Why Movie Theater Snacks Are Always So Expensive

I have an unabashed love for movie theaters — not just movies, but the theaters themselves. While the Netflix CEO may claim theaters have become obsolete in the face of advanced consumer technology, whether or not it's true, I refuse to accept it. Would I rather watch a new movie on my couch, interrupted by my attention-seeking dog and distracted by my phone, or would I rather sit in a large, dark room and be transported to a different world? I know which one I prefer, and I cheerfully ignore every reason naysayers give to avoid theaters. But even I can't ignore the fact that movie theater snacks are, for various reasons, absurdly expensive.

As for why that's the case? If you want a glib answer, the reason is the same as why everything else is more expensive: inflation is a pain, and supply chain disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly didn't help. Name-brand candies have also started charging theaters more to sell their products, which is passed on to the consumer. (This is why AMC is looking to use private-label candy.) Another factor is competition (or lack thereof). When you're in a theater, the only place where you can get snacks (provided you didn't sneak any in) is the concession stand, which means you can either fork over eleven bucks for a small popcorn (made irresistible with Flavacol) or watch your movie without munchies. 

So what can you do? Well, if you've recently received a sizable inheritance, you can continue to pay full price, and we're sure the movie theater owners will thank you for helping them keep the lights on. Although plenty of people sneak food into movie theaters — and employees are often not paid enough to conduct extensive bag searches — we can't recommend you do that in good conscience. What we can recommend, however, is making use of reward programs for the biggest theater chains in America: Regal and AMC.

With Regal Unlimited (which basically pays for itself if you see two movies a month) for instance, you get 10% off your concessions. You can also earn credits by seeing movies in Regal theaters and use those credits to get a free small popcorn or soda. (And bear in mind, these go by the movie theater definition of "small," which means you can still practically fit your forearm inside the cup.) AMC Stubs A-List isn't quite as generous, but it does allow you to make a free size upgrade, which is something.

I understand this might not be persuasive to all. Some of you may not even see two movies a year, let alone two a month. But if you've ever opened Letterboxd or nodded along to that Nicole Kidman AMC ad, it could be a terrific investment. After all, for whatever reason, those $20 popcorn and candy pairings just seem to taste better in the theater.