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

[pearlieq]

Ugh I think that would be the end of my already meager movie going career!

 

[ChibiJones]

There is a theater by us that does this.

It's considered a premium theater. The seats are leather and very comfortable, larger than the usual theater seat. They has a small table for your snacks. Sodas and popcorn are included in the price. Hors d'oeuvres and alcoholic drinks (they have a full bar) are extra.

It's the same price for each seat, but it is more expensive ($13 for a matinee, $18 otherwise). For the two of us, we consider it a wash since if we bought popcorn and sodas at the regular theater, we'd probably end up paying the same, if not more.

The best part - 21 and over only. No noisy kids or teens. Plus, with assigned seating, there's no chance of the theater over-selling the movie (which has happened to us).

If I go to a live theater production or a concert, I expect to have an assigned seat. It's the same idea.

 

[Laurajean1014]

If this becomes the norm in USA:

Say hello to my little friend - Satalite TV and a box of popcorn (and Milk Duds)

 

[RyMickey]

Don't worry. It won't happen. Theaters at this point (as discussed in another thread) are struggling to get people to come in the first place -- This would just be another turn-off (and it would cost extra money for the theaters to enforce this since ushers would have to always be present in the theater in order to make sure people would be in their assigned seats).

 

[Aidensmom]

What is considered a prime seat? There are people who prefer the front, those that prefer the middle, and those that prefer the back.

 

[Sleepy]

While I would be irritated by assigned seating, what really gets under my skin about theaters are the ones with 24 screens in the building. Sure, most of the screens are "multiple", meaning 4 or 5 screens have the same popular movie playing at different start times. However, the problem is parents who drop their kids off at noon, the kids buy a PG rated ticket, watch the movie, then spend the next 12 hours hopping from theater to theater. In essence, they buy one ticket and get 6 free. They don't leave till 1-2am at the end of the last movie of the night. Not only do they take up seats, but since they did not pay for the seat, most times they don't even care to watch the movie, so they are obnoxious and take away the viewing enjoyment of others. Let's consider the fact that most of the movies they watch were not of the PG 13 and below with which they qualify. I would rather have a person at each theater entrance checking tickets to make sure you actually PAID for the movie. Maybe things have changed since I moved. I am hoping for a miracle.

 

[bicker]

I already don't like spending the $$$ to go to the moveis

I suspect that that already puts the movie houses at a disadvantage. Their livelihood depends on charging admission, so there is little they can do to overcome that bias against them.

and if I'm gonna be charged more to sit in a "prime" seat, well, I just won't go.

By the same token, there are people who refuse to go to the movies only to be faced with the prospect of paying the same as everyone else, but having to sit in horrendous seating.

I'd bet that if movie houses start assigned seating it will be because revenue from those who are willing to pay more for better seating outweighs that from those that aren't willing. My guess is that simply isn't the case at this point.

More likely, there is nothing movie houses can do to save themselves, now, with so many folks preferring to watch first-run movies in the comfort of their own homes.

 

[shortbun]

We usually wait til the movie has been out a while so we don't have to sit right next to others. Assigned seating would encourage me to wait for DVD release.

 

[Chattyaholic]

We don't go to movies very often anymore, simply because of the price and the people who constantly talk during the movie. When I was a kid the local theater had an usher who would walk up and down the aisles every few minutes, if someone was talking they would make them stop or leave. I think theaters need to go back to having ushers. It would stop the unruly teens, talking, cell phones, etc.

Occasionally there is a movie I want to see in town, as there is just "something" about seeing it on the BIG screen, in the dark, with that warm buttered popcorn...but most of the time we wait for it to come on DVD.

I would not appreciate "assigned seating" nor would I ever pay more for it.
Theater prices are too high to begin with, but with "stars" demanding millions for every movie it's no wonder they have to charge high prices.

 

[ChibiJones]

I suspect that that already puts the movie houses at a disadvantage. Their livelihood depends on charging admission, so there is little they can do to overcome that bias against them.

Actually, movie theaters get very little of the admission price. The majority of it goes to the distributors and studios.

 

[ead79]

I guess I have mixed feelings on this. I like the idea of being guaranteed a certain seat so you don’t have to arrive so early to get a good seat. However, as expensive as tickets already are, I can’t see myself wanting to pay more for a preferred seat. I like the first-come first-served idea of assigning the seats as opposed to the higher price idea. I tend to agree with the others that prefer watching movies in the comfort of my own home anyway though. I will admit that I do get a craving for a hot, buttery tub of movie theater popcorn every now and then!

 

[asta]

I can think of a positive for this. I absolutely cannot stand to watch a movie with a complete stranger sitting in the seat right next to me. I think it would be worth it to buy an extra ticket to guarantee that I would not have to sit next to and touch someone that I don't know. Buy the extra ticket and sit on the aisle and I would have my comfort zone.

As you can tell, I have problems with close talkers and some of the lines at WDW.

 

[caitycaity]

i don't think this will happen on a large scale in the us.

we go to the movies literally every weekend and we always get there early to get the seats we want. if this happened, depending on how much extra it was, i'd imagine we'd probably pay it.

as far as the uk, when i lived in london, i went to the movies a few times and we never had assigned seating.

 

[Charade]

That's a bunch of happy crap. No way would I want to go then.

Yep, I agree.

With sales declining, I doubt they would do this. They should be LOWERING their prices, not raising them.

Movies have always been first come, first seated. Get there early if you want a good seat.

 

[PneumaticTransit]

I would be even less likely to go if they assigned seats here. On average, my DH and I probably only go to the movies once every 2 months. Ticket prices are $9! Nachos are $6.25!!! A drink and a hot dog runs you about $10!!!! An outing at the movies costs us around $40 - not the "cheap date" it used to be. The last movie we saw was Batman Begins - 7 cell phones rang during the show. I guess some people thought the TWO ads they ran to remind people to turn off their cell phones were for everyone but them. And a person behind actually answered her cell phone and proceeded to have a conversation, and another person from the last showing kept insisted she left her cell phone under my seat. I looked, not there. I looked again, still not there. Finally I had to let her know I paid a lot to see this movie, she should come back when it's done and the house lights are on to look for her phone. (Stupid me thought that was common sense! )

This is why I have Netflix

 

[disneysteve]

Actually, movie theaters get very little of the admission price. The majority of it goes to the distributors and studios.

I've seen this stated repeatedly. It apparently is true, but I still have trouble believing that movie theater companies go to all that trouble to basically sell popcorn and candy. That just seems to be a lousy business model. But they must be making money or they wouldn't keep doing it. Does anyone actually know what percentage of ticket sales goes to the theater itself?

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

You know I seem to remember this from when I was a kid in the movie theatres in Boston. I know that you had to give your ticket to the usher and then he would take you to your seat. I know I never went to the live theatre until I was an adult so I could not be mixing it up. I know however they did not charge a different price by the placement of the seat.

 

[bicker]

I think theaters need to go back to having ushers.

Could you imagine how much more expensive movie tickets would be?

 

[bicker]

Does anyone actually know what percentage of ticket sales goes to the theater itself?

On average, 4%.

 

[disneysteve]

On average, 4%.

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.).

If someone came to me and said they had a business proposition and went on to explain the way the theaters operate, I'd probably tell them they were nuts. Why would anyone want to get into a business where basically the only way to make money is to get all of the customers to buy lots of horribly overpriced snack food and drinks? Its amazing that it continues to work that way and be profitable for the companies doing it.