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Topic: AMC Makes Concession To Fat Moviegoers

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Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi

Posts: 215

Registered: Apr 2004

posted 04-05-2011 03:54 PM

AMC Makes Concession To Fat Moviegoers

Source: deadline.com

quote:
Last year at ShoWest, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton appealed to theater owners to introduce healthy foods at concession stands to combat obesity in kid moviegoers. This morning, Lynton lauded AMC for listening. Other chains are helping out by making fattening snacks, popcorn and soda so expensive it's prohibitive expensive to buy them, kind of like cigarettes.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Lynton today welcomed the announcement by AMC Theatres (AMC) that audiences will now be able to purchase “smart snack choices” at the company’s theaters.

“I applaud AMC for making healthier snacks available for theatergoers at concession stands around the country. I believe this will be good for business and for public health,” Lynton said.

In March, 2010, Lynton called on theater owners at ShoWest (now CinemaCon) to serve healthy food in addition to their traditional offerings. In his ShoWest remarks, Lynton said, “By bringing healthier snacks into your concession stands, you would be helping our country meet an urgent public health need. Taking this step is also great for audiences and for your business, because people want to see healthier foods in theaters, and when they do, they’ll buy them.”

Lynton announced last year that the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, had offered to advise theater owners on adding healthier snacks to their menus. AMC did work with the Alliance and said it “modeled AMC Smart MovieSnacks on the Alliance's school competitive food and beverage guidelines, which the organization uses in its work that supports more than 11,000 U.S. schools.”

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 04-05-2011 06:52 PM

Don't you think they should have healthy AND non healthy concessions? That way you could "choose your poison."

Us burger-eaters might not feel welcome at AMC. louis

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-05-2011 07:58 PM

It's a movie theatre, not a health food store. If they're really worried about kid obesity, they'd running nothing but R movies and tell the kids to go outside and play [evil]

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David E. Nedrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 368
From: Columbus, OH, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 04-05-2011 08:32 PM

quote:
Other chains are helping out by making fattening snacks, popcorn and soda so expensive it's prohibitive expensive to buy them, kind of like cigarettes.

I disbelieve this. What movie theatre is going to price their concessions out of purchasable range? I would have to see evidence of a successful for profit theatre that is doing this.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 04-05-2011 10:57 PM

I don't think the movie theater is the right place to apply higher prices to unhealthy foods. A bag of popcorn is already pretty damned expensive as it is. The act of raising prices significantly higher can lead to a customer backlash.

Most people can't afford to eat out and visit theaters all the time. Those are places where people should be able to indulge, but do so within reason.

The bigger problem is what Americans are doing when they're not sitting in a dark movie theater: sitting at their desks all day at work and sitting on the couch all evening at home. We're not active enough. So much of the "food" sold in grocery stores is shit. And if you want healthier choices you end up paying a LOT more for the luxury.

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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted 04-05-2011 11:27 PM

I just question the wisdom of parents spending 30 dollars on concession and then complaining about how expensive movies are. It's a freaking two hour movie. If you got money to burn, that's fine. otherwise, I just find it odd how people feel the need to eat something every single time they watch a movie.

But I thank them. otherwise ticketbuyers like me may be forced to pay more for the movie tickets.

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Mike Frese
Master Film Handler

Posts: 465
From: Holts Summit, MO
Registered: Jun 2007

posted 04-06-2011 06:55 AM

quote:
Other chains are helping out by making fattening snacks, popcorn and soda so expensive it's prohibitive expensive to buy them, kind of like cigarettes.

I believe he is being sarcastic. Studios have often been jealous of the high gross margins on concessions and have often wanted a share of those profits.

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Ed Alvarado
Film Handler

Posts: 60
From: Fort Worth, TX,usa
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 04-19-2011 06:30 AM

well now see doing this is why you see piracy in films and bags and bags of mess on the theater floor that is not in the concession stand. they can raise the price all they want but all you need to do is hide food in your purse or pockets. they are actually going to ruin it for them self's.

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Jim Bedford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 597
From: Telluride, CO, USA (733 mi. WNW of Rockwall, TX but it seems much, much longer)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-19-2011 01:50 PM

Teaser title. I thought it meant that AMC was going to put in wider seats.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-22-2011 11:49 AM

It wouldn't matter if you made popcorn and soda a buck apiece, people would still sneak stuff in for two reasons: 1. They think they're getting away with something, or 2. The theatre doesn't happen to sell the type of drink or snack they want.

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Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 593
From: London, UK
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 04-24-2011 02:59 PM

I'm with Jim, thought this was about wider seats. There are some Cinemas and Theatres in London which are going to have to make the seats wider on the next refurbishment, we are catching up with you guys on the obesity problem!

We obviously do not encourage outside food but we do not ban it (although our competitors do), with the exception of hot food. I'm not sure the industry can offer 'healthy' food at a price that will satisfy both our customers and our business. If people want to bring their own bottle of water and fruit in I'd rather let them and spend the time saved on the argument on my concessions stand trying to exceed our targets there.

Has the impact of lower concession prices on retail transaction percentage/hit rate ever been researched and published?

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 04-25-2011 12:15 AM

I blame 3D surcharges -- theatres got the message that audiences are okay with shelling out more bucks for trash.

Movie theatre popcorn can still be healthy for you -- in smaller quantities! Has nobody thought of that? And, of course, a smaller portion would be cheaper. This does both -- healthier option/more attractive price point -- without messing with tradition.

I would hope -- at least -- that the more expensive (bad for you) popcorn will still be made with the delicious coconut oil. Anyone remember the Canola oil fiasco from Summer of 1994?

Take-away lesson from that episode -- Don't mess with movie theatre popcorn. Don't mess with tradition!

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 04-28-2011 09:37 PM

I think it'll be a long time before we see wider seats.

For one, I think it can be *argued* that being fat is a choice.

But really -- follow the money -- what exhibitor wants *fewer* seats in their cinema?

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Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 04-29-2011 01:42 AM

I know of at least one small theatre who reduced his seat count and walled off part of his auditorium. It was an old opera house from back when God was a little boy, and the town was too small to fill the place, and the heat bill was killing him in the winter.

So it does happen that someone shrinks his theatre.

My theatre is big enough that it seldom fills but small enough that if there are ten people at a show it looks like there is someone there, and the heat bill isn't too bad.

On the subject of sneaking in food, I had someone sneak in a case of beer a few years back. WITH the case. I still have no idea how that got in, but it was there between the rows when we did the clean-up.

My standard line when I catch someone bringing in outside food or drinks is "Would you go to a restaurant and bring your own sandwich?"

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 04-29-2011 01:36 PM

As I said:

quote: Manny Knowles
follow the money

He did it to benefit his own bottom line -- not fat patrons.

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