6.00, evening adult price is $7.00. Usually first run but a few old ones now and then like "Annie Get Your Gun".

quote: Richard C. Wolfe
Especially for senior citizens, as they don't buy anything at the refreshment stand, yet sneak in their individually wrapped candies, and then let the papers on the floor. Almost all of them buy their $2.00 ticket with a $20.00 bill after getting out of their big fancy cars

Same here, always big bills and usually no concession.

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 10-12-2004, 10:59 AM:

quote:
"Of couse not, we do not discriminate based on age!"

I LOVE IT!! LOL

IMO, All screaming babies and brats under six should have a $20 surcharge.

Posted by Barry Martin (Member # 1376) on 10-12-2004, 02:31 PM:

We usually have our big theater (212 seats) for first run and our smaller theater (64 seats) for independents paired with a sub/run. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under, seniors 62 and over. Matinees (shows before 6pm) and Mondays are $4 for all ages.

We usually only run one or two matinees and those are on Saturday and Sunday only. The Monday bargain night is left over from the old owner and seems to draw a large crowd which we are afraid of driving off by cancelling it. Probably going to raise prices at least 50 cents next year, as we reduced a dollar last April when new owners took over.

Posted by Fred Schoenfeld (Member # 2632) on 10-13-2004, 07:02 AM:

We are the only first run, single screen theatre in the Tidewater (southeast) area of Virginia. We are also the first full food service theatre in the US that was created in a fully restored 1945 Art Deco theatre that is first run, Dolby Digital and THX certified. The COMMODORE THEATRE has always had the lowest admission prices in our area for first run product, currently $6.00 adults, $4.50 children (8 to 13) and seniors 65 and up, at all times and all days. We find that by keeping our admission prices low, our customers will spend MORE on our food (where our profit margin is much greater).

Also, as far as we know, we are the only theatre in our area that excludes (yes, age discrimination!) all under 8 years of age. New customers are always surprised at our prices considering what they are getting for their money.

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 10-13-2004, 12:17 PM:

quote: Fred Schoenfeld
We are also the first full food service theatre in the US that was created in a fully restored 1945 Art Deco theatre that is first run, Dolby Digital and THX certified.

and maybe the only one?

Posted by Ramin Hashemi (Member # 2694) on 10-13-2004, 08:14 PM:

Ignoring competition reasons, wouldn't having lower prices on certain days just shift your customers to go on a the discount days?

Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 10-14-2004, 09:41 AM:

quote: Ramin Hashemi
Ignoring competition reasons, wouldn't having lower prices on certain days just shift your customers to go on a the discount days?

We normally only have a 7:15PM week day show. We just started trying a Wednesday matinee at 2:00PM, all seats $5.00 for a first run movie. It's hopefully attracting people who might not come in the evening.

Posted by Brandon Willis (Member # 2345) on 10-14-2004, 10:51 AM:

Fred, does the Regal MacArthur Center hurt your business any? Also, how has the new AMC 18 at Lynhaven affected business at the other theaters in that area since it opened?

[ 10-14-2004, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: Brandon Willis ]

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 10-14-2004, 02:50 PM:

Having different Friday-Saturday night prices makes perfect sense to me. It doesn't really encourage people to come Sunday-Thursday nights ... but rather, just increases the bottom line on the weekend ... good old rule of supply-and-demand. People have more time available for the movies on the weekend ... so they tend to come anyways, even with the slightly higher prices.

Posted by Ramin Hashemi (Member # 2694) on 10-14-2004, 11:54 PM:

in regard to shifting audience attendance to bargain days, I guess it also depends on the market. If you are in a market that has a lot of jobless customers (retired, welfare, vacation , ect...) they can go almost either time. In my market, I have all of those, and they all find money for the movies (even if on welfare).

Posted by R. Andrew Diercks (Member # 1725) on 10-15-2004, 11:02 AM:

Adults $7.00
Child 3-12 $5.00
Sen. 60+ $5.00
Matinees $5.00 (shows before 5:30pm)

I would love it if the whole entertainment industry changed child admission age to 16 and senior admission age to 65. In most places you can't find a job until 16 yet are expected to pay earning prices. Furthermore you can't retire until at least 65 so your still in earning age. If you retire at 50 or 55 your rich enough to pay full price anyway. I believe the original idea behind the price difference was earning changes. Just MHO.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 10-15-2004, 07:01 PM:

Here in Manhattan

Loews Theatres, Regal Cinemas, Clearview Cinemas

Adults $10.25
Seniors $6.75
Child $6.75

AMC

Adults $10.50
Seniors $7.00
Child $7.00

In Manhattan there is no Bargain matinees, Twilight bargain shows or Special bargain days.

Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 10-19-2004, 03:55 AM:

AMC

Child: $5.50 (2-12)

Matinee: $6.50 (before 6PM)
Student: $6.50 (required school ID)
Senior: $6.50 (55+)

Adult: $8.50

Posted by David Yauch (Member # 2754) on 10-20-2004, 12:38 AM:

Jen what AMC do you work at?

Here we charge the same as Jen listed, except seniors are 6 and children are 5. You wouldn't believe the amount of bitching our local senior population has done about the increase in price from $5.50 to $6.00. You'd almost think we weren't paying the social security that bought those tickets in the first place...

Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 10-20-2004, 12:40 AM:

AMC Mesa Grand 24

Posted by David Yauch (Member # 2754) on 10-20-2004, 01:23 AM:

Well whadda ya know, I'm right down the freeway from you.

I have been in there a few times with my girlfriend as we aren't allowed to see movies here due to anti-fraternization rules. It's a nice theater, though we did catch a concessionist not upselling. Shame on them.

Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 10-20-2004, 01:32 AM:

Wow, upselling is a big thing there... They are slacking.

Posted by Matthew Nock (Member # 1575) on 10-21-2004, 07:37 AM:

here in regional Victoria, (In Australia!) we are charing:

Adults :$12.00
Children (Under 14): $8.50
Concenssion (healthcare, unemployment, seniors cards): $10.00
Aged Pension: $8.50

** The Seniors card is a card you get for reaching a certain age - it is not means tested, and you can be a squillionaire and still have a seniors card... the Aged Pension card is issued by the Govt and is means assessed - based on the rate of income, and savings.

During non-school holidays periods, our day sessions, during the weekdays (Wed-Fri) are "Adults at Childrens Prices" so everyone is $8.50.

Having the lower ticket price during the day doesnt detract from our evening audience, it in fact encourages a different type of audience (those who dont wanna be here with noisy school kids).

It gives out older audience a chance to come in a more relaxed, and kid free environ! works well [Smile]

We also do a "Tight-arse Tuesday" (not advertised that way tho! - although must customers know it as that) where all tickets are $8.50.

Tuesdays are our busiest week night aside from Friday night - even tho new shows start on Thurs, people tend to wait til friday night.

Posted by David Yauch (Member # 2754) on 10-25-2004, 04:02 AM:

That's funny considering I still find people at my theatre that have problems remembering that a child ticket is 5 bucks...

Oh and jen I think they were slacking, probably because it was late, I think we were the last ones through the door.

Posted by Chris Brown (Member # 2800) on 11-08-2004, 01:21 AM:

I work at two theatres, both Regal, so here's the breakdown:

First Run Theatre, 12 Screens

Adult Matinee (before 6 pm): $5.25
Adult (after 6 pm): $7.75
Child, Senior, Student (all day): $5.25

We get a lot of college students at this one (probably a good 60-70 % of our admits) so the student rate helps. It's a pain though due to having to ask for current Student ID's.

First Run Theatre, 13 Screens

Adult Matinee (before 6 pm): $5.50
Adult (after 6 pm): $8.00
Child, Senior (all day): $5.50

Per-cap at the second theatre tends to be a bit higher, even with higher ticket prices. Like I said before, this is because we dont do nearly as many college kids as the first theatre.