Filmgoer takes stand on costly snacks

By Hum
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Grand Master

Hum

Posted
Posted

Joshua Thompson loves the movies.

But he hates the prices theaters charge for concessions like pop and candy.

This week, the 20-something security technician from Livonia decided to do something about it: He filed a class action in Wayne County Circuit Court against his local AMC theater in hopes of forcing theaters statewide to dial down snack prices.

"He got tired of being taken advantage of," said Thompson's lawyer, Kerry Morgan of Wyandotte. "It's hard to justify prices that are three- and four-times higher than anywhere else."

American Multi Cinema, which operates the AMC theater in Livonia, wouldn't comment on the suit. A staffer at the National Association of Theatre Owners in Washington, D.C., angrily hung up the phone when asked about industry snack pricing practices.

Although consumer experts predicted that the case will be dismissed, it struck a chord Friday with area moviegoers, who said they're tired of being soaked on movie munchies.

"The prices are ridiculous," Rebecca Motley, 55, a self-employed Southfield physician, said while leaving the AMC Star Southfield 20.

Motley said she and her office manager spent $5 each for morning movie tickets and $11 each for soft drinks and popcorn.

"When I was a kid, $1 could get you into the movies and buy you a pop and popcorn. But not anymore," Motley said. "I don't know how kids can go on their own to a movie anymore."

Timothy Fells, 29, part owner of a Redford Township gym, agreed with Motley.

"Movie concession prices are extremely high, and that's why I don't stop at the snack bar very often," he said while leaving the AMC theater in Southfield.

Thompson didn't want to be interviewed because he doesn't want any notoriety, Morgan said. But Thompson said in his lawsuit that he used to take his own pop and candy to the AMC in Livonia until the theater posted a sign banning the practice.

On Dec. 26, he paid $8 for a Coke and a package of Goobers chocolate-covered peanuts at the Livonia theater -- nearly three times the $2.73 he paid for the same items at a nearby fast-food restaurant and drug store, the suit said.

The suit accused AMC theaters of violating the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by charging grossly excessive prices for snacks.

The suit seeks refunds for customers who were overcharged, a civil penalty against the theater chain and any other relief Judge Kathleen Macdonald might grant.

Two consumer lawyers predicted that Macdonald will dismiss the suit.

"It's a loser," said Gary Victor, an Eastern Michigan University business law professor. He said state Supreme Court decisions in 1999 and 2007 exempted most regulated businesses from the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.

Added Ian Lyngklip, a nationally known consumer lawyer in Southfield: "Movie theaters are regulated, so the lawsuit won't go anywhere"

Victor, an avid moviegoer, agreed that snack prices are excessive at theaters. That's why he shuns the concession counter unless he's with a date.

Griping about excessive prices at the theater concession is a time-honored tradition, says Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for www.hollywood.com , a movie industry website.

"But like high airline prices, it's just one of those things that we've become accustomed to because we don't have any control over it," he added.

Although movie ticket sales are down -- 1.2 billion tickets were sold last year compared with 1.6 billion in 2002 -- he said a difficult economy mainly is to blame, not snack prices.

To cope with the issue, some consumers eat before or after they go to the movies, or resort to smuggling.

Fells said he sometimes smuggles Gummi Bears into the theater to save money.

Kristy Belanger, 20, a real estate secretary from Redford Township who showed up at the AMC in Livonia on Friday to see a movie with her boyfriend, concealed two bottles of Pepsi in her purse.

"I did it to save money, and I feel like I did," she said, adding that what she saved on Pepsi enabled her to buy a $4.74 serving of nachos to share with her beau.

source

Grand Master

M_Lyons10

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I've said this for a long time. If you aren't allowed to bring anything in, and they have a captive audience, they simply should not be permitted to rape you on the cost of a box of skittles... It's outrageous. If they priced things more reasonably, I'd bet they'd sell much more and make up the difference anyway.

And it's interesting to note that he is comparing the cost to that of a drug store, which is generally high too...

Who buys candy at a theater anymore? I shamelessly bring whatever I want with me. **** em if they think they are going to rip me off like that.

Agreed.

Grand Master

+Xinok Subscriber²

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  • Subscriber²
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Who buys candy at a theater anymore? I shamelessly bring whatever I want with me. **** em if they think they are going to rip me off like that.

I've done that a few times as well. :p Before you know it, they'll place a security guard at the entrance to inspect your belongings and confiscate any outside snacks and drinks, just like they do that the theme parks.

Grand Master

Mr. Gibs

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There's actually another funny thing about the article...

"But like high airline prices, it's just one of those things that we've become accustomed to because we don't have any control over it," he added.

High airline prices? Ticket prices have been dropping over the past few years, while their costs have been increasing massively (especially fuel). I can book a return ticket from Orlando to LAX for like $400. Think you can do that cheaper or faster by car?

And you technically do have control, don't buy anything from the concession booths. Buy it somewhere else, stick it in your bag and save yourself the money.

Grand Master

mokthraka

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I've done that a few times as well. :p Before you know it, they'll place a security guard at the entrance to inspect your belongings and confiscate any outside snacks and drinks, just like they do that the theme parks.

get a jacket with lots of pockets. Me and my friend made a game out of it. Who can get more stuff in. She got a can of arizona tea in 0_0
Grand Master

giantpotato

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Movie Theaters pretty much make all their revenue from concessions. They don't really get anything from the ticket price. If they lowered the price of food, ticket prices would have to go up to compensate. Right now you have the option of buying food, if you don't like it don't buy anything. If the ticket prices were raised, everyone would be forced to pay more.

Grand Master

mokthraka

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Movie Theaters pretty much make all their revenue from concessions. They don't really get anything from the ticket price. If they lowered the price of food, ticket prices would have to go up to compensate. Right now you have the option of buying food, if you don't like it don't buy anything. If the ticket prices were raised, everyone would be forced to pay more.

I went to a theater in a smaller town... ticket prices where about $1 cheaper, and food and snacks where all WAY cheaper. a large drink was only $4, compared to $6 or $7 it is normally
Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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The last time I went to the movies, I took my daughter, and bought tickets and concessions came out to be around $15-$20, the only reason I bought the popcorn was because I had a gift card for the theater, and wanted to use it. Otherwise I really do not recall the last time I went to the movies, not just because the tickets are high, but the transportation to and from adds up too!

Grand Master

Stoffel

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I was on holiday in Brazil 2 years ago, and we went to one of the big movie theaters in a mall, and overthere it's absolutely normal to brig your own snacks.

You can walk in with a pizza or whatever you bought at McDonalds in the mall, anything was fine. Pretty sweet if you ask me

Grand Master

Yusuf M. Veteran

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  • Veteran
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I have never been stopped for bringing in a burger and drink to my local theatre. It's not something I always do though but it beats paying extra for food. I wonder what the repercussions would be if they won their case. Either the companies will counter it somehow or other theatres may be targeted for aggressive concession pricing.

Veteran

sava700

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I can't stand the prices either but this is where they make their money - the theater that is. I don't go to the stands..cause of the high prices and its rare I see any that do unless they have a kid screaming for popcorn. My biggest complaint with theaters is they haven't banned cell phone use at all - PERIOD!!! I get tired of even seeing the things light up and IMO they should police the theaters while the movies are running to ensure no phone is even opened as the lights on these suckers can light up half the theater! I say they should ban them as soon as you hit the door from being on and even have jammers up... you can yell and scream "Ohh my rights of my phone is violated, what if I have an emergency!!" Well you know what...we got along just fine without them for a very long time when we went to the theaters and you can just as well tell someone which movie you are going to so they can call the theater if its really serious. Only thing is nothing is serious - OMG gotta tweat this or post on facebook where i'm at..blah blah.. BAN THEM!! I go to watch the movie not be blinded by a phone light or have someone annoying person talking a few rows from me.

I can't begin to count how many times I've complained to management after a movie is over each time it happens in hopes they do something about it. I've even gotten to the point to say something to the person taking the tickets before going in to watch over.

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kizuran

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*snipped*

And you technically do have control, don't buy anything from the concession booths. Buy it somewhere else, stick it in your bag and save yourself the money.

...And you'd be actively working against the theatres' viability.

I thought we've been over this... theatres' main source of revenue is from those very same concession foods. Those and advertisements shown prior to showtimes anyway. :pinch:

You see, I've previously worked for a local theatre in my area some several years ago, and I know for a fact that they make no where near the exploitative windfalls (most) filmgoers think they do. In fact, many smaller & more removed establishments have near-constant difficulty keeping the doors open.

This is (almost completely) due to how the movie studio-to-film theatre relationship works -- the production/distribution studio(s) of a certain film essentially lease the rights to show a film at a particular venue, including restrictive conditions stipulating everything from length of the "lease" (how long theatres can legally offer showings of a film), to visual marketing methods (posters, banners, video trailers, etc.,). And theatre franchises have to take this, or else they getz no moar filmz n da theatarz. :boo:

Grand Master

shakey

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Only theatre I go to now is Alamo Drafthouse. Serves beer, wine, pizza, burgers, fried pickles, and a lot of other foods that they have chef's for... but the biggest plus is No Kids. Of course, doesn't help that a night out to there still cost around $60 bucks after food and tickets and drinks :p

Grand Master

FloatingFatMan

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I tend to believe that theatres are on the way out -- just too expensive.

That, and generally, they're a crappy movie experience. The seats aren't comfy, the audience are often annoying and loud, the food is often terrible AND expensive, the drink is so watered down it might as well just be water, and the price is ridiculous.

Watch it at home.... You can pause it for a pee, have decent food, no noisy morons, comfier seating and usually cheaper too.

Grand Master

Mr. Gibs

Posted
Posted

...And you'd be actively working against the theatres' viability.

I thought we've been over this... theatres' main source of revenue is from those very same concession foods. Those and advertisements shown prior to showtimes anyway. :pinch:

You see, I've previously worked for a local theatre in my area some several years ago, and I know for a fact that they make no where near the exploitative windfalls (most) filmgoers think they do. In fact, many smaller & more removed establishments have near-constant difficulty keeping the doors open.

This is (almost completely) due to how the movie studio-to-film theatre relationship works -- the production/distribution studio(s) of a certain film essentially lease the rights to show a film at a particular venue, including restrictive conditions stipulating everything from length of the "lease" (how long theatres can legally offer showings of a film), to visual marketing methods (posters, banners, video trailers, etc.,). And theatre franchises have to take this, or else they getz no moar filmz n da theatarz. :boo:

And I'm supposed to care about this, why? It's not my concern if a whole bunch of theaters go out of business. Maybe Hollywood should stop vastly overcharging for their movies and stop being stuck in some last century distribution model.

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