If you’re some type of a movie enthusiast and like to think of your local movie theatre as second home then you might have already noticed some of these things. Certain aspects of movie theatres seem to be universal, no matter where you go.
These universal aspects are the so-called “experience enhancers”, and it’s something no employee will tell you. However, knowing the secrets might prevent you from stepping into a movie theatre ever again.
Know that you’re reading these at your own risk. You might even be already aware of them, but no one was there to speak about them – until now.
1. The heavenly smell of popcorn is the first trap
It’s not just a coincidence that this popcorn smell is the signature of almost every movie theatre. We must admit the popcorns in a movie theatre smell and taste out of this world!
That tantalizing smell has us running for the lines at the refreshment stall even if we’re late for our movie. There isn’t just butter in your popcorn, but also fragrant additives. If you’re lucky, this additive could be something like coconut oil or canola oil.
Of course, not everyone’s THAT lucky… for the sake of convenience and economy, many theatres also use synthetic additives.
2. Where are the best seats?
You should seat around two-thirds of the way back, as close to the center as possible, to receive the best sound and views. This is where the sound engineers sit to fine-tune the system.
3. Snacks are unreasonably priced
The real profits for movie theatres are made in the concession stands. That’s exactly why they don’t allow or severely discourage any outside refreshments.
They want you to buy the overly priced nachos, pizzas, popcorn, and drinks from the theatre. And buy them you will, because what a movie is without snacks, right?
The snacks themselves are not of gourmet quality, nor do they cost a lot to make. That doesn’t stop the theatre owners from making a profit though.
The prices are extremely inflated, making sure that at least one flow of income is permanent.
4. Popcorn is not always sold fresh
Employees may scoop up warm popcorn into the tub right in front of you but that does not guarantee freshness. It is one of the greatest lies theatre owners have made you believe. There’s probably stale popcorn mixed right into the fresh kernels.
Movie theatre employees themselves say that popcorns can last long. This may be why popcorn is the go-to snack for cinemagoers, not chips or tater tots. Almost any other kind of food would go off very quickly, tattling to the eaters and starting a riot.
So, the movie theatre workers pack up whatever popcorn’s left over at the end of the night. The next day, they would put them in plastic bags/containers, then simply heat it up and start selling it again.
5. Cleaning
Have you ever observed that, despite the fact that the halls are cleaned after each screening, movie theater flooring can be sticky and filthy? Because of the tight time constraints between movies, the cleaners can only sweep the floors, which they do swiftly and carelessly at times.
At night, the floors are thoroughly cleaned and mopped with a cleaning solution.
6. The volumes within the theatre is just horrible for your ears
That shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. When it comes to volume, there are standards, regulations, and requirements every movie theatre is required to follow.
However, theatres seldom follow them. Bomb, battles, shouts, screams, and gunshots can reduce your eardrums to a pulp. Your ears and hearing are two very precious things. Don’t lose them over a few hours of mindless fun.
7. Movie timings are a lie
Regular cinemagoers would notice that even if they arrive late, they’re right on time. This is because there are several trailers and commercials before the actual show. This is why movie theatres call you in so early.
So the next time you’re running late, don’t get stressed or yell at your companions. You’re probably missing out on the useless stuff where you’d do little but eat all that junk popcorn, anyway.
An interesting point here is that movies may start way after the given time, but end right on the dot. This is so that ushers could stick to their cleaning schedules. Or whatever their definition of cleaning is.
8. Combo meals won’t save you any money
Every movie theatre concession stand would try to get their customers interested in combo meals. If you do end up getting one, however, it’s rarely a bargain. You can end up paying just as much or maybe only a few cents less than their separate price.
Plus, a combo meal would probably give you items you wouldn’t have ordered in the first place. This way, you would end up eating more and paying more. It’s thriftier to go down a size rather than getting the extra things with a combo meal.
9. At least once a week, the employees must remove a passionate couple from the cinema.
Those who enjoy snuggling, making out, and humiliating the audience should be aware that most movie theaters have cameras that record them in action. You are either detected, given a warning by a worker, or thrown out entirely at that point.
The best answer is to stay at home and cozy up in front of the TV.
10. If you decide to bring food, hide it well
The theatre staff knows when you bring outside food, but they choose to ignore it in most cases. If you bring candy and a bottle of water, that’s fine, but let’s not just go over the board. Please don’t bring the entire dinner buffet with you.
