"assigned seating" at the movies....will make me less likely to go.

[bicker]

So if 100 people show up for the matinee show and buy $5 tickets but no food, the theater will only earn $20. That's ridiculous. I'm sure the expenses involved in running the theater are way more than that (projectionist, usher, custodian, utilities, etc.).

Without a doubt. That's why concessions sales are so incredibly critical.

 

[disneysteve]

Without a doubt. That's why concessions sales are so incredibly critical.

Has it ever occurred to the theater folks that they might be able to make a bigger profit on concession sales if they lowered the prices? People would buy more items. People who currently avoid the concessions would be more likely to make purchases. And those of us who bring our own snacks to avoid paying the ridiculous prices would instead buy our stuff when we got there. I think they'd make up in volume what they lost on price gouging.

 

[bicker]

Has it ever occurred to the theater folks that they might be able to make a bigger profit on concession sales if they lowered the prices?

What makes you think they'd make a bigger profit? All lowering prices would do is increase volume of sales. The only way that would end up making a bigger profit is if the increase in volume of sales is so great that it makes up for the decrease in per unit revenue. That's very basic stuff, so we can rest assured they've considered it and found that lowering prices wouldn't increase profit.

 

[thelittlemermaid]

DH and I went to the movies for my b-day back in Jan. When we entered the theatre there was an employee asking people how many there was in their party and telling them where to sit. The guy in front of us was by himself and the employee put him in a handicap seat. Then it was our turn, the employee tells us there are two seats left but one is down front and one is in the back {this is a stadium seating theatre}. FORGET that!!! Told the employee there is no way we are not going to sit together. Walk back out to get our money back for the tickets. As we are walking out I hear the employee radio out to the box office to stop selling tickets for that movie that they are full and that we were coming back out. Maybe they should have done that a little sooner.

If it goes to assigned seats, there is no way we will be going to the movies! It's bad enough now, we went an hour early to see the new Star Wars so we could get good seats. There is no way I am going to pay more, say $20, for a good seat, when someone maybe behind paid $10 for the same seat but a little further back for the same movie.

 

[MosMom]

I wouldn't go. I have to be near the back of the theatre and I have to have the aisle seat. I don't know why. I just do. I would hate being stuck in the middle with people all around me. We all have our things I guess.

 

[twojo21]

assigned seating would be a no go for us.

we rarely go to the theater now just because a rental/buying the dvd is that much more economical (its $9.50pp now plus drink & snacks) & its comfortable to watch a movie at home with our big screen & surround sound. the industries loss not ours.

 

[Jungle Skipper]

ugh...I have heard about this....I work at the theatre here and I don't see it happenig here in my lifetime...but I've read about it in trade papers.

Jungle Josh

 

[Viking]

Assigened seats are standard in most German movie theaters, but you can chose you seat when making the reservation on-line on a chart showing you all available seats or at the box office when buying your tickets. We usually only have two price classes: One for the first 20 per cent of the seats, and a slightly more expensive for the rest.

I think it is very comfortable that way, because you don't have to show up early to get a good seat. I make my reservation on-line and show up some time shortly before or during the commercials to take my reserved seat. It took the people a couple of years over here to get used to it, but meanwhile it works great.

 

[Rootskate]

I hope they don't start assigning seats. We hardly go to the movies now. That would make it so we stopped altogether.

 

[disneysteve]

Its interesting how many of you feel assigned seats are a bad idea. Do any of you ever go to live theater? They always have assigned seating. This has been standard for many years. I like knowing at the time I purchase my tickets exactly where I will be sitting. I can guarantee myself an aisle seat, if desired. Or a spot dead center if that's what I want. And it doesn't matter if I show up an hour early or just as the lights are dimming. I would not want to show up at a Broadway show and have to start searching for a couple of good seats.

Since more and more people buy their movie tickets in advance online, having a seat selection grid would be easy - just like live theater. I don't think charging different prices is such a great idea because, at least around here, the theaters aren't big enough for there to be a logical area to make more or less expensive (except maybe the front couple of rows).

 

[Morganpics]

Ethan'sMom- LOL- I couldn't have said it better!! I'm not even sure what the last movie was that I saw in a theater. I just remember that my kids nearly fell out of their chairs when they found out!