I don’t go to movies that often. There are many reasons for this, but the top two boil down to
a) they’re too expensive
b) most movies out in recent years have sucked hairy moosecock
One of the most expensive parts of going to the movies are the mis-named “concessions”. It’s $14 to get in the door, and then another $20 for snacks. And there aren’t a lot of choices. Chocolate, greasy popcorn or a stale hotdog. Over the years I’ve gone through phases where I’ve had special dietary needs (no salt, no fat, no starch, whatever) – usually to clear up specific digestive conditions. Theaters however really discourage the bringing of snacks from outside their own little mafia-esque lobby installations. I couldn’t for example, enjoy a meal replacement bar or a banana instead of the aforementioned choices.
With adult-onset diabetes on the rise in the West, you’d think it wouldn’t be a war just to get some crudités or an apple in the door of a movie theater, but it is. Well, now Sony Pictures wants to change that.
Speaking at the ShoWest convention in Las Vegas on Monday, Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton said that, while the current fare offered at theaters is great, theater owners should be considering healthier alternatives.
“I don’t mean to close the window for popcorn, soda and candy. Audiences love them and should always be able to buy them at your theaters,” he said. But he added that “by bringing healthier snacks into your concession stands, you would be helping our country meet an urgent public health need,”
Lyton pointed to a survey Sony did of 26 theaters around the country. According to their findings, 42% of parents said they’d buy more food at the concession stands if healthier options were made available.
Believe me, I’m not a food Nazi. I’ve fought the fascist dictates of the crazy nut-phobes and the lactose intolerant, feeling that we should all be allowed to make our own food choices. But if the options are limited to fat, sugar and salt, there really aren’t many choices you can make. Personally, my favorite thing to sneak into the theater is a bag of peanuts without chocolate on them. Sony isn’t saying theaters can’t serve junk food – they’re merely asking for additions to the menu. I think it’s a good idea, and I’d like to see how it would play out. Would people opt for healthier fare?
I think the burbs might have more in the way of concession variety these days – most of the movie theaters out here come with a full complement food court nowadays.
I usually just mainline the mega bucket of popcorn, so don’t quote me, but I think you can probably get fresh fruit at a couple of them, as well as premixed salad type stuff.
Maybe they’re just nicer to me because family movie night means 8 of us are springing for admission, but I always bring my backpack filled with home-made goodies and juice boxes and never get hassled by anyone. They never even ask to look. Maybe you just need a bigger purse
I’ve never had a problem bringing outside snacks into a theatre, do it all the time.
Some of the independent theaters in U.S. cities offer reasonable stuff in their lobbies. Good coffee, pastries, fruit etc. When I lived in NYC there were some decent choices. Out here in fly-over country it’s the same everywhere. I hardly ever purchase the over-priced crap when I slide in for a morning matinee