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Author
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Topic: Bitty Buddies
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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 01-19-2000 03:42 PM
Santa Rosa is booming where we have opened a new theatre. They used to have some problems in this town with money and had all kinds of discount programs. For the movie theatres they had “Tightwad Tuesday”. There was a Thursday, where seniors got in for a reduced price (some said free, but I think they were yanking my chain). There was a discount card. There is a Sonoma Gold Card where you can get discounts at area merchants.So we open up our theatre and try to set one simple price policy. Adults $7.00, Seniors & Children are $4.50 and all shows before 6 PM are 4.50. This theatre used to charge $6.50 for adults. The 16-plex in the next town charges $7.75. They were charging $4.50 for a large 170-ounce popcorn (with the golden shower) and a free refill. I thought that was too expensive, so we cut the charge to $3.50 with no refill and real butter. So here is the problem. We have seniors coming up to the box and bitching about our high prices. They complain that we are dropping the first matinee during the week. Our second matinee only did 25 persons. Is it just that senior’s bitch about everything, or is it that we are doing something heinously wrong? We are looking into having an early show for seniors during the week. It would be one day and we would advertise with the senior rags and centers. We would have to find staff to run it, and we have all high school kids right now. Does anyone run a successful senior program out there? And how does it work? I did ten years ago. All I sold in the concession stand was “small popcorn (oh that’s too big), and a small coffee.” (Nobody seems to get that we are a new company with new rules. We have a new sign, lobby and cleaned up projection equipment, which they will never see. Why do they keep trying to use the old company's passes? And then get mad when we refuse. Then demand to speak to the manager. (This is the fun part) I get to tell them I am the owner.)
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Lance C. McFetridge
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 135
From: Penn Yan, New York
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 01-19-2000 04:45 PM
Ian, I think what you are finding is what I refer to the FIS syndrome. It usally affects only people that belong to AARP or are actually of retirement age. FIS ( or Fixed income syndrome) entitles everyone to bitch about prices, expect more for less, and find fault with just about everything that has to do with presentation, especially sound. They really do not get surround sound at all. It used to really bug the heck out of me to hear these folks bitch, and I only used to charge $3.50 for them to get in. Some one on this forum once said something that really stuck........If they aren't bitching about the prices, you are not charging enough. People love to bitch about prices. Tough to do, but smile, be nice, and it pays off. Sooner or later they bring the grandkids in, and spoil them rotten with all the stuff they can eat. Hang in. my two cents worth lance
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Chris Erwin
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 195
From: Olive Hill,KY
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 01-19-2000 06:01 PM
Ian,When they stop showing up to bitch,then I'd worry. I bet it's the same ones you hear do all the griping! Hang in there! --Chris
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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 01-19-2000 07:12 PM
BF:You are about 56 years old now. Are you a member of the AARP yet? Large ps: You can come to Santa Rosa to slap me.
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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999
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posted 01-20-2000 08:38 AM
This is close to the subject. I drove with a friend to do some work for his mother in Manalapan, NJ last May. I was there for ten days.She is fairly wealthy, and lives in a paid-for condo. The 'fridge was packed with all kinds of whatever. Naturally, we ate out everyday. AND we had to go to the "Early Bird Specials" and save a dollar or two in the restaurants, along with all the other little old ladies with blue hair. Where are the little old men? Never saw any. The reason I brought this up: My friends mom bitched about everything at every restaurant everyday that I was there. I think she had nothing better to do and enjoyed it. Also, I can tell you where a least 6 different Podiatrists offices are located along Hwy. 9! I'd liked to have gone to a movie... anything to have gotten a little quiet. How many times can you look at your friends Bar Mitzvah pictures from 1966? Dont get me wrong. She is a sweet old thing.... BUT!.....
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