Is it tacky to bring your own snacks to the movie theater?

[Melissa569]

I cannot tell anyone how to feel. But aside from ensuring that you are being seen as a decent and clean human being, I think its silly to care what other people think, or how you appear to them.

True, they do try to stop you from bringing your own food. But the ticket prices around here are completely unreasonable! So I try to bring the same brands/types of food they sell in the theater, so it at least LOOKS like something I bought there, if an usher walks by, lol. I also find that if you wait until the lights go down, and the movie starts before you break out your food, everyone is far too busy watching the movie, to notice what you are eating.

And like my grandpa said, "You wouldn't worry so much about what people think of you, if you knew how seldom they did."

Edited January 7, 2010 by Melissa569

[mnn727]

Can't you go 2 hours without a snack?

[annamaureen]

A friend and I once smuggled two Arby's meals into a theater. They don't allow outside food or drink in an attempt to make you purchase their insanely priced concessions!

[Dravin]

I just forgo the snacks.

[pam]

Can't you go 2 hours without a snack?

No way...that's part of going to a movie.

[Guest]

I cannot tell anyone how to feel. But aside from ensuring that you are being seen as a decent and clean human being, I think its silly to care what other people think, or how you appear to them.

True, they do try to stop you from bringing your own food. But the ticket prices around here are completely unreasonable! So I try to bring the same brands/types of food they sell in the theater, so it at least LOOKS like something I bought there, if an usher walks by, lol. I also find that if you wait until the lights go down, and the movie starts before you break out your food, everyone is far too busy watching the movie, to notice what you are eating.

And like my grandpa said, "You wouldn't worry so much about what people think of you, if you knew how seldom they did."

This is not about HOW YOU LOOK. This is about CHEATING.

Let me put it to you this way - if you go to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse that sells their plate of steaks for $30, and you feel it is only worth $10, are you going to then go into Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, enjoy the ambience of the place and bring in your own $10 steak you got from the grocery store?

Of course not. Why? Not because of WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. You don't do it because it is WRONG. Ruth's Christ Steakhouse DO NOT ALLOW you to bring your own steaks. It is the RULE. YOU DON'T CHEAT RUTH'S CHRIS and SNEAK your own steaks in!

If you can't affford the refreshments, don't buy it. If you can't abide by the rule of not bringing your own snacks in, DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE!

CHEATING IS BAD NO MATTER HOW YOU JUSTIFY IT. JUST LIKE ROBIN HOOD IS STILL A THIEF!

[talisyn]

I can't believe this thread has gone 21 pages and counting, it's almost a Word of Wisdom-type thread!

Movie theaters are nuts if they think people will be happy to pay $3.50 for a box of M&Ms when you can smuggle in the $0.50 pack from Wal-Mart. Buy the $3.00 medium soft drinks and $4.00 medium bag of popcorn, or the $2.50 package of 8 corn chips and 1 tablespoon cheese dip. Or the $2.00 bottled water. They need to make a profit. But I see nothing wrong with a few candy bars in your purse.

Last time I took my daughter and 2 nephews to the movies it cost $32.00 for the tickets and around the same for drinks/popcorn/candy. I will give the owner credit, he has a popcorn and drink refill price which has saved me on average $15/trip.

Edited January 9, 2010 by talisyn

[mnn727]

No way...that's part of going to a movie.

Then you pay the price they ask.

[pam]

Luckily the theater I frequent sells mugs..refills are then only 75 cents. Buy a large popcorn and you get free refills. It's not too bad of a deal.

[miztrniceguy]

quote "I can't believe this thread has gone 21 pages and counting, it's almost a Word of Wisdom-type thread!"

almost like a tithing thread...lol!

[miztrniceguy]

Luckily the theater I frequent sells mugs..refills are then only 75 cents. Buy a large popcorn and you get free refills. It's not too bad of a deal.

Pam, can you bring the popcorn bucket back your next visit?

[pam]

Shhhhh I've done it. Okay only once..but I've done it.

[Churchmouse]

I don't know if it's tacky, bit it's embarrassing when they throw you out.

[StrawberryFields]

How is this different than ordering from the kids menu?

[hordak]

quote "I can't believe this thread has gone 21 pages and counting, it's almost a Word of Wisdom-type thread!"

!

Is it ok to bring your own alcohol into the bar since they charge so much for drinks?

There now it is

[Dravin]

Is it ok to bring your own alcohol into the bar since they charge so much for drinks?

There now it is

But are you wearing pants or a skirt/dress?

[Wisc]

I've taken in everything from candy to Texas Double Whoppers WITH onion rings into movies. No one ever says a word to me. There's no sense hiding it since everyone will smell the delishious burger over there stale pop corn. But the one time I did have something said to me I just mentioned that I did purchase their $3 freekin soda and that I was diabetic and was not able to consume their other products.... they just sort of shrugged and walked away.

[RipplecutBuddha]

Going to the movies is getting very expensive, $10.50 to $11.00 for each ticket. On top of that, the popcorn, candy, nachos, hot dogs and sodas, X 4.

When we go to the movies with my husband he doesn't like me bringing outside food. He says it looks tacky and he rather spent $30 to $40 on snacks than going through the embarrassment of people seeing him with outside food.

Is not like I'm bringing burritos or hamburgers with french fries, I just bring candy bars, soda or water, and sometimes chips. Is this a guy thing because they feel they can't provide for their families?

When I told him that I always do it with the kids when we go alone he said that I shouldn't because we "have the money" to buy them like everybody else.

What do you guys think, is he right on this?

Um...as far as I know, bringing in outside food will get you kicked out of the theater...at least it used to be that way. The food prices are where the theaters make their money, so they're not gonna go down at all in the future.

My advice...have the family eat dinner at home before you go to the movie...then drinks and a few candy bars will be all they have room for anyhow.

[Dravin]

My advice...have the family eat dinner at home before you go to the movie...then drinks and a few candy bars will be all they have room for anyhow.

Or promise them dessert after the movie. My family usually goes out to dinner before or afterwards, or gets dessert or some kind afterwards, be it ice cream at a fast food joint or baked goods at a grocery store. Trying to get in under the matinée cut off helps as well, though that isn't always practical due to work schedules.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Dravin

[WillowTheWhisp]

This is not about HOW YOU LOOK. This is about CHEATING.

Let me put it to you this way - if you go to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse that sells their plate of steaks for $30, and you feel it is only worth $10, are you going to then go into Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, enjoy the ambience of the place and bring in your own $10 steak you got from the grocery store?

Of course not. Why? Not because of WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. You don't do it because it is WRONG. Ruth's Christ Steakhouse DO NOT ALLOW you to bring your own steaks. It is the RULE. YOU DON'T CHEAT RUTH'S CHRIS and SNEAK your own steaks in!

If you can't affford the refreshments, don't buy it. If you can't abide by the rule of not bringing your own snacks in, DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE!

CHEATING IS BAD NO MATTER HOW YOU JUSTIFY IT. JUST LIKE ROBIN HOOD IS STILL A THIEF!

It's not exacty the same. You go to a restaurant in order to eat. You go to the cinema in order to watch a film. The food is an optional extra and the prices are ludicrous. I actually think they would make more profit if they charged less and had a greater turnover. We just tend to buy one drink and share it between 3 or 4.

[hordak]

It's not exacty the same. You go to a restaurant in order to eat. You go to the cinema in order to watch a film. The food is an optional extra and the prices are ludicrous. I actually think they would make more profit if they charged less and had a greater turnover. We just tend to buy one drink and share it between 3 or 4.

If you go to the bar to shoot pool is it cool to smuggle in your own booze? Go to a concert to see the band is it cool to bring your own food and drink? In a place that forbids it.?

Look people can rationalize this all they want but if the rule says no outside food or drink, and smuggle it in you are Lying.

c. Todd is small for his age and gets into a movie theater for half price. “That’s all right,” he says, “because movie theaters make a lot of money.”

President Spencer W. Kimball spoke of different ways that people justify dishonesty:

“Practically all dishonesty owes its existence and growth to this inward distortion we call self-justification. It is the first, the worst, and most insidious and damaging form of cheating—to cheat oneself.

Don’t rationalize that wrong is right, even though many people around you may think there is no harm in being dishonest. Being honest requires courage and commitment to do what you know is right.

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men;

As a teen when my mother would ask where is was going i would say "hanging out with my friends" I left out the bad stuff would would be doing so it wasn't "really a lie" but does that make it better?

People can justify it all they want but if you are hiding it it means you know it is wrong, if you know it is wrong and still do it you are being dishonest.

[WillowTheWhisp]

But you don't have to drink when you go to play pool do you? Is it wrong of me not to want to pay the extortionate prices for cinema refreshments? Is it wrong of me to share one drink with my daughters?

[pam]

I know I have joked around on this thread. But in reality..yes I think it's wrong to bring outside food in when a theater prohibits it. I think the only time I've done it in the last 5 years is when I was on a specific diet after a surgery...and I knew I would have to eat something so I brought in what I was allowed to eat. The theater knew about it as I had it out in the open. They never questioned me.

Edited January 10, 2010 by pam

[hordak]

But you don't have to drink when you go to play pool do you? Is it wrong of me not to want to pay the extortionate prices for cinema refreshments? Is it wrong of me to share one drink with my daughters?

You don't have to drink when you play pool. You don't have to eat when you go to the movies either.

It's not wrong for you to not want to pay the prices, it's wrong of you to break the rule because of that. Why would it be wrong to share a drink, i share my popcorn with the kids?

It wasn't specifically aimed at you btw. And lord knows i don't do everything a should.

My mother cleaned a movie theater for 10 years.

It was a small family owned place and the tickets were like $3.50, candy prices were 1.50 for sour patch kids, snow caps etc. 1.00 for mike and iks, hot tomallas etc. and 50 cents for reeses pieces and small bagged candy like that. I spend many of nights doing the math and you could buy every candy in the place for about $30

Off course this was when Min wage was like $4.50 hour and when i say my mother cleaned it i mean my mothers name was on the pay check. To actually get the work done it required Mom, Me, my brother, and sometimes my father.

I could easily justify breaking the rules based on that.

But we should not seek to justify breaking the rules, even if we don't agree with them. We set a bad example. As parents we set plenty of rules for our kids they may not agree with but that doesn't make it ok for them to break them. We don't need to teach this from an early age. If it cost too much eat first or after.

Side note. According to a bunch of haunted places websites the place was haunted. I used to sleep where the original owners wife shot herself and ghost hangs out how cool is that.

Not that she shot herself but that i spent every weekend hanging out in a haunted theater sleeping in the "scariest place"

[talisyn]

I've brought M&Ms and bottled drinks into movie theaters before, mostly when I was breastfeeding and drinking water roughly in the amount of the Great Salt Lake each day. You just put the stuff in the baby bag or carrier and you're good to go.

This thread brings to my mind the age-old question of the ethics of Robin Hood. Yes, the movie theater has the right to demand you buy food from them, but doesn't there have to be a certain responsibility of the owner's part to not price-gouge their customers? Especially when they are the only theater in 45+ miles. I know all about supply and demand and how businesses set prices the market will pay but if we as customers have certain ethical behavior to follow why doesn't the theater owner?