Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Automatic Butter Dispenser Or Countertop Model

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Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 05-13-2008, 09:02 AM:

Hey all,

I was wondering what the preferred way of giving out butter is. We currently have 2 countrertop models for butter, but I have recently had the oppurtunity to purchase 4 automatic selfserve ones. What are your feelings, and if you would switch over, why?

THanks for your help!
Cody

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-13-2008, 09:17 AM:

Self serve is always better IF there is no charge. Provide service only if paid.

The exception is drinks where self service is preferred by the customer AND that speeds up the process. Louis

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-13-2008, 10:37 AM:

The question posed in the thread is different from the question in the title. ...... [Confused]

I do like self-serve drinks because without fail, counter people NEVER put enough ice in the drink (because they want to give me a bargain, I guess) and the drink is always ice-free within 30 minutes.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 05-13-2008, 11:08 AM:

I do not like the self serve "butter" mats. I prefer to have my popcorn bag filled half way then have "butter" and salt added then have the bag "shook up" then filled with some more "butter" and salt on the top. Self-Serve makes this impossible to do without having to wait in line twice. This is at least the way AMC does it. I guess if you had a self serve "butter" mat at each station that would be an ideal set-up.

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 05-13-2008, 11:18 AM:

Thanks for everyones replies. I've noticed, at least around here, many of the chain theatres have the towers at then ends of the counters which seems to speed up there turnover of customers at the counter. On busy nights that would greatly help get our product out faster, however i can understand the butter in the middle type thing. I know that at some theatres you can put a drink straw on the nozzle and butter deeper in the bucket, but it's still not the best solution.

The towers I was lucky enough to pick up were the Gold Medal #2396A. I'm still waiting on the shipment, but am excited to get these in to either resell or sell our theatre owner on.

Butter use wise, do you think you use more by having the towers for the customers to use, less, or about the same?

Thanks for your help!
Cody

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 05-13-2008, 02:54 PM:

With self-serve butter we seem to use less, as customers forget to butter the popcorn themselves and go onto their movie, thinking we already buttered it for them.
The counter the butter dispensers are located has to be cleaned frequently, but there is always staff around to do this.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 05-13-2008, 03:16 PM:

quote: James Westbrook
With self-serve butter we seem to use less, as customers forget to butter the popcorn themselves and go onto their movie, thinking we already buttered it for them.

And then the next time they come they do not bother buying popcorn because they were unhappy with the amount of "butter" you put on it [Wink]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-13-2008, 04:07 PM:

For all the people who hate self-buttering there are just as many who love it. Those that love it look at it that they control how much they put in whereas the others see it as an inconvenience.

And I even worked at a second job while at my old theater where someone said he didn't like the self-serve because otherwise he'd just get the "two squirts" the staffer put on whereas with the self-serve he'd put on more and be less healthy. Though I think that's more of his personal lack of willpower.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-13-2008, 06:35 PM:

Is there still a chain that sells extra butter "by the squirt" and the managers get written up if they don't sell enough extra "squirts" a month?

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-13-2008, 09:45 PM:

When my old theater was Cineplex Odeon they charged for extra butter but I never heard of anyone getting in trouble for not meeting a quota.

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 05-14-2008, 03:59 AM:

When I worked for Goodrich Quality Theatres we charged .27 cents for extra butter. It was such a joke. Half the time the person didn't get any more butter then they would if they didn't get "Extra Butter"

We have two condiment stands that have two self serve butter machines on each. We also have 4 in the concession stand. We will butter it for you or you can butter it how you would like it.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 05-14-2008, 10:14 AM:

I like the way Kurt's theatre does it. I think keeping one or two "butter" mats in the stand for people who prefer "butter" half way, and keep the rest as self serve is a great solution to the issue. I would love it this way as I can get my "butter" half way and put as much or as little on top as I choose. Now, if the theatre also used Odell's butterfat instead of Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil that would rule!

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 05-14-2008, 11:16 AM:

We don't do self-serve, because we layer the topping, as Sean described. For someone to do that on a self-serve basis, they'd have to come back for another trip to the butter tower.

We don't notice that providing a uniform product in this way adds enough time to make a difference. The customers like it, too, and we sell a LOT of popcorn.

Don't forget that topping prices are going up. Whether you own your operation or are working for a cost-conscious company, you may be paying more attention to how much you're using.