ArcLight Cinemas begins charging fee for membership

ArcLight Cinemas memberships are no longer free.

The upscale movie theater chain began charging new members $15 a year on Tuesday. Current members can continue without paying until Oct. 14, when they can either agree to the fee or opt out of the program.

The company, which lets members earn points toward buying tickets and concessions, is adding new benefits, including a free ticket for members’ birthdays and a 10% discount at theater cafes. For those who sign up early, the company is offering a $5 discount at its cafes, gift shops and concessions stands.

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“We wanted a more engaged program,” said Gretchen McCourt, the executive vice president of cinema programming. “We wanted to add benefits for our loyal customers.”

The membership program has been free for more than 11 years. McCourt said it was time for a change because members wanted more.

McCourt could not provide an estimate of how many members the cinemas expect to retain but said that the number of people who signed up for the new program Tuesday was “10 times” what the chain expected.

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“We’re very excited,” she said. “We know that with everything new you present people will be hesitant. But we are thrilled by what we saw yesterday.”

Points earned before the cutoff date will remain redeemable but will expire in two years. Points earned in the new program will also have a two-year shelf life.

“Our members understand the value,” McCourt said. “The new membership benefits provide a significant savings.”

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