Do you sneak in movie snacks?

ellesan

ellesan

Cathlete
I took my son to see Up the other day and couldn't believe the group in front of me. They literally had 3 huge trays of junk food and it must have cost at least $75 for the food! How can people afford that?

If we decided to get treats, I always go to Target or Walmart and let my son get one choice for $1. I usually take in almonds/dried fruit if I feel like I need a snack (they don't offer any healthy snacks anyway!). Sometimes we buy a drink to share, but other times I just take my own bottled water. The couple next to me did the same thing. Just wondering how many of us really take our own movie snacks/drinks for health and cost reasons?

Sandra
 
We do!!!!!! We don't go to the movies to often but when we do, we always sneak in snacks....ive got a big purse;):D DH usually buys him a drink and i drink my water....
 
i do b/c its cheaper and i can bring in healthier options. the last time we went dh spent nearly $5 on a larger soda. WTF? highway robbery

kassia
 
Yeah I sneak in snacks. I'll make my own popcorn and bring bottles of water. I posted something a while back about how the snack bar at the movies over inflates the prices, . .that is where they make the money. I figured that out when I realized that the tickets cost less than the snacks. $4.75 for a bottle of water!!! The article was about the most marked up products on the market.
1. Movie theatre popcorn
2. Bottled water
3. Brand name Rx
4. Wine at restaurants
5. Coffee--Starbucks
 
We do bring in some and some we buy. Usually I'll bring water bottles for the kids (I have 3 boys) and sometimes I'll make our own air popped popcorn too. If the kids want sweets instead , I'll get them a movie sized candy bar ($1!) from the store. But sometimes you just HAVE to have movie popcorn, because there's nothing like it! And my DH and I buy a big (diet) soda each.

One of my kids carries the back pack with the food in it. No one has ever stopped us. If they did, I have planned to tell them my son with Type 1 Diabetes has dietary needs (like Twizzlers and Hershey Bars! LOL!!)
 
I used to do that! Now, I make sure I've had a meal before going, then I don't have to worry about getting hungry! Besides, the prices keep going up while the sizes keep going down! How is that right?

Tricia
 
Most often I'll buy a diet coke ($3.50 - no, I would not like a large for a quarter more) at the concession stand. I feel weird sneaking in a beverage. I normally don't eat at the movies, but I always have to have a beverage. If I am hungry, I'll try to eat a snack on the way, but will sneak in a granola bar or some snack mix, if I think I will be hungry. I'm not gonna pay $3 for some run of the mill bad for me chocolate or gummy bears. If I want chocolate, I'm gonna eat GOOD chocolate, and I'll sneak it in. DS also knows that we don't buy stuff at the movies. We're going to see UP in a few minutes, and I'm paying $7 a piece for AFTERNOON tickets (an extra $3 each if we want 3D!!!!), I'm not going to drop another wallet full on concession stand crap.

Nan
 
We used to sneak in snacks, but it always made my kids feel bad - I seem to have raised rule followers! LOL. :) Our theater is locally owned and run, he makes his income from the concession stand; he struggles to stay afloat and could easily decide to close the theater - then where would we be! The next nearest movie theater is over an hour away. So - I don't mind shelling out extra for snacks. They usually just want popcorn.
 
Yes, we sneak them in. We don't hit the theaters very often ~ maybe twice a year ~ but yeah...I just can't fork over that kind of cash for popcorn. The ticket prices alone aggravate me.
 
I always have an ethical hard time with this. I mean, when you look at it closely, it's stealing, right? The rules are clearly stated and when you buy a ticket you are agreeing to abide by the rules of the business. Locally, it's okay to bring in water, but not other drinks or snacks. Yet I can't agree more on how ridiculously expensive the snack bar is. Fortunately, I so rarely go to a movie in the theater that my moral compass is not challenged very often.
 
If it's just me and DH we eat beforehand and I make him agree that we will not buy any food there. After all I think we should be able to go two hours without eating. If we go with friends I bring something healthy for me and DH does whatever he wants. If there was something halfway decent at the concession stand I'd buy. I have treats now and then but I'm real picky about my special occasion foods. They have to be 100% worth it and candy, popcorn and soda just don't do it for me. Now if, like some theaters in europe, they served alcohol I be singing a different tune.:D
 
I only started bringing my own treats to the movie when I had to wait in line for 45 minutes for a single diet coke. I missed the beginning of the movie because the theater people couldn't get themselves together to service their customers. The people working the concession stand looked out at the mass of people angrily waiting in line and said "everyone looks mad". Well I guess so. Make people wait that long for something that should take minutes only is ludacris. I now bring my own healthy popcorn, water or bottled diet soda or a protein bar. No more lines and missing the beginning of the $8.00 movie.

Tracy
 
I usually bring a water in with me to avoid the plastic bottle at the theatre. But we do try to buy a little something because our theatre is just a local mom and pop joint. It's only $5 a show, so getting a little popcorn is OK with us.
 
Not at our local theater because they only charge $1 for a bottle of water or soda and the same for a small collection of candy. The popcorn too is only a buck. But the theater at the mall is a different story. Yes I sneak in snacks--water, fruit and nut snack and even at times a cappucino. And I don't feel guilty. Their prices are out and out robbery. The last time I went they wanted $4 for a bottle of water so I ran outside to the newstand and bought it for $1 and went back in. The staff couldn't have cared less.
 
I have to agree that the concession stand rates are outrageous. We are fortunate to have a local theater (Harkins) that does loyalty things. For example, buy a loyalty cup (same price as a paper cup) and bring it back and you get it refilled for $1.00. Buy a loyalty-shirt and wear it when you come, you get a free popcorn. So the $20.00 t-shirt pays for itself in 4 visits. Since we go to the movies twice a month or more, we save a bunch with both.

Jean
 
Well, it may be stealing, but when a small bag of Popcorn is $5.75, then WHO is really doing the stealing here?:(

I sneak in anything that will fit in my purse, and as of last movie it was 2 drinks, an apple and a box of Junior Mints, and plenty of room for no guilt!:cool:
 
Nope, 'cause I LOVE movie popcorn so much. Plus, I just don't go out to see movies that much anymore, so when I do, it's a treat and I totally indulge. But, if I feel the need to "be good," I get the kid's combo which is about 2 cups of popcorn, a small candy, and a very small (by movie theatre standards!) soft drink.
 
I bring my own

I was thinking about this dilemma. Although I see the point that there are some ethical concerns regarding the rules about bringing in snacks, I ultimately agree with bringing in your own snacks - with one stipluation: they cannot be snacks already sold at the concession stand.

I have an insulin disorder and I cannot eat sugar or simple carbs or artificial sweeteners - period. So when I go to the theatre, I bring fruit, apple or pear or peach, and a baggie with a variety of unsalted almonds, walnuts, and pecans. I also bring in my water. They charge too much for that and I don't like the brand.

They do not have healthy alternatives for the folks in my situation so I feel justified. Perhaps better vendor negotiations and management practices will allow for higher revenue. Why do they always have to gouge the customer?

As far as the locally owned neighborhood theatre, I would talk to the owner is person and offer to give him or her an extra $5 for allowing me to bring in my snacks. As far as they larger chains, they need to fix things internally before going after the customer.
 
I got fed up with movie audience rudeness way back when Saving Private Ryan came out. D-Day was on the screen while the moron in front of me (not an obnoxious kid but not a doctor, either) took not one, not two, but THREE cell phone calls. That was IT for me. But back then, I brought my own snacks. I haven't bought pricey concession counter crap since elementary school.
 
OH YES!!! We take in our own treats!! Cheaper & healthier. Usually nust & dried fruit also. I admit we do get the ocassional popcorn. I loose all self control though so I try to avoid it :eek:

Great thread!
 
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