No Concession

Claudia Escalante and her fellow workers at the Mann Exchange Theater in Glendale see evidence of the contraband after every movie screening.

“Every time we go to clean the theaters, we find McDonald’s wrappers, Subway bags and [other debris] from little food shops in the area,” says Escalante, an assistant manager at the 11-screen multiplex. “Sometimes people will leave a sandwich and we’ll joke, ‘Does anybody want a sandwich?’ ”

But for most movie theater circuits and their employees, food smuggling is rarely a laughing matter. Outside food and beverages cut into concession profits, which movie theater companies say they depend on to keep their doors open. They also argue that these items can foul the air, soil the theater chairs and floors and cause safety hazards.

“Sometimes that sandwich is mushed on the floor and we have to clean the floor and mop it,” complains Escalante.

Rare is the regular filmgoer who hasn’t sneaked in food or beverage items into movie theaters, even if it’s just candy or fruit. For many customers, it’s the high cost of purchasing items at theater concession stands that prompts this type of stealthy activity. At the United Artists Marketplace theater in Pasadena, for example, a small soft drink costs $2.50 while popcorn runs from $2.75 for a small to $4.25 for a large bucket.

Relaxing outside a food shop adjacent to the AMC Old Pasadena 8 theater, Jesus Carias and Tamara West of Pasadena are unapologetic about their smuggling ways.

“A bag of Sour Patch Kids [candy] will be like $3 at the theater,” states Carias, 18. “If you get it at the liquor store it will be [less than half that price].”

The large moviegoing teen population may be the group most likely to smuggle food into movie theaters. Young people are typically constrained by budget concerns and are more prone to rebellious behavior anyway.

But food smuggling clearly crosses most age boundaries.

Preparing to enter the Edwards West Covina Stadium 18 Theatre at the Lakes, Ron Morales, 42, proudly whips out a package of Reese’s peanut butter cups from under his shirt.

“If we couldn’t [smuggle food], I would be constantly going to double features or going to video stores where you can rent a movie for 99 cents,” Morales said.

Theater executives like Bruce Taffet wish that patrons had a better understanding of how the economics of their industry worked. Taffet, executive vice president of food service, marketing and purchasing for United Artists Theatre Circuit, says that about 80% of his company’s box office receipts go to film distributors. As a result, theaters depend on concession sales to stay in business.

Even Laemmle Theatres, which screens less expensive art, foreign and independent films, says concessions are an important source of revenue.

“We’d have to charge $10 or $12 a ticket if we weren’t selling the candy,” a Laemmle representative said.

In fact, Hollywood has been experiencing boom times at the box office, and as a result, concession revenues have also increased sharply.

“In terms of [concession] revenues, [1997] was a great year for our industry and our theater chain in particular,” says Phil Zacheretti, vice president of marketing and publicity for Knoxville, Tenn.-based Regal Cinemas, which operates theaters in 23 states.

Most theaters try to discourage food smuggling. And most claim that they aren’t just trying to protect their own concession revenues. Customer safety and comfort are also heavy considerations.

A glass bottle can break and cause injury. (Theaters usually serve beverages in paper cups.) It’s also possible for patrons to trip and fall because of bottles and cans left on the floor in a darkened theater. Food with strong odors can annoy or distract customers.

“One time I saw this big guy sitting in the theater with a bucket of KFC,” says Noel Arias, 35, an avid movie-goer from Santa Monica. “It was all spread out. That’s too much. Everyone brings in a little candy or popcorn, but his food stunk.”

Some industry representative say that movie theater circuits aren’t nearly as hard-nosed about smuggled food as they used to be.

“There was a general attitude in this business 10 or 12 years ago that going to the movies had nothing to do with the theater environment,” says Marc Pascucci, vice president of advertising and publicity for Loews Theaters. “But that’s changed a lot. A lot of exhibitors have decided to focus on better facilities and on customer service.”

Kansas City, Mo.-based AMC Theatres now has a virtual open-door policy when it comes to outside food.

“Our goal is making the movie-going experience as enjoyable for them as possible so they will want to come back,” says Tony Adamson, director of marketing and advertising for AMC. “If that includes them bringing in hamburgers because we don’t serve them, then we’re not going to stop them.”

Alcohol smuggling is the one area where all theaters take an absolute zero tolerance attitude.

Zacheretti says, “You don’t want alcohol in the theater because you’ve got families and children there. If someone is drinking, chances are they will cause a disturbance.”

To combat customer complaints about high concession prices, more theaters are offering the type of value packages that have become staples at fast-food outlets.

Still, some patrons, even those who object to the concession prices, opt to buy popcorn or other goodies at the theater.

“It’s just not worth the hassle to smuggle in food,” says Paul Hiegel, 46, who enjoys the experience of settling in for a movie with a freshly popped bucket of popcorn.