Is it ok to bring your own food and/or drinks into the movies?

[jago25_98]

I should clarify. There's something I hate about commercial cinemas. The only time I go there I do it because friends drag me along. The movie often contains themes that on a subconscious level imply a way of looking at the world that leads to suffering. I mean real pain. I once told a girl I loved her like they do on the movies... doesn't work like that. So damn them! Then there's the whole dinosaur attitude to intellectual property, actually insulting the audience. It goes on.

So why on earth would I go? Well... I'm surrounded by sheeple and I my life/job as it is it's hard for me to cultivate educated intellectuals to go to real independent movies at the convenient time. I'd never sneak a burglar into a independent film house. But then, somewhere like that would have a 20' Mickey Mouse selling salt corn at me and making my drunk mates ill on uncooked pork.

As I say, it's the social element. A bit like the social pressure to drink. Where'd you get your last job networking bit... the pub? That's the irritation.

Double standards of course if you look at it logically. But emotionally it couldn't be clearer. Down with cinema.

[user removed]

Wait a couple of years and watch it on your own tube.

regards
Mech

[autoteach]

I wish I knew what all of you did. I get that you disagree with everyone's policies and think that exceptions should be made for you, but the long and short is that if you ran an auto shop, you would be unhappy with customers bringing in their own stuff. You would be unhappy if you owned a theatre, and I am sure that you would be unhappy in your current setting if someone tried to undercut your pricing by supplying, to whatever degree, their own supplies to undercut you and minimize your profits/ make you break even. No one owes you anything, that is for sure, and as long as you continue to believe that everyone should be giving away their services at a pittance, you will continue to be unhappy. Honestly, your _itching about this reminds me of my students who get upset about getting "ripped off" because the discount we get at the local parts store is only 40% and they know someone who gets it cheaper.

[gone-ot]

...as an old sage saying goes: "...everything is LEGAL, until you get caught..." because only your conscience knows the difference--until you DO get caught.

[Frank Lee]

I respect the right of theaters to make their rules. I also respect my right to attempt to circumvent them via smuggling.

It really a moot point in my case though; haven't been to a theater in many years, mostly because I've lost interest in the vapid films these days which seem to be all about the special effects at the expense of plot and character development.

[alohaspirit]

yes. its wrong to bring food and drinks in.
yes. im the one making all the PSSST and Krinkle Krinkle sounds
(its from my 2 liter bottle and whopper wrapper)

yes. i will turn it over IF they catch me
yes. i will raise hell if they try to boot me (i gave it up didnt i)


yes. i bring food and drinks into the movies.

(i wish it didnt have too, but i applied for financial aid and it didnt cover the twizzlers)

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by t vago

That being said, I'm a big fan of winter jackets. It's amazing how much food you can hide in the pockets while not appearing to be hoarding anything.

So who will be the popcorn police?

It comes down to how many rules, laws and regulations society will bear. People who say "there oughta be a law" (or a rule or a regulation) to control every aspect of human behavior are essentially authoritarian in their mindset.

Having too many laws is even worse than having too few laws. (But don't try to convince a legislator or a law enforcement agent of that. It's their 'bread & butter'.) It is important to realize that making or having unenforceable laws (and rules and regulations) only incites disrespect or disregard for the law in general.

Watch out. The popcorn police will probably be on the lookout for theater-goers wearing parkas in South Florida...

[brucey]

Well I would buy drinks at the counter, but they don't serve screwdrivers.

What else am I supposed to do?

[Piwoslaw]

I'm surprised that no-one has noticed that it is possible to not buy drinks/snacks from the cinema's concession stand and to not smuggle your own drinks/snacks in against the cinema's rules at the same time.

The cinema's rules do not state that customers must eat/drink something all the time. Of course, they are happy if you help them out financially by doing so, but nobody is force-feeding anyone. Unless you must always have gummy bears running around in your mouth for medical reasons, it's hard for me to believe that you can't watch a 1.5 hour movie without eating (OK, 2.5h with the commercials and previews, and commercials again).

In the first cinemas eating was not allowed (but smoking was). Then someone noticed that there is money to be made and now it's impossible to watch a movie without:

• Someone munching, crunching and burping behind you,
• Someone getting up and going to the concession stand in the middle of the movie,
• Someone getting up and going to the toilet to get rid of what (s)he bought an hour ago,
• Your shoes sticking to the floor,
• Occasionally having someone else's drink/food on you.

Yes winter coats are good to have in the cinema, though not for smuggling, but for warmth. Can't understand why it's freezing in the cinema while there is a heat wave outside? When it's colder, your body burns more calories (thanks HiHaoMike), so you start to feel hungry. Get it?

As for bringing your own oil to the car shop: Is it a car repair shop, or a car parts shop? You pay for repairs and tune-ups, and if they lower their prices then that's their problem and your gain. I've seen many car shops that change your oil for free if you bought that oil from them (even if you brought your own oil filter). Same with replacing coolant fluid.

So if a cinema is supposed to specialize in showing movies, then that's what they should do. If they want to sell candy, then they should offer free entrance for those who buy at their concession stand.

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

So if a cinema is supposed to specialize in showing movies, then that's what they should do. If they want to sell candy, then they should offer free entrance for those who buy at their concession stand.

The dirty little secret is that they don't make any money on ticket sales for the film. The profit is in selling the edibles at the concession stand. They couldn't survive without it.

The same applies to McDonalds hamburgers. There is virtually no profit in the ordinary hamburgers. Their profit comes from the other add-on items, such as soft drinks.