my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Automatic Butter Dispenser Or Countertop Model

Author Topic: Automatic Butter Dispenser Or Countertop Model Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 05-13-2008 09:02 AM                        Hey all, I was wondering what the preferred way of giving out butter is. We currently have 2 countrertop models for butter, but I have recently had the oppurtunity to purchase 4 automatic selfserve ones. What are your feelings, and if you would switch over, why? THanks for your help! Cody  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 05-13-2008 09:17 AM                        Self serve is always better IF there is no charge. Provide service only if paid. The exception is drinks where self service is preferred by the customer AND that speeds up the process. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-13-2008 10:37 AM                        The question posed in the thread is different from the question in the title. ...... I do like self-serve drinks because without fail, counter people NEVER put enough ice in the drink (because they want to give me a bargain, I guess) and the drink is always ice-free within 30 minutes.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 05-13-2008 11:08 AM                        I do not like the self serve "butter" mats. I prefer to have my popcorn bag filled half way then have "butter" and salt added then have the bag "shook up" then filled with some more "butter" and salt on the top. Self-Serve makes this impossible to do without having to wait in line twice. This is at least the way AMC does it. I guess if you had a self serve "butter" mat at each station that would be an ideal set-up.  |  IP: Logged Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 05-13-2008 11:18 AM                        Thanks for everyones replies. I've noticed, at least around here, many of the chain theatres have the towers at then ends of the counters which seems to speed up there turnover of customers at the counter. On busy nights that would greatly help get our product out faster, however i can understand the butter in the middle type thing. I know that at some theatres you can put a drink straw on the nozzle and butter deeper in the bucket, but it's still not the best solution. The towers I was lucky enough to pick up were the Gold Medal #2396A. I'm still waiting on the shipment, but am excited to get these in to either resell or sell our theatre owner on. Butter use wise, do you think you use more by having the towers for the customers to use, less, or about the same? Thanks for your help! Cody  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 05-13-2008 02:54 PM                     With self-serve butter we seem to use less, as customers forget to butter the popcorn themselves and go onto their movie, thinking we already buttered it for them. The counter the butter dispensers are located has to be cleaned frequently, but there is always staff around to do this.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 05-13-2008 03:16 PM                        quote: James Westbrook With self-serve butter we seem to use less, as customers forget to butter the popcorn themselves and go onto their movie, thinking we already buttered it for them. And then the next time they come they do not bother buying popcorn because they were unhappy with the amount of "butter" you put on it  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-13-2008 04:07 PM                     For all the people who hate self-buttering there are just as many who love it. Those that love it look at it that they control how much they put in whereas the others see it as an inconvenience. And I even worked at a second job while at my old theater where someone said he didn't like the self-serve because otherwise he'd just get the "two squirts" the staffer put on whereas with the self-serve he'd put on more and be less healthy. Though I think that's more of his personal lack of willpower.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-13-2008 06:35 PM                        Is there still a chain that sells extra butter "by the squirt" and the managers get written up if they don't sell enough extra "squirts" a month?  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-13-2008 09:45 PM                     When my old theater was Cineplex Odeon they charged for extra butter but I never heard of anyone getting in trouble for not meeting a quota.  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 05-14-2008 03:59 AM                     When I worked for Goodrich Quality Theatres we charged .27 cents for extra butter. It was such a joke. Half the time the person didn't get any more butter then they would if they didn't get "Extra Butter" We have two condiment stands that have two self serve butter machines on each. We also have 4 in the concession stand. We will butter it for you or you can butter it how you would like it.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 05-14-2008 10:14 AM                        I like the way Kurt's theatre does it. I think keeping one or two "butter" mats in the stand for people who prefer "butter" half way, and keep the rest as self serve is a great solution to the issue. I would love it this way as I can get my "butter" half way and put as much or as little on top as I choose. Now, if the theatre also used Odell's butterfat instead of Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil that would rule!  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 05-14-2008 11:16 AM                        We don't do self-serve, because we layer the topping, as Sean described. For someone to do that on a self-serve basis, they'd have to come back for another trip to the butter tower. We don't notice that providing a uniform product in this way adds enough time to make a difference. The customers like it, too, and we sell a LOT of popcorn. Don't forget that topping prices are going up. Whether you own your operation or are working for a cost-conscious company, you may be paying more attention to how much you're using.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.