Should I Feel Bad?

[Dispersedshadow]

Collect up some of these unused items and begin offering them to complaining customers as "vintage" items at a reduced price.

[Anakso]

Here I don't think there is any rule against us bringing in outside food, most people I know do it for lollies. Though drinks and popcorn we usually buy there.

But there is no reason to feel bad, you didn't make the prices or force them to buy it. But also realize there is probably about 100 or so people per movie viewing so the people complaining and the people leaving their food and drink probably aren't the same people.

[vindicatorx]

I work at a movie theatre as either an usher at the concession stand. Now when i work in the stand i hear all day long about hot outrageous prices are, and on a few items i agree $4.25 for 20oz water bottle or 8 for a large popcorn, yea i understand the complaints. But, when i usher and i clean the theatres and see that the $4.25 water you complained about was barely even used, or the popcorn bag that is still almost full and is now being thrown away. Should i feel bad that the prices are so high? or should i feel bad knowing people are so stupid they pay a lot, complain, and then throw away what they just complained about.

Are you the guy who sets the prices? No? Then don't give a shit. People know movie theaters are overpriced yet still bitch. Why feel sorry for something you have 0 control over? Just ask them what they want ignore the bitching because as is evident here people are going to bitch no matter what. You are exactly correct on the amount of shit they waste as well. The first time I saw that I would have simply stopped caring at all.

[Gorlak]

thats weird, most people drink their water and finish their popcorn before the movie even starts, must be a very small minority

[vindicatorx]

Here I don't think there is any rule against us bringing in outside food, most people I know do it for lollies. Though drinks and popcorn we usually buy there.

But there is no reason to feel bad, you didn't make the prices or force them to buy it. But also realize there is probably about 100 or so people per movie viewing so the people complaining and the people leaving their food and drink probably aren't the same people.

Uhm yeah if it wasn't against the rules people wouldn't sneak it in would they? They would just carry it in.

[Psilar]

Why should you feel bad? You have no control over the prices. Furthermore, they are buying something they don't need for the 'outrageous price'. It's like when people complain about cigarette prices - Sorry that it's getting more expensive to kill yourself.

Not really. As an ex-smoker we complained because of the taxes. There's no reason taxes on a product should be 1000% what it costs to produce said product. Furthermore, the precedent set by heavily taxing cigarettes is a distressing one. You want taxes that discourage you from drinking soda? Eating bacon cheeseburgers? Be careful what you wish for.

This situation involves location, location, location.

[videotape]

Movie theaters still exist?

[Beavis]

I asked Zoidberg and he said "Your theater is bad and you should feel bad."

[Faunwea]

My family sneaks most of our food and drinks in. We do ALWAYS buy a large popcorn though (which is like $6-8 here). Out of consideration for others we open our bags prior to the film or very slowly pull it open (I also usually have a small knife in my purse that I used to open bags).

I wouldn't feel that bad for them. When I pay a lot for food I either save what I didn't eat for later or force myself to eat it. They could easily bring their stuff home with them.

[Claybot]

Never feel bad.

[Nengal]

I believe a movie theater cannot legally stop you from bringing in your own food in many states.

Pretty sure they can stop you. It's a privately owned facility. The movie theaters around here (East Coast US) won't even let you see rated R movies unless you're 18 and they force you to leave at 9pm if you're 16 or under. It's absolutely ridiculous.

Anyways, I don't go to the movies. I can't afford $25 to see a damn movies for my girlfriend and myself. i'll just go to Best Buy and buy a Blu-Ray movie and make popcorn at home.

So there's no need to feel bad for anyone spending money at a theater.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

The prices are so high because the producers of the movies take between 90 and 100% of ticket proceeds as royalties. So the only way the theatre itself can make money (because god forbid James Cameron doesn't get his billions of dollars) is by selling over priced food and drinks. It's a very difficult business model to sustain, especially since, in recent years, many venues have adopted minimal enforcement policies over their "no outside food" rules.

Anybody who knows anything about anything knows that this is why concession prices at venues such as sports arenas and movie theatres are expensive. Anybody who does complain about the price is an idiot and doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as everybody else.

You shouldn't feel bad. The people who complain because they fail to understand economics are bad and should feel bad.

Producers may take a lot in royalties, but you exaggerate the situation.

Also, not knowing how movie theater business works doesn't mean you are a particularly ignorant person. Furthermore, the majority of 'complaints' are perfectly fine. The people who shouldn't complain are the ones who buy the stuff anyway, but those of us who never or very very rarely buy any concessions have every right to complain. I mean, 'regularly' priced fountain drinks are already priced to a point where the profit margin is ridiculously high (above 1000% in most cases) and when movie theaters charge $4.75 for a 32 ounce drink, they're charging double and triple. They can keep their prices that high all they want, I just don't think it's a very good idea when so many people avoid buying the concessions and complain about the price.

Not really. As an ex-smoker we complained because of the taxes. There's no reason taxes on a product should be 1000% what it costs to produce said product. Furthermore, the precedent set by heavily taxing cigarettes is a distressing one. You want taxes that discourage you from drinking soda? Eating bacon cheeseburgers? Be careful what you wish for.

This situation involves location, location, location.

All of those things that you listed are food items, not drugs. It's also not just taxes, greed is a large part. Cigarettes here went from ~$1.75 to ~$7+ a pack when cigarettes are only taxed at about a dollar a pack. Somehow I doubt that the cost of producing cigarettes went up by $3 a pack. All that is beside the point that you're essentially complaining about paying too much to kill yourself. At least junk food still has nutritional value of some sort, you can't really plan cigarettes from a health standpoint.

[Magpai]

There is very little opportunity to reasonably feel bad in a free market economy. As long as no one is being forced to buy anything, neither you nor the theater has any need to feel guilty.

---------- Post added 2012-10-08 at 12:09 AM ----------

I believe a movie theater cannot legally stop you from bringing in your own food in many states.

They can't physically grab it, but I"m sure they can refuse service to someone who won't give it up if they feel that it's a wise business decision to do so. THey certainly should be allowed to if they're not.

[Deleted]

I love the irony. In reality it's just the sunk-cost fallacy. You can't get back that $4.50 so it doesn't matter if you really eat it or not, but still...it's ironic to complain about the prices, pay it, and then just waste it.

You shouldn't feel bad, though.

Na and he didnt set the prices so not exactly much he can do about it

[Silhouette of Seraphim]

Who the hell pays for anything at the theater?

[Djuntas]

Who the hell pays for anything at the theater?

Idd, was thinking this to. Even if I was to be a Billionaire Id never shop at a Gas station, trainstation market, og a threatere. Inflated prices trough the roof.

If I really want candy I just pick some up inn a supermarket before I go About 50% less cost, or maybe even more.


OP; If you see a guy complaning just tell him to go eat leftover popcorn on the floor once he sits down :P

[Kaiser499]

I just sneak in my own candy, and the drink I buy is more than big enough for the whole movie.

[PizzaSHARK]

I work at a movie theatre as either an usher at the concession stand. Now when i work in the stand i hear all day long about hot outrageous prices are, and on a few items i agree $4.25 for 20oz water bottle or 8 for a large popcorn, yea i understand the complaints. But, when i usher and i clean the theatres and see that the $4.25 water you complained about was barely even used, or the popcorn bag that is still almost full and is now being thrown away. Should i feel bad that the prices are so high? or should i feel bad knowing people are so stupid they pay a lot, complain, and then throw away what they just complained about.

There's no reason to feel bad. It's just good business sense, and if you move up at the movie theater, you'll come to understand that ticket sales are a tiny portion of the theater's income - most of a theater's revenue comes from concession sales.

It costs maybe fifty cents to fill a 32 ounce Coke (half of which is probably ice!) from a bag-in-a-box syrup, and they'll charge $4.50 or even $5.00 for it - this is where the revenue comes from.