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Why is numbered seating not popular at Movie Theaters?

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    RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I recently saw something in the news about how AMC is having a rough time so they've instituted a company-wide practice of being hardasses about outside food. I can kind of understand it, because they aren't making very much money off ticket sales.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
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    ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited December 2009
    BobCesca wrote: »
    I think $20 is an exaggeration, maybe for Leicester Square or something.

    I think the average price is somewhere around £5-6, so about $10 maybe?

    See, that would be more sane. That's about what it costs around here. IMAX flicks are something like $16. Some theaters have an early-bird special on the first daily showing of each film that's about $5. I love those, especially for movies like 2012, because damned if I'm going to pay more than $5 to have Roland Emmerich fuck me in the eye for 160 minutes.

    ElJeffe on
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    PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »
    I recently saw something in the news about how AMC is having a rough time so they've instituted a company-wide practice of being hardasses about outside food. I can kind of understand it, because they aren't making very much money off ticket sales.

    At the theater I go to they instituted a restaurant into some of theaters. You get a couple seats around a table and you get a meal that you can eat during the movie. I haven't tried it yet but you don't hear plates during the movie or anything so it seems to work

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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    BobCesca wrote: »
    In the UK, most cinemas have allocated numbered seating for recently released and/or popular films, and otherwise it's sit wherever you like.

    Allocated seating is a must for me as it means I can make sure to get the seats with none/few stairs, decent amount of leg room but also not so close I get a migraine.

    I don't know how serious your problem is (sclerosis right?) but don't they have handicapped seating?

    I mean, I understand not wanting to take it if someone with a walker came in, but here I usually see at least one still free if not all of them.

    Quid on
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    DmanDman Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Yeah I sneak food/snacks into the theater whenever I feel like, my experience has been on par with ElJeffe's.

    I bought the insanely overpriced popcorn twice. Once because I was curious and once for a date.

    I have bought the pizza/smoothies they sell a few times though. Same prices as other fast food places and they are actually good.

    I don't actually think my cinema sells coffee. I know I'm not brave enough to sneak a cup in (It BURNS!) but you could try a small thermos.

    Dman on
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    BobCescaBobCesca Is a girl Birmingham, UKRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Quid wrote: »
    BobCesca wrote: »
    In the UK, most cinemas have allocated numbered seating for recently released and/or popular films, and otherwise it's sit wherever you like.

    Allocated seating is a must for me as it means I can make sure to get the seats with none/few stairs, decent amount of leg room but also not so close I get a migraine.

    I don't know how serious your problem is (sclerosis right?) but don't they have handicapped seating?

    I mean, I understand not wanting to take it if someone with a walker came in, but here I usually see at least one still free if not all of them.

    most cinemas have wheelchair "spaces" (which must be pre-booked) and the only disabled seating offered is generally "pre-book for busy films the seat you need".

    BobCesca on
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    japanjapan Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Quid wrote: »
    BobCesca wrote: »
    In the UK, most cinemas have allocated numbered seating for recently released and/or popular films, and otherwise it's sit wherever you like.

    Allocated seating is a must for me as it means I can make sure to get the seats with none/few stairs, decent amount of leg room but also not so close I get a migraine.

    I don't know how serious your problem is (sclerosis right?) but don't they have handicapped seating?

    I mean, I understand not wanting to take it if someone with a walker came in, but here I usually see at least one still free if not all of them.

    Generally there are seats accessible without, or with the bare minimum, of stairs, but they aren't designated disabled seating unless they're doing allocated seats. It's another one of those situations where the people doing the planning assume that mobility difficulties = wheelchair.

    japan on
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    RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dman wrote: »
    Yeah I sneak food/snacks into the theater whenever I feel like, my experience has been on par with ElJeffe's.

    I bought the insanely overpriced popcorn twice. Once because I was curious and once for a date.

    I have bought the pizza/smoothies they sell a few times though. Same prices as other fast food places and they are actually good.

    I don't actually think my cinema sells coffee. I know I'm not brave enough to sneak a cup in (It BURNS!) but you could try a small thermos.

    I usually buy a box of candy at CVS or wherever and throw it in my wife's purse. Paying an extra 300% for a limited selection inside the theater is just crazy. Lately it seems like certain chains will only offer certain types of candy. Not carrying Junior Mints is fucking insanity, in my book.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
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    ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited December 2009
    Dman wrote: »
    Yeah I sneak food/snacks into the theater whenever I feel like, my experience has been on par with ElJeffe's.

    I bought the insanely overpriced popcorn twice. Once because I was curious and once for a date.

    I have bought the pizza/smoothies they sell a few times though. Same prices as other fast food places and they are actually good.

    I don't actually think my cinema sells coffee. I know I'm not brave enough to sneak a cup in (It BURNS!) but you could try a small thermos.

    For whatever reason, I really dig movie popcorn with movie butter. No other popcorn is quite the same. I usually get a kids' meal, though - it's plenty of popcorn for me, plus a small drink, plus some candy, for $5. Awesome deal, considering.

    ElJeffe on
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    japanjapan Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    For whatever reason, I really dig movie popcorn with movie butter. No other popcorn is quite the same.

    It's probably because in any other situation the butter is coming out of a machine that has been cleaned sometime more recently than 2003.

    japan on
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    BobCesca wrote: »
    most cinemas have wheelchair "spaces" (which must be pre-booked) and the only disabled seating offered is generally "pre-book for busy films the seat you need".

    Ah.

    Yeah, here there are usually at least a couple wheel chair spots as well as regular chairs designated for those who would have trouble with chairs. In particularly large theaters there are a few up near the top that you can take an elevator to.

    So, yeah. You guys get universal health care, but we get far more compassionate theater seating.

    Quid on
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    LeCaustic wrote: »
    I didn't think I would, but there's a new AMC theater and the guys there are relentlessly stopping me from bringing my coffee into the theater. Yeah, sure, stop me from my coffee. But let my wife in with the 5 things of candy in her purse.

    Coffee into a thermos, thermos into her purse.

    Quid on
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    ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited December 2009
    japan wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    For whatever reason, I really dig movie popcorn with movie butter. No other popcorn is quite the same.

    It's probably because in any other situation the butter is coming out of a machine that has been cleaned sometime more recently than 2003.

    The popcorn is clearly improved by the specter of every spooge of Real(tm) Butter sold in the past five years.

    Man, I remember when I first discovered that "Real" was a brand name and not an adjective. That was hilarious.

    ElJeffe on
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    BackstopBackstop Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Movie popcorn is good stuff - if they pop it there. Can't stand it when they carry a big plastic bag of cold popcorn out of a back room and then put it on the heat table thing.

    Backstop on
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    Salvation122Salvation122 Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    japan wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    For whatever reason, I really dig movie popcorn with movie butter. No other popcorn is quite the same.

    It's probably because in any other situation the butter is coming out of a machine that has been cleaned sometime more recently than 2003.

    Have worked in a movie theater, I can tell you that the infernal popping machines (and butter machines) are cleaned nightly, and it's both disgusting and a major pain in the ass.

    Salvation122 on
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    ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited December 2009
    japan wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    For whatever reason, I really dig movie popcorn with movie butter. No other popcorn is quite the same.

    It's probably because in any other situation the butter is coming out of a machine that has been cleaned sometime more recently than 2003.

    Have worked in a movie theater, I can tell you that the infernal popping machines (and butter machines) are cleaned nightly, and it's both disgusting and a major pain in the ass.

    Is it true that if you get popcorn early in the day, it's probably stuff made the night before and just left sitting around until morning?

    ElJeffe on
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    VoodooVVoodooV Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    What do you guys mean by "bad seats?"

    Part of the reason I've never had a problem with bad seating is because I avoid the first week of movies, especially hotly-anticipated nerd movies, like the plague. I'm a nerd too, but I can't stand watching nerd movies with a bunch of other hard core nerds. I've never understood the desire to see a movie as soon as it comes out.

    But you guys make it sound like theatres have these crappy seats that make the movie completely unwatchable. On those rare occasions I do go to a movie with a big crowd and im unfortunate enough to not get a seat in the center; even seats on the far left or right of the theatre aren't that bad or wouldn't stop me from watching/enjoying a movie. Hell, seats in the back of the theatre are preferable depending on my mood. I just can't think of a situation where I'd go. "Hell no, I'm not sitting there. I'm leaving."

    Or are we Americans just that spoiled?

    VoodooV on
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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I want to be as close to center as possible.
    Duh.

    Improvolone on
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    YodaTunaYodaTuna Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    japan wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    For whatever reason, I really dig movie popcorn with movie butter. No other popcorn is quite the same.

    It's probably because in any other situation the butter is coming out of a machine that has been cleaned sometime more recently than 2003.

    Have worked in a movie theater, I can tell you that the infernal popping machines (and butter machines) are cleaned nightly, and it's both disgusting and a major pain in the ass.

    Is it true that if you get popcorn early in the day, it's probably stuff made the night before and just left sitting around until morning?


    Incorrect, new popcorn is made every morning. Due to this I've had popcorn for breakfast more times that I want to count.

    YodaTuna on
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    YodaTunaYodaTuna Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    As a former movie theatre employee/projectionist, the best seats are two thirds up, 1 third in on either side. If the theatre was set up by professional sound technicians, that's where they test the sound from, so you will get the least amount of echo and sound cancellation.

    YodaTuna on
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    Last SonLast Son Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    VoodooV wrote: »
    What do you guys mean by "bad seats?"

    Part of the reason I've never had a problem with bad seating is because I avoid the first week of movies, especially hotly-anticipated nerd movies, like the plague. I'm a nerd too, but I can't stand watching nerd movies with a bunch of other hard core nerds. I've never understood the desire to see a movie as soon as it comes out.

    But you guys make it sound like theatres have these crappy seats that make the movie completely unwatchable. On those rare occasions I do go to a movie with a big crowd and im unfortunate enough to not get a seat in the center; even seats on the far left or right of the theatre aren't that bad or wouldn't stop me from watching/enjoying a movie. Hell, seats in the back of the theatre are preferable depending on my mood. I just can't think of a situation where I'd go. "Hell no, I'm not sitting there. I'm leaving."

    Or are we Americans just that spoiled?

    It depends on the theater. When I lived out in California the only theater in town had the seats laid out in a fan-shape with the aisles about 1/4 the way in on both sides. So if you had to sit in the outer section next to the wall you were viewing the screen at a terrible angle.

    Here in Texas all the theaters I've been to have the aisles on the outside next to the wall and the seats in a square directly in front of the screen, so there really isn't a "bad" seat.

    Last Son on
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    TincheTinche No dog food for Victor tonight. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I've never been to a theater that doesn't have numbered seats. With the largest chain of cinemas in Zagreb the usual procedure is to reserve the tickets online (they show you all the seating, both available and sold/reserved, you click on the seats you want to reserve, and enter your name), then show up >= 30 minutes before the show starts and purchase said seats. If you haven't made reservations, the clerk will display the seating map and you can pick out the ones you want. In the old-fashion cinemas you're at the mercy of the clerk, I guess.

    I've never witnessed an incident involving the seating in a cinema. I've caught people sitting in my seats a few times, I just said 'hey buddy, these are my seats' and they moved. There was always the understanding if they refused to cooperate I could just go get someone who works there and show them my tickets.

    If the cinema is half-empty everyone pretty much relocates organically, and if a person shows up a few moments later they'll just budge you off their seats with their slips.

    Personally I find the concept of rushing to the best seats a little backward.

    Tinche on
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Who's rushing?

    Quid on
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    KageraKagera Imitating the worst people. Since 2004Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Look hunting for the best seats in a theater is like the last tie I have to my hunter/gatherer ancestors and you CAN'T TAKE IT FROM ME YOU ASSHOLES!

    Kagera on
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