Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What do you offer your cinema customers?

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Posted by Jamie Glossop (Member # 2180) on 10-05-2006, 05:15 PM:

As all cinemas make money via selling of food, what other offers do you provide your customers to keep money going into your business?

For example regular coke and popcorn = £3.60 or add 50p and go large,

Buy one get one free etc.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 10-05-2006, 05:38 PM:

AMC has their moviewatcher program. Buy X number of tickets and you get something for free. I think they also give a free small popcorn for "moviewatchers" on certain days of the week. It has been about four years since I dealt with any of that so I can't give any more detail.

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 10-05-2006, 09:03 PM:

Moviegoer Club

Every 3 tickets purchased gets a free medium popcorn

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-05-2006, 09:54 PM:

We have a Student Discount Card. (We call them "Roxy cards.") Kids 12 - 18 can get a card (free) which entitles them to a 75¢ discount on each movie. The card is stamped each time they come, and after they have 10 stamps they get a free admission and a fresh card.

In concession, we have the Big Combo (Large drink/Large popcorn), the Couple Combo (Jumbo popcorn/2 large drinks) and a Kids Tray combo (popcorn, small drink and candy in a tray). All very popular.

We're currently trying out the "Kernel Season's Popcorn Flavoring." Got some samples at the convention. No decision yet on whether to keep offering it or not.

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 10-05-2006, 10:58 PM:

I will mention that, as a customer, Kernal Seasons makes a big difference to me. I will buy popcorn at theatres that offer it, and I usually get nachos at theatres that don't.

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 10-05-2006, 11:08 PM:

£3.60 for popcorn and a drink.

I assume you're an independent cinema with prices that low.

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 10-05-2006, 11:28 PM:

We also offer a small combo w/candy, a large combo, and a 'dinner' combo (hot dog, nachos, soda). We have Kernel Seasonings, and have a full coffee house in our lobby.

Posted by Jamie Glossop (Member # 2180) on 10-06-2006, 01:54 AM:

That was an example price.

I currently work at a multiplex cinema which soon im to own my own cinemas which im looking forward too [Smile]

Posted by Edwin Sheldon (Member # 4001) on 10-06-2006, 03:09 AM:

We have a Five Buck Club, wherein members who present their membership card can see most any movie that has been in theatres at least two weeks for a flat $5 price. Since the cards are free and you can get one for each member of your family, people can save plenty of money if they don't feel the need to see every blockbuster as soon as it's in theatres.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-06-2006, 08:07 PM:

quote: Chris Hipp
AMC has their moviewatcher program. Buy X number of tickets and you get something for free. I think they also give a free small popcorn for "moviewatchers" on certain days of the week. It has been about four years since I dealt with any of that so I can't give any more detail.

Sounds simliar to our Regal Crown Club card. Same basic idea. BTW, Tues. is our free small popcorn day. Yours?

quote:
£3.60 for popcorn and a drink

x about 1.72 = $6.19. A bit cheap, but could very well be an independan't price. Especially if it's a small drink small popcorn. Is £1=$1.72 about right, or is it more like $1.78 now? That'd make it $6.41 then.

Posted by Daniel Wright (Member # 1983) on 10-06-2006, 08:19 PM:

I always thought the free popcorn was a really smart deal. For one the popcorn is really salty. That means a thirsty customer who is also feeling rich because they just got something for free. I wonder just how much it actually boosts the other concession sales.

Posted by Donna Siegwart (Member # 3232) on 10-06-2006, 08:45 PM:

If you go to www.moviewatcher.com , there is more info about amc's card. It's a good deal, every ticket you buy you get 2 points, every so many points you get either free popcorn, free drink, $1.00 candies, or a combination of things, sometimes you can get a free ticket, popcorn and drink deal all in one. In NJ every wednesday you get a free popcorn no matter what if you have a moviewatcher card. I personally tell all of our guests to do it. They seem to complain less if they get the card [Wink]

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 10-06-2006, 09:22 PM:

Being the only subrun in the area we have the lowest admission price, also the lowest concession prices, and half price refills.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-06-2006, 10:01 PM:

I like Regal's system of awarding points based on how much you spend. It's 1 box office dollar = 1 point (rounded), so if you attend full-price shows (which I rarely do) you earn more points and reach the reward levels more quickly. They award concessions points too but I don't think it's the same formula as for tickets. Every time I go there I'm surprised at how many people don't take advantage. It's free stuff, costs you nothing to join, yet most people can't be bothered.

On the downside, they no longer have yeast for the popcorn. Bastards! [Wink]

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 10-07-2006, 12:57 PM:

David, the reason I wouldn't take advantage of this is that I already have a wallet full of cards for various places now.

I have 2 grocery cards, and you don't get the sale prices unless you have the card. I have some for clothing stores, the Discovery store, ice cream shops, Best Buy, etc.

The best incentive plans I have are directly tied to credit/debit cards. Spend the money and they add on the points. Just from doing my daily business, I just got $75 to Ruth's Chris for my wife's birthday.

I appreciate the offer of the discounts and specials, but I can't fit too many more in my wallet!

If there was one theatre I went to regularly, I'd consider it, but I go to a number of different locations depending on circumstances.

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 10-07-2006, 11:28 PM:

I don't get the yeast for the popcorn thing comment David. What is that about?

AMC's free popcorn is Wednesday. They used to have a better frequency for free movie tickets, but they cut down on that by padding the freebies with a few more popcorn gifts and I think free movies come on every third freebie instead of alternating freebies.

I love the free popcorn days at Regal and AMC. I pay a dollar and get a medium. I save my free drink vouchers and use them on the free popcorn days.

SONY Credit Cards used to haave a great price for Regal discount tickets - 5 bucks , free shipping. TOo bad, they increased that to 7 bucks recently. So I would rather get the unrestricted passes from REgal's website at 7 bucks plus shipping instead of the restricted tickets for 7 bbucks from SONY.

Posted by Jamie Glossop (Member # 2180) on 10-08-2006, 03:34 AM:

The cinema i work at do a orange wednesday which if your on the mobile phone network you buy one ticket and get one free just by testing orange

Posted by Aaron Burgess (Member # 3875) on 10-08-2006, 04:51 AM:

We have discount ticket books @ 10 tickets for $58 at our independent, single-screen changeover house.
Nutritional yeast flakes are available for popcorn enthusiasts.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-08-2006, 10:56 AM:

quote: David Stambaugh
Every time I go there I'm surprised at how many people don't take advantage. It's free stuff, costs you nothing to join, yet most people can't be bothered.

My thoughts exactly. But I will admit, it's probably a way for Regal to get marketing information, at the very least demographic info. I don't join too many of those clubs like that because I don't like my every purchase being tracked by someone. Grant that I don't completely avoid it. I'm not a conspiracist, but I do like avoid tracking, and junk mails and such. So far I haven't heard of Regal abusing [sex]

the system, yet. I hope it stays that way.

Posted by Jamie Glossop (Member # 2180) on 10-10-2006, 07:44 AM:

cineworld cinemas offers a unlimited pass which costs £10.99 a month and you can see any movie anytime http://www.cineworld.co.uk/jahia/Jahia/pid/6

Posted by Bob Plummer (Member # 3874) on 10-13-2006, 06:59 PM:

The thing about Regal giving you 1 point per dollar though, it takes a huge number of points to get your first freebee. Like 50 or something, I can't remember off the top of my head. AMC on the other hand, you get it after 10 points, and with each ticket giving you 2 points, you only need to take a date 5 times before you get something free. And, as mentioned before, if you show up on Wednesday, you get a free popcorn. AMC also has specials every once in awhile for movie watchers (such as 4 bucks off a 2 drink/popcorn combo) and they also contact movie watchers that have lots of points to get their feedback on how they're doing. So, I suppose it's monitored sorta like the Regal Crown Club, but it only helps the consumer because the most frequent guests get to add some input every once in a while.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-13-2006, 07:15 PM:

We offer one or more darkened room(s) with seats and a screen. If they give us money, we let them into the room(s) where they can look at the screen for a specified period of time.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-13-2006, 11:48 PM:

We offer our customers bad attutudes, poor service, sarcastic answers, stale concessions we dug out of a dumpster. And only 60 min of viewing for a 2hr movie. I do beleive the actual image time on screen is 50% isn't it? Persistance of vision only makes it seem continuous, the rest is just blank screen.

quote: Bob Plummer
The thing about Regal giving you 1 point per dollar though, it takes a huge number of points to get your first freebee. Like 50 or something

40, and every increment of 40 thereafter. Goes something like 40 free drink, 80 free popcorn, 120 free ticket, and so one over and over.

Normally we try to make the visit as pleasent as possible, even if the actual movie may suck, blame the producers/directors, they made it. Today, unfortunatly during first set, just wasn't that way. We got slammed, hard. And that'd be if we have had a full staff. But 1 called in sick, and then 2 no shows, so just me and the GM. I was split between booth and concession, and her between box and concession. I felt so bad when I had a movie running late, and I couldn't leave a line that wrapped the lobby. I eventually had to apologize the the next person in line, and excuse myself, to go start that movie and the one that should be starting then. I came back down like 3 min later (because I hadn't had a chance to pre-thread), and the line was still there, hadn't moved. I was welcomed back with "Oh, here he is." In spite of that, everyone got served, and got into their shows before the feature (mainly because they started late). It was a horrible set. Sorry to digress, but thanks Fri. 13th.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-14-2006, 01:03 PM:

I hope the no shows got fired.

DO you have a list of a few people you can call in emergencies like that?

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-15-2006, 03:27 AM:

We called them. One only had a ride at certain hours, AND was obigated to watch his little cousins, and couldn't come in. (The cousins were like 4, so couldn't be left on their own in a movie or something) The other employee catches the city bus, and thus got there after the first set, and ironically, after the rush was over. We then had I think 2 more employees that came in at 3p, as scheduled. That was just a horrible day. And the employees received a write up, which would be the company recommeded step for missing your shift. However, considering that it caused the theatre, and company, to lose some reputation over it, not to mention the money from lost concession sales (from people not wanting to wait the line), I consider the step weak. If it was a no harm event, then a written warning is fine, but this caused harm, and I consider the it an act of "Job abandonment", though I think you must miss two or more consecutive shifts for that, technically.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 10-15-2006, 05:50 AM:

quote: Bob Plummer
The thing about Regal giving you 1 point per dollar though, it takes a huge number of points to get your first freebee. Like 50 or something, I can't remember off the top of my head. AMC on the other hand, you get it after 10 points, and with each ticket giving you 2 points, you only need to take a date 5 times before you get something free.

Well, if it's 50 points (though Charles above says it's 40 - which makes it easier), that is also 5 times with a date @ $5 a ticket ... all the Regals I know of cost more than that!

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-17-2006, 11:37 AM:

It's 40 points, definatly, I forget the prices, work booth mostly. But I think it $6.50 for adults, $6.25 for child/senior, and $8.50 evening. I think.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 10-18-2006, 08:49 AM:

The goal of any "loyalty program" is to give something often. Some of airlines lost sight of that fact....Delta comes to mind....that is why their own loyal customers hate them so. Louis

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 10-19-2006, 11:29 AM:

quote: Bob Plummer
Regal giving you 1 point per dollar

One downside of having a scheme like this is that it makes it obvious to customers how much they have spent going to the cinema.