Taking own food / drinks into cinema

~Chameleon~

We went to the cinema on Friday to see the new Batman film and arrived early expecting there to be a huge queue as it was the first day showing but there were only a few people in front of us. I was even more surprised to see that the auditorium was only about a third full!!!

It seems the days when you had to queue for hours to see a film on it's first day screening are long gone!

There was a sign saying no food that wasn't bought on the premises allowed past this point, but I had a bottle of water in my hands in plain view and no one challenged me

becky170

MrsE wrote: »

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Thought it might be better for our waistlines than eating out & its £11.99 per month.

Anyone else joined it or thinking of it?

I've got an unlimited card, although mine was won in a competition! I love it. I can go to the cinema anytime I want and it doesn't even matter to me if the film is rubbish. You only need to go to the cinema twice a month to make having the unlimited card worth it, so I think it's pretty good value for money if you like going to the cinema

moneypooh

I never buy at the cinema these days. I live 20 miles from my nearest so have to pre-book online to make sure we get seats (costs incurred) and pay fuel costs. It's also a really expensive Odeon and costs £32 for 4. With the extra costs of getting there and parking it's not a cheap family trip. We did do it for a birthday recently and it made a real mess of £45:eek:

We buy the same water that the cinema supply, but of course so much cheaper in a supermarket. We always take our own snacks in rucksacks, but carrying the water through and so far haven't had any problems
Buying similar snacks like butterkist and the sweet bags can be done at a supermarket for a great deal less.

RoxieW

I went last night to see the new batman movie and was amazed to see a 'special offer' popcorn and drink £6.50. They're having a laugh!

Kerilinann

... and the coke is quite often flat!

~Chameleon~

Kerilinann wrote: »

... and the coke is quite often flat!

That's because it's mostly water ... and ice!

But try asking for a coke WITHOUT ice and you only get half a cup full :rolleyes:

tootiefrooties

I worked in Odeon a few years ago and we couldn't care less if people took in their own food - might be why that particular branch got sold on to be made into a casino though, haha, not exactly profit making for them.

I would offer the following solutions regarding their rip-off food prices:

1) If you don't have kids with you, don't buy any sweets or popcorn at all (2 hours isn't a very long time to go without eating!)
2) If you have got kids in tow and they want sweets, limit spending by getting a small popcorn bucket between you (you'll only feel sick otherwise...) or a sealed packet of sweets like minstrels. Put them off the expensive pic n mix by explaining that they have been handled by lots of children with dirty hands already, because when the sweets go on the scales and rack up £30 (yes, it's happened), the parents make them go and put it back
3) Rent a film at home for a fraction of the cost, and make your own popcorn - again, bargain! By the way, the popcorn in most cinemas sits ready-made in enormous plastic bags in the stock room for months before serving.
4) Go on orange wednesdays or toddler discount days etc etc and make a saving that way.

Rachie_B

piefacerecords wrote: »

I
3) Rent a film at home for a fraction of the cost, and make your own popcorn - again, bargain! By the way, the popcorn in most cinemas sits ready-made in enormous plastic bags in the stock room for months before serving.
.

odeon popcorn is rank!

doesnt seem to have any taste / flavour

on the few occassions ive been paid to eat it lol

UltraCheap_2

I went to a Vue cinema last week - to a free screening - and the staff said that they would have to check my back before I was allowed in. So, I opened my bag, which was filled with crisps, juice and soda, and pasta salads in individual take-away containers. The staff member looked at it all and was happy to let me in and didn't say a word about all of the food!

*Louise*

piefacerecords wrote: »

I worked in Odeon a few years ago and we couldn't care less if people took in their own food - might be why that particular branch got sold on to be made into a casino though, haha, not exactly profit making for them.

I would offer the following solutions regarding their rip-off food prices:

1) If you don't have kids with you, don't buy any sweets or popcorn at all (2 hours isn't a very long time to go without eating!)
2) If you have got kids in tow and they want sweets, limit spending by getting a small popcorn bucket between you (you'll only feel sick otherwise...) or a sealed packet of sweets like minstrels. Put them off the expensive pic n mix by explaining that they have been handled by lots of children with dirty hands already, because when the sweets go on the scales and rack up £30 (yes, it's happened), the parents make them go and put it back
3) Rent a film at home for a fraction of the cost, and make your own popcorn - again, bargain! By the way, the popcorn in most cinemas sits ready-made in enormous plastic bags in the stock room for months before serving.
4) Go on orange wednesdays or toddler discount days etc etc and make a saving that way.

I do all those except number 4 lol.

It's amazing what sweets and juice you can smuggle in a handbag.

We had a 'cinema night' the other week - we all watched the 'Bee Movie' it was great, and the kids can get chucked straight into bed after, hehe:D