Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "Little person" at the boxoffice

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-11-2016, 08:22 PM:

You'd think approaching 50 years in this biz I would have seen it all, but... tonight a 20-something woman approached the ticket window with a very small girl. The girl looked to be around 5 or 6, and 5-year-olds are a cheaper ticket so (as I do with all kids) I said, "and how old are YOU!" while smiling. The little girl just sort of grunted a response and then the woman said, "She's 13." So I just "Oh! OK, that's $15.50" and went on like usual. She looked a little "annoyed" that I asked the question.

I felt like a dork but at the same time, I don't know what else I should have done. I think I was too surprised to come up with any other reaction. We've had small-stature people before but usually, an older little person will look older in the face; this girl actually LOOKED like a 5-year-old right down to the facial features.

No harm done outside of me feeling like a dork, I guess. (Well, hopefully the lady wasn't too put out....I didn't want to make a big thing out of it just in case she WASN'T really all that annoyed.)

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-11-2016, 10:33 PM:

I've never had an experience like that with a kid, but I have carded people in their late 20's for R rated movies. When this happens I usually play it off like a joke or say something like "take it as a compliment".

I suspect the girl was annoyed because she gets mistaken for a little kid all the time.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 04-11-2016, 10:51 PM:

Some six year olds look like they're fifteen, and some twenty year olds look like they're twelve.

I got rid of my "seniors" ticket price several years ago to avoid hassle like this with older people, and I have also considered getting rid of the "child" ticket price too and going with a single per seat price whether you're 8, 18, or 80.

I haven't done that yet, though: I still have "12 and under" and "everyone else".

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-11-2016, 11:01 PM:

quote: Frank Cox
I got rid of my "seniors" ticket price several years ago to avoid hassle like this with older people

Customers would rip us a new one if we ever did this. As it is I get some seniors who are upset they don't more than the matinee discount when they come to mateinees. They feel like they deserve to be cheaper than everyone else no matter what.

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 04-12-2016, 05:44 AM:

quote: Frank Cox
I got rid of my "seniors" ticket price several years ago to avoid hassle like this with older people

Good for you. I've never understood senior ticket prices. They don't buy concession. In reality, they should be charged MORE.

I know they are on a "fixed income" and all that but if you can't afford to go see a movie, then don't. Movies aren't something necessary like medical care that is necessary.

With child prices, I get the idea to encourage families to go since it makes it more affordable. Plus, there is a good chance of at least selling a bucket of popcorn to them.

I have a very hard line stance on this having once worked at a GCC in Boca Raton, FL where a huge percentage of the patrons were seniors. We became known as the old people theater. They were so adverse to the concession stand that we tried giving away free popcorn coupons and they would refuse to take them.

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 04-12-2016, 07:40 AM:

I've had this happen to me enough times to give up.

A father and a very obvious 4 year old could come up to me now and say "Two for Zootopia" and my response is "Two adults or....?" So normally they'll say "Oh, one adult one child". Occasionally I'll get an asshole say "Does she look like an adult to you?" to which I'll say something like "I didn't know she's was with you" or something stupid. Dad could come up with a bus full still sitting in the parking lot, how am I supposed to know? If all else fails and they don't even respond or something I'll default to adult tickets. If they notice, they can come back for a refund, when I'll tell them "Please specify ticket type next time"

Just as bad with seniors, where you're REALLY damned if you do, damned if you don't. If you assume they're seniors, they'll bitch. I've had some INSIST on paying full price(get over yourself, ugh) and others that huff and accuse me of stealing when I DON'T assume. So I'll do the thing outlined above- "Two for Philomena" "Two adult tickets?" "Ye- er, TWO SENIORS!!" "Calm down bitch, I'm right here" Again, I WILL default to adult tickets if I can't get an answer out of them. If they come back, "UHH THESE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SENIOR TICKETS YOU CHARGED ME FOR ADULT!!!" "You need to let me know that in the future" "I DID YOU WEREN'T LISTENING!!" "Oh right, it's not like I have a headset on listening EXCLUSIVELY to you while actively WORKING SPECIFICALLY on what you're telling me or anything, I must've been in the other room shucking corn, do me a favor and die already"

But in all seriousness, people have serious entitlement issues and really have no fucking clue what they're talking about AND think they're always right because all "customers are always right!!" Thanks, cooperations.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 04-12-2016, 11:58 AM:

quote: Lyle Romer
I know they are on a "fixed income" and all that but if you can't afford to go see a movie, then don't.

Who isn't on a "fixed income"? My employer is not going to raise my salary just because I can't afford to go out to a movie or buy a Tesla automobile.

Unlike people living on Social Security who are guaranteed a yearly cost of living raise, my yearly raises are based upon my work and how profitable my employer was during the prior year.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-12-2016, 12:27 PM:

quote:
Unlike people living on Social Security who are guaranteed a yearly cost of living raise,

You could view the COLA as interest on money previously paid into the system. When you work, you are getting paid for your time within about 2 weeks. Social Security is the repayment of deferred income from decades previous.

Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 04-12-2016, 01:36 PM:

quote: Buck Wilson
Just as bad with seniors, where you're REALLY damned if you do, damned if you don't. If you assume they're seniors, they'll bitch. I've had some INSIST on paying full price(get over yourself, ugh)

That's true. I once walked up to the box-office and was given the "senior" price. I did get annoyed although I laughed and said, "I didn't ask for the senior price - I must look really bad today!" The ticket seller replied, "Sir, that's not the senior price, that's the daytime price!" Oh.

There's another nearby theater I sometimes go to that has the same price for children, seniors and everyone else during the day before 5pm. So why post three prices when they can post one?

But I think there's a way around it. If an elderly person doesn't say "one senior", simply say, "Child, Senior or Regular?" with a smile on your face (unless it's obvious that they're above 75). In that case, say "Senior?"

Or, put a sign up that says, "Please tell us how many Child or Senior tickets you would like to purchase - ID will be checked for age."

----
While one can argue that it's discriminatory to give children or seniors a special price, you do what you have to do to get people into the theater. If it works, it works. And while it's true that most people are on a "fixed" income, on average, someone collecting Social Security is earning less than someone who is working.

One could also argue that movies shouldn't be priced the same - that either the price should be based upon the film's budget or that the price should be based upon demand. Although in those cases, people would be surprised when they got to the theater and you'd have arguments when a film that was supposedly in demand has a high price and a near-empty theater.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 04-12-2016, 02:48 PM:

No senior tickets here. Members and NonMembers. Sometimes they will ask why no senior discount and I inform them, truthfully, we'd have to discount over half the tickets. But they can get a membership and get in for $2 less if they really want to.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-12-2016, 04:34 PM:

quote: Buck Wilson
A father and a very obvious 4 year old could come up to me now and say "Two for Zootopia"

I've quickly learned when the patrons says something like this and you pretty well know the age break just by looking at them, I do the quick results were they automatically got the break due to the age. This way, when they do mention the age thing, I've already go it covered where they don't have a reason to come back with some snide remark.

And I do it with the seniors: They come up to the window and want 'x' amount of tickets and I automatically give them the senior break before they can come back at me with what they want.

Plus, if they look borderline of age, reply back, "two adult tickets?" Let them make the correction or answer. This keeps the cashier out of target range with a comeback.

BIG, BIG, thing is that the cashier NEVER asks the senior citizens their age to see if they are in the age requirements for the senior rate. That can cause serious invasion of privacy issues. Once again, this is where the cashier asks, "'x' ADULT tickets?", and the patron will give the correct answer.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-12-2016, 06:52 PM:

I have found that the best way to get the correct age of kids is to ask the kids. I've caught many a parent who said "Two kids, 11 and 9" and the one kid says "Dad, I'm TWELVE!"

I never ask seniors' age. I just say, "Are you a senior by chance?" or if I'm in doubt, I'll say "You're not a senior, are you?" so it makes them think I really think they're under 65.

I don't think it's a good idea to "default" to a certain age. If anybody gets testy about us asking the kids' age, we just say, "Just making sure we don't overcharge you!" and that ends it.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-13-2016, 02:25 AM:

If they are borderline on senior age, I will say "Is that general admission"? At that point they will either ask what else there is, or I say "If you're 62 or better we have a senior price".

If they look like they could be under 62 when they ask for a senior ticket, I'll just say "Are you 62 or better"? I've never gotten any grief for this, and it gives them an easy out if they thought it was 55 or 60.

If they get a little testy about not being given the senior price automatically, I just say I don't make assumptions because it's better for my health. This usually gets a laugh and defuses any tension.

Personally I think the onus is on the customer to ask for a discount rather than assume it will be given.

Funny thing is I turned 43 this year and I find I'm having an easier time telling who is a senior citizen than who is old enough for an R rated movie.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 04-13-2016, 03:19 PM:

Curious...in the age of online ticketing and in-lobby kiosks, does anyone have issues with people buying kid or senior tickets when they blatently aren't, and do you proclaim shenanigans when they do?

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-13-2016, 03:40 PM:

Sam
We started on-line ticketing with Star Wars. Although I suspect there were some people who purchased tickets for "children" who were older than 11, it didn't seem to be a serious problem. Left to their own, most people are actually honest. Plus, they have to see a cashier at the theatre to claim their tickets, so we can always catch them there. Same reason we will allow online ticketing for R rated movies.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-13-2016, 08:33 PM:

Sam:

Try it with Fandango purchases - been a real hassle half of the time along with Kisok purchases.

Now, on the Fandango site, it tells the customer to print out the ticket and take it to the doorman's post, where the doorman might have a scanner to catch the barcode, or just write the "A0" confirmation number down for later register entry.

But, when an "R" rated film is purchased on Fandango, or even at the Kisok by underage minors, we ask for I.D., where some would say that their parent(s) bought the tickets and are not with them. We send them back to the boxoffice for a refund.

-Monte

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 04-14-2016, 07:18 AM:

I've been genuinely amazed at how infrequently that happens. I can think of only a handful of times it's happened, and it's typically a 20-something year old with a senior ticket to an older movie... I just let it slide. I haven't ever had a real egregious abuse of it like a huge group to a big new release all equipped with child tickets requiring me to send them to box office.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-15-2016, 12:24 PM:

I was just reading this thread again and happened to spot in my original post where I said I was "approaching 50 years in this business." I don't know if my memory is fading or I'm just bad at math, but I'm nowhere near 50 years yet. It was 37 years as of March 14 that I've been a theater owner, and it will be 41 years as of this September since I got my first projectionist job.

Oh well I guess I am still "approaching 50 years," just not all that close yet.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 04-15-2016, 02:00 PM:

Proud Senior: "Gimmee my discount!" (Oily Boid Special, too.)

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 04-15-2016, 02:07 PM:

But Louis, you'd have to eat dinner at 4 PM. [Razz]