Movie Theatre snacks overpriced?

FruitFlow · May 25, 2009, 07:29:16 PM

A while ago I came back from the movies with my parents, brother and cousin.
We all saw Terminator, which was pretty decent.

Anyways, when we first arrived we had gotten the tickets and bought some popcorn with Fruit Punch.

Before we all went toward the correct room I told my dad that I wanted to buy some Gummy Bears and share it with everyone.
He said to go ahead but do it quick because the movie previews were starting.

So then I went to go get them from the clerk and asked how much it costs.

They scanned the snack and told me the price came up as $3.50.

I was stunned at hearing this and thought to myself: "Whoa. That much for a small box of gummies?"

So I went ahead and still bought them.

However, when I first opened the box, I had expected it to be filled the actual size.
But when I looked inside, it was only near half full. Probably not even half, but 1/4.

I laughed and told my family that it's funny how they make the outside of products look full, but then you open it and find almost nothing.

And even though there were barely any inside, I still wanted to share them with everyone.

So, discuss what you guys think of these overpriced products and do you think of it as being a small scam?

jnfs2014 · May 25, 2009, 07:31:17 PM

FREAKIN' ripoff.

FruitFlow · May 25, 2009, 07:34:42 PM

Seriously.
That was a huge waste of my 3.50. :|

Totla · May 25, 2009, 07:37:02 PM

Movie theaters actually have a good reason.

When they show a movie, the company get a certain amount per ticket, which they set.
So lets say that a ticket costs 10, and they have to spend 6 per ticket on overhead and such. That leaves 4 of profit.
So if the company asks 1 per ticket, they get 3 profit per ticket, which is pretty good. But what if they ask for 3 dollars, or 5 dollars? They could break even, or go into debt.
Since they can never rely on ticket sales too much, they charge 500-1000% on concessions, because people pay for it. I think a theater gets 75% of it's profit from the concession stand.

So if you'd rather pay 20 a ticket and 1 for that box of candy, then by all means, keep complaining.

jnfs2014 · May 25, 2009, 07:37:47 PM

Convention Centers and Theme Parks are worse.

$13 for a hamburger meal that sucks.

Tupin · May 25, 2009, 07:38:54 PM

I think a majority movie theater profits come from concessions, so they charge a lot.

$3.50 for gummies? Yeah, they charge that much here too. Oddly enough, it costs as much as french fries or ice cream at the theater too.

FruitFlow · May 25, 2009, 08:32:39 PM

I guess those would make sense then.
But it's still a crazy.

They also charge for refills in the drinks.

Totla · May 25, 2009, 08:39:29 PM

Quote from: SSBBRAWLIN on May 25, 2009, 08:32:39 PM
I guess those would make sense then.
But it's still a crazy.

They also charge for refills in the drinks.

"I spilled my _________ can i have more please?"

FruitFlow · May 25, 2009, 09:16:23 PM

Quote from: Tortylla on May 25, 2009, 08:39:29 PM
"I spilled my _________ can i have more please?"

That actually happened to one of my friends before.
A whole large cup filled with soda wasted, and they still charged him because they thought it was made up.

jnfs2014 · May 25, 2009, 09:19:55 PM

"I'm sorry I spilled your $5 drink. However, you have to pay for another one."

JrDude · May 25, 2009, 09:21:10 PM

Instead of complaining, go work at a movie theater and brag about it.

FruitFlow · May 25, 2009, 09:25:36 PM

Quote from: JNFS2014 on May 25, 2009, 09:19:55 PM
"I'm sorry I spilled your $5 drink. However, you have to pay for another one."

"Unless your cup had a defect."

sean09 · May 26, 2009, 01:17:18 AM

Same with sporting events/arenas/stadiums/etc

$15 for a hamburger. :|

Nayrman · May 26, 2009, 05:45:24 AM

Quote from: Tortylla on May 25, 2009, 07:37:02 PM
Movie theaters actually have a good reason.

When they show a movie, the company get a certain amount per ticket, which they set.
So lets say that a ticket costs 10, and they have to spend 6 per ticket on overhead and such. That leaves 4 of profit.
So if the company asks 1 per ticket, they get 3 profit per ticket, which is pretty good. But what if they ask for 3 dollars, or 5 dollars? They could break even, or go into debt.
Since they can never rely on ticket sales too much, they charge 500-1000% on concessions, because people pay for it. I think a theater gets 75% of it's profit from the concession stand.

So if you'd rather pay 20 a ticket and 1 for that box of candy, then by all means, keep complaining.

Even tickets nowadays are almost ludicrously expensive (I still remember when my family of five could go to the movies for less than $25 bucks... GOOD LUCK NOW!). **Maybe if studios would stop spending pooploads of money on special effects and overpriced actors who can't act**

ANYHOO, yes, that is where theaters make their money. Same goes for theme parks and sports games. Although I have to agree, it's still ridiculous. I wouldn't mind so much if I knew it actually went to the employees, but I know guys who work at movie theaters and barely made more than me at my fast food job. It's like the gas prices go, until people say enough is enough and stop buying, they'll keep raising the prices to even more absurd levels.

LUCKILY for me, I go to Walgreens before the theater, buy like five or six candy bars for 75 cents each, and put them in the pockets of cargo pants whenever I walk in. It's not like they can check me on grounds of candy smuggling. I usually only buy popcorn. If I bring a bottle of water, they usually just let me bring it in. It's water, there is no sensible grounds to not allow someone to bring in their own water XD

WiiGuy · May 26, 2009, 11:06:50 AM

I was at a theater yesterday...and a 20 oz bottle of water was $4.50 :|