Moviegoers Should Be Allowed to Sneak Food into Theaters - for a Price

Anyone that has been to the movies in the last few years can attest to the fact that a trip to the theater can very quickly grow in cost. There is the initial investment in a movie ticket, followed by the cost of food and beverages. All in all, a trip to the movies could rather easily cost $20-$25 per individual. A large part of this is made up of the cost of food. Many people grudgingly pay high prices for food, while others sneak food into theaters. I don't have the resources to pay high prices for movie theater food, but I also don't want to feel guilty for sneaking food into the theater. I want a compromise.

The one thing I'll say about movie theater food is that you get a lot for your money. The portion sizes make up to some extent for the high cost of movie theater food. It's difficult to go through an entire small soda alone during the course of a movie, and I've never been able to finish a tray of nachos. But do I really want to pay $4.50 for 48 ounces of soda? Do I really want to pay $6 for a large tray of nachos that will make me thirsty and force me to buy a drink? Not really.

I'll admit it. I've snuck a lot of food into movie theaters over the years. I've done this alone and with others. Really, when given a choice between paying $6 for a bucket of popcorn that will get cold before it is finished or $6 for several different types of candy and several cans of soda, I think a lot of people know what they would pick. I suspect that a lot of people sneak food into theaters for this reason. I suspect that other people sneak food into theaters because movie theater food just isn't that healthy. I've never seen a theater offer fresh fruits or vegetables as snacks.

So if people are sneaking food into movie theaters, the theaters can't be happy, because they're losing potential revenue. And if people are sneaking food into theaters under bulky coats or stuffed into purses and feeling slightly guilty about it, they're definitely inconvenienced. I propose this: movie theaters should allow people to pay for the right to bring outside food into the theater.

For example, if the movie theater were to allow people to bring a grocery bag full of food into the theater for a price of $3, I think most food sneakers would pay. They would be able to bring food in without feeling guilty, melting the food, or getting in trouble. Likewise, movie theaters would be making some money, and probably would only lose the candy and some of the drink market. Other foods like hot dogs, nachos, and popcorn are served warm, and it would be difficult for people to bring these foods from home. On the same note, most people prefer their drinks cold, so movie theaters would only lose some sales there.

It's a reality that movie theater food is expensive, and it's a reality that people sneak food into theaters as a result. The best compromise for everyone is for movie theaters to acknowledge this and to charge moviegoers a small fee for the right to bring outside food into the theater. This is the most forward, honest compromise, and would restore integrity to both movie theaters and moviegoers.