Do you take your own snacks to the theatre?

[thirdistheonewiththehairychest]

Hi. I've booked tickets to take dd10 and dd8 to see Matilda for their birthday. It says in the T&Cs that you can't take your own food and drinks in, but I wonder how strictly they police this? Can you sneak your own in or is that a big no-no?

We are always searched near me and they confiscate and throw away! I put my sweets in my coat pocket instead of my bag :)

Depends what you mean by food. It’s the theatre, not a picnic.

Bottle of water - fine. I’m sure they won’t check.

Noisy wrapped sweets or crisps - not at all.

No, its a theatre not a cinema.

At that age surely they can cope without constantly grazing and just eat beforehand? I'm sure people never used to eat at the theatre, it's weird the incessant consumption while sitting watching something.
Take a bottle of water though, no one will take that away.

Never to the theatre as I find it disrespectful. Cinema yes as long as not noisy.

It would never occur to me to have snacks in the theatre. I don't do snacks in the cinema either.

If you must take a snack to be eaten at the interval (and yes, coat pocket not bag!). Don’t eat during the show though, just don’t.

I might take a bar of chocolate or a cereal bar for the interval. But wouldn't be eating anything during the performance, I hate when people do that.

@2typesofjungle

At that age surely they can cope without constantly grazing and just eat beforehand? I'm sure people never used to eat at the theatre, it's weird the incessant consumption while sitting watching something. Take a bottle of water though, no one will take that away.

Maybe it's just nice to have some fruit pastilles while you watch a show, bloody hell.

Our theatre has a stall selling sweets etc just before you go in. It cant be that uncommon to have some sweets at rhs theatre!

I have always taken own snaks to the theater. The tickets are extortionate enough without paying £3 for a spoonful of ice cream in a little tub!

I am not talking a full meal but a few bags of sweets and bottled water are fine. It depends on the show you are seeing.
Something like Matilda than yes.
An opera or ballet then no.

I went to the theatre in london and they were selling sweets and ice cream at an adults show

No, they do search you and they sell their own drinks and sweets.

Don't eat in the theatre. It's not the cinema.

Mints or fruit pastilles maybe but not rustling bags or crisps or sandwiches. Surely even children can manage 45 minutes without a snack?

It's so expensive to go to the theatre these days. Please don't ruin it for other people by eating Al the way through.

Really annoys me. Eat in the interval. Or suck a pastille

It's rude and disrespectful to the performers and those around you, no big deal, it's just a better experience all round if people are considerate.

Our cinema used to search bags for snacks. Wrapping them in gift paper is a great disguise although obviously unwrap them before the show starts.

Yes I do, never been searched

This reminds me of the time I took DD to the Royal Albert Hall to the ballet and sat in front of a family who tucked into an entire packed lunch throughout the performance. Sandwiches in foil, crisps, cans of pop….and finally peeling fucking oranges. I used to think the Royal Opera House was draconian (no food or drink at all in the auditorium), but I now think they have exactly the right idea….

It's a right rip off, I'm not paying extortionate prices and will continue to sneak in sweets and bring water

Arggh don't eat in the theatre , (apart from the interval!)

But I would not rustle etc

I would have thought that due to Covid they currently prefer you to bring in your own snacks. They may not even have any for sale or the usual ice cream seller.

Obviously take in quiet snacks nothing rustling, crunchy or that has a strong offensive smell.

Basically be mindful of those around you.

To be fair we never need to snack during a show but maybe to keep little ones quiet you might need a distraction in which case very chewy toffees

Eat before or snack in the interval. Anything else is disrespectful.

And don't offer snacks or eat them yourself if the DC aren't asking for them.

Let them enjoy the show without the distraction of you shoving snacks at them that they don't actually want or need.

Lead by example.