What is your thought on "theatre hop"?

What is "theatre hop" - http://www.wikihow.com/Theater-Hop

I used to work in the theatre, and theatre employees know that people are doing this ALL THE TIME. Honestly no employees nor managers gave a damn, EVER.

Would like to hear your thought:

- Are you for or against it?
- Do you do it?

My view: I don't really care because a theatre will have to play the movie any way even if no attendance whatsoever. Also the theatre hoppers likely would purchase food or drink on their second movie, that increases the profit of a theatre anyways.

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You talkin' to me?

i don't really care either way, as long as their theater hopping isn't disruptive for others who are trying to watch a movie

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letterboxd

If you don't want to pay theatre prices for a film, then wait for it to be online. A theatre has limited seating, so someone trying to see a movie for free is potentially taking a seat from someone who actually paid to see the film. If it's a mostly empty matinee screening for a film that's been out for a few weeks already, you're likely not displacing anyone, but it's still a pretty sleazy thing to do.

I'm not sure what it's like elsewhere, but for premium formats (IMAX, DBOX) here, there is assigned seating. When you buy your ticket, you are paying for a specific seat. I really like that set-up, since I won't ever have to look for a seat in a crowded theatre, and I know I can always get my preferred location by buying early online. I'd like to see that set-up applied to every theatre here, especially since all the seats are already marked like the IMAX and DBOX ones anyway. It does come with the added bonus of preventing people from sneaking into a theatre others paid upwards of $20 to enter as well.

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I've no major problem with the practise as long as
(a) they are not taking a seat away from a paying customer
(b) they are not disruptive
(c) they don't mind that I share in some of their popcorn or snacks - after all, free is where it's at yeah?

Same setup for IMAX, DBOX here too. I was referring to the regular auditoriums.
As someone who previously worked at theatre, a sold out crowd would still have lots of front seats available. Usually no one likes to sit there.

Bizarre. A total waste of money and energy, not to mention the risk of getting arrested. Seek psychiatric help immediately.

Someone who paid to see a film shouldn't have to sit there (unless they actually want to) if there are people in seats behind them that haven't. Though typically here if a screening is listed as being "sold out", every one of those front seats are filled anyway.

Maybe it's a different mindset here, or the theatres are managed differently, but there doesn't seem to be much tolerance for theatre hoppers locally. I've seen people escorted out of both practically empty and full rooms plenty of times, though mix-ups with the dates for IMAX tickets is more common now, and ushers don't seem to check for that as carefully.

Full disclosure: I'm one of those sneaky people who bring outside food and drinks into the theatre.

Though it's actually a very common practice here, and the people who work at our local theatre really couldn't care less. You don't even need to pretend to be hiding it.

- Are you for or against it?
Totally against! I work in a store and it does not have anything worse than seeing people trying to be a 'smart one' in front of me, I hate it! So I'm totally against doing this to other people.

Thanks for being honest.
Again, as someone who previously worked in the theatre, we hated people bring their own food because we had to clean them, but it didn't really make much difference.

I am someone who finds movie theatre a happy place, as long as people don't disturb others from watching a movie, they are ok to cross the little lines.

Hmm...hosing down the customers sounds kinda fun

I've never done it and it's pretty near impossible to do at my town's cinema. They renovated the theaters and replaced the old style chairs with big recliners. There's now significantly fewer seats available, screenings sell out quickly, and you get assigned seats, so it's easy to tell when someone is not where they're supposed to be.

I do, however, often sneak in food. My friend and I like to hit up Sam's club before we go. I get the $1.50 hot dog combo and their $1.00 pretzel and put them in my bag (yep, the drink too). Those items would cost me over $10.00 at the theater.

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How sloppy are the people in your area? haha
I don't get people who intentionally leave a mess. It's not hard to take your trash to the bins; you even have to pass them on the way out! But I guess some people are just lazy.

The only time there might be something to clean up after me is if I actually get snacks at the theatre. I'm convinced that it's impossible not to get popcorn on the floor and subsequently step on it, no matter how careful you are.

That's nothing, compared to this:

I did twice when I was a kid. That was about - well, I won't say how long ago it was , but it was a long time ago.

I did it with others and it happened twice where we saw 3 movies in one day. We paid for one movie and then went in to see the other two. But, as I said, it was years ago. No, it doesn't make it right, but it is so long ago that it doesn't hurt anyone now.

Otherwise, I have paid to see multiple movies in one day since then. But I usually only do that if I am going to the budget theater.

I was at the theater (I would say about 10 years ago) where I actually saw them escort someone out. To be honest, I hadn't seen anyone sneak into a movie like that in all the time that I have gone (that I would've noticed, anyway). And I noticed those people coming in. I just assumed they were late. And then, maybe about 15 minutes later, a guy came in and told them that they had to leave. I don't know how they would've gotten caught. That is something I have wondered about. Does it have something to do with security cameras, or something? I don't understand how they know someone was in there without having paid to see it, and how they know exactly what that person looked like to pick them out of the dark theater.


We didn't have this when we got the first IMAX. And then there were the superscreen type of theaters, and they weren't assigned either. The first time that I actually knew this existed was when I went to see The Force Awakens. I liked being able to pick exactly where I will sit. If I get a ticket early enough, I can get my dead center seat, which I prefer.


As for food, I may have taken in some candy, but I basically never sneak any food in because I basically never eat at the theater, anyway. It is just too much money. I can't accept paying that much for some popcorn and a soda. I have occasionally spent money on the pretzels and nachos, though.


I saw someone bring in Kentucky Fried Chicken once, which amazed me that nobody cared that they came in with this bucket of food.

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I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe

very interesting that it never actually occurred to me to do so as we had only these little club theaters with one room in my town. But you gave me an idea

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You can call it the art of fighting without fighting.

I used to do it sometimes. My Dad would always pay for one movie just for the sake of getting in, and sometimes just go to another one when I went with him back in the day. I also used to pay for one movie, and go to another when I was under age, and couldn't purchase tickets to R rated films. I got kicked out a couple times, too, for no real good reason. I have enough drive in theaters in my area that have multiple screens that encourage you to hop between movies, so if I want to see 2-3 movies a night that's always an option for me.

Nowadays? Nah. I go to the movies way too frequently to even attempt to, I'd hate to be banned from my local spots. As for sneaking in outside food, and drinks, I tend not to, but I would if I wanted to. I'm never a snacker when I go see a movie anyways, I usually just get a large drink. Sure, it's overpriced, but it's huge, and I gulp down the entire thing before the movie is over every time. Plus, since there's free refills, I have a gigantic drink to take home with me.

While it was apparently a much different story here in the city, in the town I grew up in we had a small, one-screen theatre that literally did not care about film ratings. They'd let a 10 year old into an R-rated film as long as they paid the price of admission.

Most "R-rated" films tend to only be rated 14A here anyway though, so it's not really that big a jump in age.

The town I lived in up to third grade was in the same boat, it was a one screener as well, it's been there since 1927. I couldn't tell you what their policy was though, it didn't get much business, so I'm assuming it probably was in the same boat. Nowadays, that town has a big outside mall with an AMC. That small theater still stands, but hasn't been in operation since around 2004. How things have changed!