With the rising costs of simple concessions like soda or popcorn at the movie theaters, and the rising ticket prices, do you still buy food at the theaters or do you make it a point to bring food from outside so you can save some money? I just came from a movie today and we were at Target shopping for house things before and we bought candy for the movies and just brought them into the theater. We spent like $3 for all of our candy when one of our snacks would have cost that much.
What about you all? Will you continue to buy candy and concessions there or will you get them from outside and bring them in?
[question posted by thrwbckjay67]
responses and comments:
I do both depending on my financial situation but I can never go past the fresh hot popcorn - I can smell it now just typing about it :p [moonchild1au]
Yeah, I love popcorn, too. I am always tempted, but it seems more responsible to save money. I always have a mini-argument with myself about popcorn. Thanks for your response! [thrwbckjay67]
i always go to the supermarket before we go to the movies and buy drinks and lollies.much much cheaper.the price they charge for a drink and food at the movies is outrageous.nearly as much as the tickets.so it ends up costing a fortune to take the family to the movies.so i o it on the cheap.cheers sue [suehan1]
Yeah, by the time we end up picking what we've wanted at the concession stand, they probabaly nearly doubled the price of the night out because it's equal to the cost of the tickets. It's just better to save some money. Thanks for your response! [thrwbckjay67]
WE do both. Our movie complex offers a large deal, you buy a large popcorn and large drink at $6.00 and the refills are free. So if I am with my son or Husband we will the large combo and share it. Refill if necessary. But now the candy is in my purse of coat pockets. Of coarse if we are with company then we do not act like such cheapskates. :)) [Angelwhispers]
A lot of the times I will take my own snacks in there. From time to time I will buy popcorn or nachos at the theater or a drink but if I plan on eating candy while I'm in the theater I always try to stop and get my own. At the same time though I think that could be a lot of the reason as to why the prices have went up. If people are bringing in their own snacks and not buying the theaters then it is only natural that they boost the prices up trying to make up what they are losing on others. [Armstrong7886]
I can understand that, but it's not like they will lower the prices if there is a rise in food customers. Know what I mean? I have been guilty of paying the highway robbery prices of the food (popcorn and soda)It's pretty bad that I could buy a whole 12 pack of soda for what you pay for a dilluted thing of soda there. I may be frequenting the dollar movies, and then the food cost won't bother me so much. [crazylady]
The movie theater in the town I live in still has decent priced snacks you can get a kids tray which has a pop a box of popcorn and a candy bar all for $3 which I think is really good. Now the movie theater in the big town 20 miles away from us just one candy bar would cost $3 if we ever decided to go to the show there we would take our own candy as they is ridiculous. [luvstochat]
I'll take candy in. Popcorn & cokes I'll buy at the theater. [uath13]
I always buy my candy preshow, well i used to when i used to go, I think i have gone to one movie since my daughter was born and that was shrek 3. She was about 9 months old i think. She did pretty well in the theater, she slept through most of the movie. And i had to laugh, when she seen the donkey she said DA DA. So that made my day right there. [Sissygrl]
I do both - depending on the money situation! Drinks, popcorn and sweets are so expensive at the cinema - when I take my nieces it costs me a small fortune! [callyw]
I try to sneak them in. It is way to expensive to go to the movies now a days. If I took my family (thats me, my husband, and three kids) its no problem to spend $70 or $80 if we didn't bring in snacks. [shymurl]
Yes I always sneak snacks into the theaters..they are just to expensive. Even the admission is expensive. I am a member of the five buck club where you can get into a kerosotes movie for 5 bucks instead of 8 bucks. We also have a theater where I live that it only cost 1.50 to get into. It all the movies that are to old for the theaters and not on dvd yet. I dont like going thier though...the seats are hard and they dont have cup holders so i if i go I have to hold my drink and freeze my fingers. [myworkid1987]
I rarely go to the movies, but when I do, I take my own bottle of water in my purse to drink. I rarely take food, but then I rarely order any food at the concessions. On the occasion I want something, I would usually just buy a small popcorn. I don't want to be like the lady who got caught with popcorn in her purse because they could see steam coming out of it. : ) [AmbiePam]
Hello Thrwbckjay, Hubby & I don't go to the movie theater very often anymore. We much prefer to buy the DVD and watch it at home. There are no crying babies, no cell-phone chatters, and no giants sitting in the seat in front of you. Yet, on the rare occassion when we do go to the theater I always bring my own snack. The reason is because I have very serious food allergies that preclude me from any snack that I've ever seen in the concession area. It's a bummer, but it is what it is. On the other hand, Hubby will usually get a soda and some kind of a candy treat. That is, unless we've stopped at a store just before entering the theater to pick up a snack that we can each enjoy. You're right, the cost of theater concessions is ridiculous. $3.75 for a tub of popcorn that should cost about a dime? It's hard to imagine that the majority of movie goers will pay those outrageous prices. [ladyluna]
i still buy popcorn in the theater because i like it too much specially cheeze flavor but softdrinks or bottled water i buy in the supermarket inside the mall also some chips its cheaper than in the theater snack counter:-) [pinay81]
I rarely go to the movies anymore (twice in the last 10 years LOL) but when I did my husband and I would buy candy from the grocery store, as we didn't want to pay the high prices of candy at the concession stand in the theater. It's bad enough when we would buy popcorn and soda from there. After all it costs so much just for the tickets to see a movie. I don't care if it's not allowed to bring in food from outside. With the prices they charge it is highway robbery, and if anything the theaters should not be allowed to do this to the customers! Not to mention, my youngest has a sensitive stomach and can't eat food (also known as junk LOL) from there anyway, so when he has gone I bring food from home. If I was to get caught doing do I'd give these people an earful, that is for sure! [sacmom]
Our movie complex offers a large deal,in the market we usually find buy one get one gree eith no garrenty.. [iamgenius]
I sadly can not afford the price of movie snacks I sneak in or don't get any at one . Be happy with the water fountain and my dollar movie . I wait until movies come to the dollar theaters to go and see the movie . Waiting for Alvin and the chipmunks now to come . Guess that is what us poor folks do hum ? [froggyrocks]
oh for sure i bring a bottle of water, dont really eat candy, but i have to spluge on that popcorn,,,nothing tastes like the real movie popcorn!! [lpetges]
We do not go hungry. Then we share a large pop and popcorn. We get the treats but also save money. I like the WHOLE experience. [rakinitin]
I take my big purse with a beverage and munchies in it. The concession prices have gone way overboard. [joyceshookery]
I go to Dollar Tree buy the cheapy candys and licorice & soda and then go to the movie. I may buy the popcorn usually its cold though. If I dont have time to go to Dollar Tree first Ill buy it sometimes although it cost more then the movie! [mrsjbelle]
Here also the price of snacks and sodas are very high compared to the food outside. Most times I buy a packet of chips and peanuts from outside when I go to the movie therater. I think there should be some restrictions in the price of food that are sold in the movie theater. Most people will buy food and tea and coffee even if the prices are very high. I think it is a good idea to bring them from outside. [ajithlal]
You're already paying an arm and a leg to get into the movie, why feed the fire with more purchases? Why should I pay $5 for water when I can bring my own for free. I'm a big fan of sneaking snacks into movies. I don't need popcorn. I can make it at home whenever I want, and it won't be too salty or too buttery. It's better that way. [Albondigas]
Most of the time we won't bring any sneaks in the cinema. I don't know why. Perhaps my husband doesn't like eating snacks. And usually we go there in a hurry as the cinema is quite nearby our home. [youless]
We make low fat popcorn and bring in drinks that are saccharin free. If we did not do that, we could not afford it and would not eat it? Theatre food is very unhealthy, costs aside. We almost never get to the movies so it is not a real big issue for us. [Debs_place]
most of the time when we go to the movies it's the drive in movies so we can just bring what we want and stay in the car and snack.. I hate the prices they have their stuff marked at so I would rather save my money and go to a regular store and buy even better stuff or even some of the same stuff for way less money. the only thing we really buy there is their popcorn. sometimes I do have to make an exception and buy their nacho's though..lol [jennifer611]
I have not set foot in a movie theater in years, thrwbckjay, but your idea makes plenty of sense to me. Everything is ridiculously over-priced these days, so we have to try and save wherever we can. [worldwise1]
I do not really snack in movie theaters as I find I would be concentrating on the snacks instead of the movie. If there is a need to, I would smuggle some stuffs in as it is too costly to buy at the counter. [whyaskq]
I just don't go to the movies. I wait until whatever it is comes out on DVD. I do, however go into the theater on occasion just to buy popcorn...:-) [ycanteye]
I always just pay the extra to buy them at the theater becasue that is their rule. you are not allowed to bring outside stuff into the theater and i abide by their rules. They have a business to run and if everyone brought stuff from other places then they would be around cause they wouldnt make much money. My girlfriend always takes outside stuff in and it irritates mne sooooo much! [the_police]
I think the candy in particular in movie theaters has been overpriced for years! So have ticket prices and popcorn, which is why I don't go to to the movies as often as I used to. However, when I do I try to take my own candy but I can't pass up the popcorn. It does bug me to think I pay as much or more for one serving of popcorn at the theater than it costs for a whole box to make at home plus my own butter. There's just something about eating hot buttered popcorn in the theater that I can't resist! Annie [anniepa]
In fact, I NEVER buy snacks in movie theaters, and I hate it when people eat while watching movies at a theater, because I think, it's quite disgusting! Sitting in a room with so many people in the dark and eating popcorn...ARRGGHHH! I want to watch movies, not hearing other poeple or even myself eat! That's one reason why I don't go to the movies very often in the first place. I prefer watching movies at home. LOL. [databrent]
YES! This is my opinion as well. Why can't movies be like the theatre or Opera? They never sell popcorn or candy bars there -- so why are movies over-run by the likes who noisily open there candy wrappers, dip their hands into their paper popcorn bag and give it a rustle? -- IT is MOST DISTRACTING! There is a movie theatre (or was) in Florida, Clearwater, I think, that is a movie theatre AND a restaurant. You enter before the movie start, order your meal, and it is delivered to your table before the movie starts, usually during previews. I recall there was nothing fancy there, no more fancy than pizza, but that concept was interesting. [Qaeyious]
I buy my snacks, as I tend to get caught whenever I try to sneak anything in. [cripfemme]
I try to plan on buying all of our snacks ahead of time before we go to the movies if at all possible. My boys usually want to take a friend or two and between us there are 5 to 6 that end up going to a movie. I have found that Walmart sells the smaller movie size candy in the box for .88cents to $1.00 while the movie will charge $2.50 to $3.00 for the exact same size & candy. That is a huge difference in price! We go to the before 5 p.m. movie for the cheaper price - usually $4.00 for all; take our candy, with each of us bringing in their own box in a pocket or jacket, etc. I used to try and fit it all in my purse, but that got to be to hard to do! haha We do opt to each buy a drink or share a bucket of popcorn too. If I do not have time to run to Walmart before the movie I often make up ziplock baggies of small candy or cookies that we have on hand. I really do try to NOT buy the candy from the movies though! Good subject! [ShadyGrove]
I have no problem "sneaking" my own snacks into the theater, considering that it now cost from $9-10 or more for a movie ticket in NYC. The movie houses claim that they don't make money from the sale of movie tickets. At $10+ a pop, I find that hard to believe. Besides, that's not my problem. I work hard for my money and I refuse to py $5 for a box of milk duds that's too big ayway!! However, I read recently that a movie theater stopped a little old lady going in, and confiscated her candy that she was bringing in-give me a break!! Our elderly are poor enough that, even with the senior citizen ticket prices, they can't make ends meet!!! [fec139]
I would still buy then there. We hardly go to the movies anyway, so a little treat now and then. I do not eat that much candy anyway and I hate popcorn, but one time they had nachos, and they were delicious and with some seven-up it really filled me up. I think it was "The Sum of All Fears" that was how long ago that we went. [suspenseful]
When I am short on money I will sneak a few snacks into the theater but if I have more money I will but them at the theater. But I always have to buy popcorn there atleast. [sassygirlanne007]
When I am short on money I will sneak a few snacks into the theater but if I have more money I will but them at the theater. But I always have to buy popcorn there atleast. [sassygirlanne007]
we don't usually buy snacks inside the theaters. we usually buy snacks in the grocery and take them inside. ^__^;; the snacks inside the theaters here are expensive too just like in your place. so we buy outside. but we are careful on what snacks we bring. we don't buy canned softdrinks or bottled drinks because they are not allowed inside. i remember we still didn't know about it, my friend bought a canned coke but she wasn't able to drink it because we left it outside the theater because the guards didn't allow us to bring it in. ^__^;; recently, we aren't bringing snacks anymore inside the movie house. what we do is eat dinner first before going inside. ^__^ [secretbear]
I usually sneak my snacks in, but I usually buy my drink in the movie theater. That is unless I am in the mood for popcorn and then I always buy theater popcorn. [Aurone]
Sometimes ill take in a little something,especially some l*quor.But i always end up buying something to eat there*** [DLOPEZ240]
I buy my popcorn at Target and we do get drinks at the mpvies, only because my one daughter won't carry a big purse so we can carry in drinks. I'm sorry but I don't think it is right to have to pay $50+ for a family of four to go to the movies. We only go the movies maybe three times a year due to the high cost of tickets. I would rather wait for it to come out to Redbox and then rent it for a dollar. [kimbers867]
I have done both, to be honest, it depends on what I can afford on that particular movie night. [jerritts1mom]
I always buy my snacks at the movies, guess i'm just too afraid to be discovered and thrown out, but i do agree it's darn expensive, hence why i don't go there too often. [Thekandy]
Most of the time I eat outside before I go in to a movie house so one I'll bring in is a bottle of water then. Well sometimes we go to the grocery and buy some junkfoods and some drinks to bring in. foods in theaters are more expensive than buying outside you know. But sometimes we take it than going to grocery. Like popcorns and some sodas. [MGjhaud]