B.Y.O.F....Bring your own food?
By fruitcakeliz
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
United States
August 6, 2009 12:07pm CST
When you go to the movies, do you ever sneak in your own food or drink to avoid paying the usually outrageous prices they charge at the snack bar? Or maybe even just so you can have a healthier option than butter-laiden popcorn and a box of goobers? (though who can resist those, i don't know LoL)
I know almost every theater have signs stating that this is against th rules, bu do you rebel and sneak it in in your purse or coat pockets anyways?
I am guilty as charged on this issue. I don't get to go to the movies very often, and when i do it is a special treat. I will usually buy my drink at the consession counter, but i almost certainly have stopped at the grocery store on my way there and picked up a package of twizzlers or a box of junior mints to tuck in my purse and enjoy while watching the feature presentation.
I even know some people who have gone so far as to pop popcorn at home, and package it a zip top bag to put in their purse and munch on later.
So how about you? Have you ever snuck food into the movie theaters? Or do you always buy it at the consession counter? Or do you just go to see the movie and not worry about having food or drink? (i know, i know, it is only two hours, but c'mon, it's part of the experience!)
3 people like this
23 responses
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
7 Aug 09
I MUST get something to eat or drink when I watch movies at the cinema hehe... It's something special because if I just sit there and concentrate on the movie, there is no excitement of going to the cinema then. I better wait for the DVD to be released and watch at home, but even most of the times, I also prefer to have something to eat when watching a movie at home hehehe...
I agree with you on the high prices for the items charge at the snacks bar. I ever bought French fries from Burger King and some snacks that were not sold at the snacks bar like Pringles or just some pickles. I tucked them nicely inside my handbag. I didn't went inside the theatre room empty handed though because for sure the attendant would do a check up on my bag, so, to cover up, hubby and I just bought drinks from the counter and a small popcorn hehe...
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
7 Sep 09
Hey, Liz! Sorry I haven't thanked you personally for the BR honor. It means a lot to me. Thanks, again! 
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
Yes, you don't want to look suspicious when entering, a drink will make that less so!
@VANILLAREY (1470)
• India
7 Aug 09
This seems to a common rule in every theatre in every country. I think its just a rule that the theatre owners created to boost their earning. I don't think there is any such law. I usually have a good meal and drink plenty of water at home before going to the theatre. I also don't like to eat while watching a movie inside a theatre.
People making popcorn at home and taking it to the theatre is funny. Good way to get back at the theatres.
2 people like this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
No, it certainly isn't a law by any means, but most theaters have this rule, and can confiscate your food or ask you to leave if you break their rule, as it is their establishment.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Aug 09
hi fruit well I used to do the same but now here in southern cal. you get whacked if you are carrying in your own snacks at the front door, one look, they say we will be that in a cubby hole, give you a number for it, and wow you just lost all your goodies, oh you get them back after the movie and when you are going back out
the doors. they are really strict.you no longer can get away with carry in stuff, buy their stuff or else. but there are a lot of snack bars outside the movie theather anyway so you just have to wait through the movie.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
Yeah, i hear that a lot of the bigger areas do stuff like that, and are far more strict about coming down on people who try and bring their own stuff. Luckily at my theater they just kind of look the other way as long as you aren't obvious about it.
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
7 Aug 09
Last time I went with my son, we went into the nearby supermarket and bought 2 bagels, 2 cheese rolls, 2 chocolate sundaes and a bottle of water for less than the price of a large Coke at the cinema. I should explain that we hadn't had lunch and that the stuff we bought was all 'reduced to clear'. My son just carried it in his rucksack & no-one challenged us even when we got out the spoons to eat the sundaes. Its odd tho' isnt it,that we feel the need to nibble at the cinema but probably wouldn't bother if we were watching at home.
2 people like this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
I usually have snacks at home when i watch a movie, except it is far cheaper there, i can just pop a bag of microwave popcor and poor my self a glass of juice or soda *l* I would think chocolate sundaes would be hard to sneak into a theater. You by far have won with the most interesting thing to be brought in.
@krupesh (2608)
• India
6 Aug 09
Why do you want to get the eatables from outside when you get them inside?Even though the prices are high its very comfortable to go with empty hands & have it there only.What about the concessional counters you are talking about which I haven't heard of where I live?
1 person likes this
@krupesh (2608)
• India
7 Aug 09
Oops its too costly out there.If that is the case you need to take it from outside only.I thought concessional counters might be counters which would give some discount on the things which you buy.
OK you take your own eatables inside the theatres , but if you are caught what will they do?
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
By concessional counters i am refering to the snack bar, or food stand inside the movie theater where you can buy drinks, popcorn, candy and sometimes other snacks. I bring my own because the prices are extremely high tere and i cannot afford it. I still love to go to the movies and enjoy them, but it is something i can not do often as i don't have the extra money. It only costs me like five dollars for a ticket. But if i buy my food there, it will cost me ten dollars for a drink and a popcorn, twice as much as the ticket itself!
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
11 Aug 09
It really depends on the theater. Some of them just look the other way, as long as you are not being rude about it. Some will just take away whatever food you brought in and give it back to you after the movie, and oters will ask you to leave right then for breaking the rules.
@nonersays (3335)
• United States
6 Aug 09
When we go hubby brings in a small bottle of water to drink, and will bring a candy bar. Our local theaters don't sell any snacks that he likes they just have chewy stuff, or candy bars with nuts or caramel in them he can't eat.
I don't bring in food or drink cause its not that important to me that I snack at the movies, and if I do I would much rather it be the REAL theater popcorn, but we sometimes will get a free soda or free small popcorn from regal theaters when we buy our tickets.
@nonersays (3335)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Its something called the Regal Crown Club. You get a card and give it to them to scan every time you buy something (tickets or food/drink) at the theater and it earns you points. As those points build up they will give you receipt coupons for a free small popcorn, free small drink, or a free movie ticket.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
11 Aug 09
That is really cool. I wish we had something like that over here, as i go to the movies fairly regularly, and i would be nice to have a "frquent customer" card that would earn me free food or tickets.
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
wow, there are still theaters out there that offer free popcorn or sodas? or do you find special coupons that allow you to do this? just curious..
@sathish2018 (575)
• India
7 Aug 09
yes i used bring my own gfood fior eating i do not soyle food orthers form there where i can eat much as and many more that i can eat in my life of the food, i mnevr vere eat the foosd fom thothers na dit is not nice and stael food frio m the others that i do in this hngry way i love eating food and pizza specially in my in many way that i can bea person in my life that ypu can be the more that you can be in the drunk in my state that is very finds and good and means such mere aplozgize in the way tjat can be in teh mylot account
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
True, it isn't nice to steal food from others. But in this case we are talking about bringing your own food into a movie theater instead of purchasing it from the theater. Have you ever done this?
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
snacks at my local movie theater rival the prices of the tickets as well. It costs me $4.25 to purchase a icket for a matinee showing (which is when i usually go) but it costs $5.75 for a medium popcorn and $4.75 for a soda! Crazy prices!
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
7 Aug 09
I have taken my own snacks to the movie theater before in my purse. It was just something to hold me over though. Snacks at the theater are very expensive. I occasionally buy me a drink though. I always take popcorn to the drive-in and drinks too.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
I could see my self bringing my own popcorn to a drive in theater, bu if i were just walkingin to a regular theater, i would need to get a really big purse *lol*
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
7 Aug 09
I have to admit that I have done this! I will stop at the dollar store next to the movie theater and pick up the movie sized boxes of candies, allowing my kids to each choose their own. At times, I've pulled at my large purse and even put 20 oz bottled drinks in there. But more often, we have purchased the large drink that has unlimited refills, and we all have our own straws...and pass the cup back and forth. Then we take turns going to refill it so that it doesn't look like the same person getting 4-5 refills.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
Wow, even with a couple of kids helping me, i don't know if i could go through 4 or 5 large sized drinks in the span of a movie! At lesat with the sized cup they give at my theater. You could practicly take a bath in the cup if you wanted!
@gcorp09 (940)
• Singapore
7 Aug 09
Well, I don't go to the movies often. However, I must confess that I sometimes do bring my own food or drinks in the movies. I feel that the prices of food and drinks at the concession counter are quite high, thus I sometimes bring my own drinks and chips and "hid" these in our bags so that it's not obvious.
However, there are times where we purchase the popcorn and drinks set too. Anyway, over here, the movie tickets are more expensive than the popcorn and drinks. The weekend movie ticket for 1 person cost around $10 per person (in my currency), while the popcorn and drinks set (for 2) cost around $10 too... The movie tickets for weekdays are cheaper at around $7...
Anyway, I do feel that although technically, other food and drinks are not allowed, I do feel that the prices charged at the snack bar are quite high. We had already allow them to earn from us the movie tickets, so I feel that it's okay for us to take our own food and drinks inside.
1 person likes this
@gcorp09 (940)
• Singapore
10 Aug 09
Well, I don't really care if they are looking. I usually like to bring my own drinks to the movies. Sometimes, it's plain drinking water, while at other times, it's bottled drinks. Well, I do not really care if they actually will look at me if I do so, because I sometimes also see others doing the same too. The main thing is that they are usually charging more than double of the prices at the supermarkets. For 1 drink I purchase over the concession counter, I can easily get 2 at the supermarket which is just downstairs at the same shopping mall. It's just too expensive.
Anyway, I just did it again when I watched a movie today. I bought a bottle of distilled water at Watson's of which the price is at slightly less than half the price of a bottle if I had purchased it at the concession counter at the cinema. By the way, the Watson's store is just around a few units away from the cinema only...
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
I don't like sneaking my drinks in, as i always feel the people sititng behind me are staring and judging me for bringing in my own food, as they can see me tild my head back when i drink instead of sipping from my stram. I supose i could just try to remember for bring a straw for my bottle of soda!
@kelly10 (678)
•
6 Aug 09
I too am guilty of taking in my own food to the cinema. I take either crisps, chocolate or sweets. I think that the prices are too expensive so if I feel like some chocolate I will always take my own.
The only time I buy from the cinema is on birthdays. Me and my boyfriend quite often go the see a film for our birthdays so we make a thing of it. For example on my birthday my boyfriend took me to see a Adam Sandler film and bought me popcorn with all the trimmings and a drink. I actually felt guilty as it was a complete rip off. I did enjoy the popcorn though.
So I'm afraid I'll keep on taking my own chocolates
1 person likes this
@kelly10 (678)
•
7 Aug 09
I agree, it definately wouldn't be a good impression on a first date if your loaded down with food. Plus wouldn't it be a mark of a true gentleman if he offered to buy you the popcorn? Maybe a tip for all you single guys who have a first date at the cinema.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I am glad i am not the only person who will own up to bringing my own food. I do agree with you, when it is a special occasion such as a birthday..i will splurge.
Also if you were attending a movie on a date when you had just started seeing the person. It might come off as a little cheap or inappropriate to go to the theater with them and have your purse loaded with snacks. At least it would make me feel awkward, and iwould rather purchase them myself (or in an even better scenario, allow myself to be treated by my date!)
@chi2nasrin (1101)
• Malaysia
7 Aug 09
If I want to bring my own food, I will bring a bigger handbag because they don't really check your bag here. Only when you bring outside food in your hand that they will ask you to leave it with them and take it after you have watched your movie.
I have sneaked in with food in my bag several times before, only the drinks I bought at the food counter.
I don't always eat while movie watching, I think the sound of my eating annoys my ears, and I am not sure whether other people can hear the "krup krup krup" sound while eating chips because it sure sounds loud to me.
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
I usually opt for things that won'tmake much noise or distrub others in the theater...i ta away from chips and cookies, and individually wrapped candies when i go. (Wow, sounds like i have this down to an art, eh?) Yeah,i'll usually swap my normal smallish purse for the more tote-bag sized bag i often carry.
@busybren (258)
• United States
7 Aug 09
HAHAHAH! I always ponder on what I can get from the snack bar, but it doesn't take me long to realize that I just can't enjoy a hot dog, knowing that it cost me an arm and if I'm thirsty, MY LEG! LoL
...however, business is business! :( I too, stop for the snacks at the convenient stores and buy a drink at the snack bar, BUT now and then, WITHOUT A DOUBT!, I get my grub on by packing a large shoulder bag with my favorite meal. LOL
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
It does make it hard to enjoy the food, knowing you could have few four people at home for the price of one (at least!) at the theater!
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I am guilty. I don't do it at all theaters but one theater by me charges a lot of money for tickets and their smallest drink is $4.75 that is highway robbery. There is a Sam's club close to that theater that sells really good hot pretzels for under $1.00 we will go there right before the movie and buy the pretzels, and I put them in my purse. We will buy their over priced drinks because we can't go without drinks, but I refuse to buy food there too.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I agree, the prices we get harged there are outrageous. I usually buy a large soda (which they offer free refills on...i shuold certainly hope to after charging me almost 6 bucks for it!) and then share it with either my boyfriend or my brother (neither of whom i have a problem sharing drinks with) and bring something to munch on....on special occasions we will put money together and buy a popcorn too..but not often at all!
@thaMARKER (2503)
• Philippines
6 Aug 09
in this city, tis okay to bring food inside from foodchains or somewhere else. they only prohibit soda in can -- dont know why.. it's true that it's really expensive, they're like charging double the price. i only buy from their bar when i'm done with mine and i still need more which rarely happen.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Lucky you then for livingin the phillipines and being able to do this! Almost all american theaters forbid the bringing in of outside food. I understand that this is to increase revenues for the theater, but many people can't afford it and this disuades some people fromeven trying to go, as they can't afford it
@mermaidivy (15394)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Shhhhh..... don't tell anybody...(quiet) :-p I do like to bring some own food to go to the movies because popcorn and coke or hotdog options are too narrow, I like to have more options so I stuff the food into my bag and open until the movvie starts. I mihgt buy a bottle of water into the movie as well because the price is liek triple more expensive in the cinema, it doesn't worth it.
1 person likes this
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
*whispering back* i won't tell on you if you don't tell on me LoL
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Good response...i never thought of doing that before *lol* Many people don't like soda or water, which seem to be the only options availiable.
@polo_princess (803)
•
6 Aug 09
I used to when i was younger and used to go to the movies once a week or so, but now i rarely go to the movies so see it as a treat, i just buy the snacks that they have there now.
I mainly used to do it when i was younger as i wouldnt be able to afford a ticket and the snacks, as they can be pretty expensive.
Trouble with buying drinks at the movies is that they always make you need the toilet halfway through the film :)
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
6 Aug 09
That is a problem...I hate having to get up and run to the bathroom half way through a movie! I try to time it to go during what seemslike it is going to be a boring, slower part, but as it is a movie i have never seen before since it is new, i never know when the exciting stuff is going to happen!
I wish they would do a bathroom break halfway through the movie, like an intermission like they used to do in the olden days during shows. People could get up, use the restroom, refill their drinks or popcorn (if they didn't bring their own that is LoL) and not miss any of the movie!
@chetrarath (53)
• United States
7 Aug 09
lol i never do that i enjoy spending money even though the food is over priced it tastes good.
@fruitcakeliz (2638)
• United States
8 Aug 09
Does your theater just do the candy/popcorn and sodas? Or do they also offer things like nachos, soft pretzels, ice cream bars and the such? I have seen a lot of people mention hot dogs being served, but i have never seen that in any theaters around here.
