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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think that people should clean up after themselves in a cinema?

116 replies

Clandestino · 04/12/2016 18:46

Just came back from the cinema, saw Moana (fantastic movie, btw).
Families with little kids all around us, all with large. popcorn/drink combos or similar.
Now there will always be some spillage, especially with kids. But this wasn't only spilt popcorn or ice-cream. They simply got up and left all wrappers, drink cups and packaging behind.
AIBU to believe that teaching your children to take their trash with them and dump it into a bin outside is basic manners? How can they leave a room looking like a pigsty?

OP posts:
BonusNewt · 04/12/2016 21:25

I never litter. Never. I will carry rubbish around in my bag if there isn't a bin. I clear my table at McDonalds and tell the kids to put their Shakeaway cups in the bin before leaving. I never leave rubbish on a train. I would not leave it in a theatre. But I would always leave rubbish behind in the cinema. I thought everybody did. And as I said before, I say that as a former usherette.

Wobblemum123 · 04/12/2016 21:32

Vue certainly do ask you to leave your rubbish. I had mine all packed up to take out with me when I last saw a film there and bin (despite the announcement asking me to leave it - it felt too wrong) and as I was walking out the staff member asked me to take it back in!!!! DH had left his and was was laughing at me! I will leave behind next time.

PrettySophisticated · 04/12/2016 21:39

I am a stickler for not littering to the extent that dc will chase an accidently dropped sweet wrapper down the road and ds1 once pounced on a (greggs) paper bag that his friend dropped and put it in the bin for her.

However, at the cinema (and football) where there's nowhere to put the rubbish and people are employed to sweep the rows after the events, yes I leave it. It does make me feel uncomfortable but it has been explained to me many times that this is how it's supposed to be.

AnneElliott · 04/12/2016 21:54

YANBU op. I hate seeing the rubbish there. I can sort of understand leaving cups in the cup holders, but chucking pop corn all over the floor?

I'm afraid i judge all people that do this.

MollyHuaCha · 04/12/2016 21:55

Spilt drinks, chewing gum, sticky jelly babies... last time we went to the cinema our shoes adhered themselves to the floor.

Tarla · 04/12/2016 22:01

Some people don't 'chuck' their popcorn, I can name at least two occasions where the DC have accidentally spilled their popcorn through excitement/poor coordination. Again, staff have said to leave it.

PrettySophisticated · 04/12/2016 22:15

I don't know anyone who would "let" dc spill drinks or popcorn, but if an accident happens, how are you supposed to clean it up yourself? What with?

treeelights · 04/12/2016 22:16

No, not for £9 a ticket...

Original poster
Clandestino · 05/12/2016 00:44

clandestino if said cinema is next to a Waitrose I absolutely agree - we were there and I said exactly the same on leaving, to be honest, it was a good film but a horrible environment today, which was a shame.

Pony, no, it's near M&S and I live in a little town where our neighbours still shop there for lovely and warm cardigans and comfortable underwear.
Plenty of bins around though.

OP posts:
Original poster
Clandestino · 05/12/2016 00:47

Pretty, I normally use paper tissues for that. When DD was younger, I would carry baby wipes with me too as there always was an accident.

OP posts:
almondpudding · 05/12/2016 00:59

I have a limitless card so go to the Odeon (including iMax) many times a month.

The lights come up when the credits start, so people don't walk out in the dark. The cinema is only properly dark for the actual film, not for the credits and ads.

The vast majority of people carry their rubbish out. My sister used to work in a cinema and wouldn't leave rubbish.

Some of the things left in rubbish for staff to clean are horrific - urine in drinks cups for example.

If Vue now ask you to leave stuff for recycling, that is a different matter.

As for spilling stuff, I'd scoop popcorn up with the container and wipe up drinks with a paper napkin. Why would you watch a film in a puddle?!

AndNothingElseMatters · 05/12/2016 01:00

Lol at people taking home their cinema litter Grin

I have literally never been to the cinema with anyone who thinks it's the done thing to clear up their cinema litter.

lizzieoak · 05/12/2016 01:16

I worked in an arts cinema for years and between and after shows we'd drag big bins down the aisles and run along grabbing stuff to throw in the bins. It took 2 of us under 10 minutes. Maybe we had more civilised punters, but it wasn't that big a deal.

Caboodle · 05/12/2016 06:56

Why 'lol' at taking litter home? Why would you not if you can't find a bin?

RebootYourEngine · 05/12/2016 07:19

In my local cinema there are bins in the cinema and just outside. There are also staff standing with rubbish bags at the end of each film.

It is a small independent cinema and the quicker the place is tidy the quicker the next movie can be shown which means more movies can be shown and more money can be taken and the cinema can stay open.

I hate people who think that its ok to leave their rubbish for someone else to clean up.

donajimena · 05/12/2016 07:25

I would have agreed with you but my good friend runs a cleaning company and a dirty cinema keeps 12:employed..

Bumbleclat · 05/12/2016 07:33

YANBU! It's unbelievable the behaviour of people, why should the poor minimum wages attendants shuffle down the seating aisles cleaning up people's disrespectful mess! - really bugs me'n

zad716 · 05/12/2016 07:34

Why 'lol' at taking litter home? Why would you not if you can't find a bin?

If I brought the items with me that generated the rubbish and there was no bin I would take it with me.

If though I am in somewhere that was very keen to sell food and drink to me but then not provide anywhere to put the rubbish I would assume they would deal. Would you take your rubbish from a self-serve restaurant if they didn't provide bins?

MagicMarkers · 05/12/2016 07:45

I hate this too, OP. It is so contemptuous of the people who have to clean it up.

Fresta · 05/12/2016 07:48

Vue Cinema specifically request you to leave your rubbish as it is their policy to collect and sort it. They don't provide bins.

However, if the cinema asks you not to leave your rubbish, of course you should put it in the bin.

PossumInAPearTree · 05/12/2016 10:36

I had carrier bags and bags of shopping with me when I was at the cinema yesterday as we'd shopped in town first. Long walk back to the car park and I'm not juggling empty drinks cartons while trying to hold six heavy bags of shopping. Nor am I putting them in by bags of new clothes to drip coke over the clothes. If there were bins I would happily use them. If the cinemas don't want rubbish leaving it's their responsibility to provide bins. If McDonald's didn't have bins I wouldn't take my rubbish home.

Obviously if I go on a picnic, etc with stuff I've brought with me then I will take that rubbish home if there's not bins about. But I expect places which sell me food to deal with the rubbish and I think that's a normal expectation.

limitedperiodonly · 05/12/2016 10:59

It makes sense for cinemas to get you to leave rubbish behind because otherwise people would drop it in the street and the council would fine the cinema - it wouldn't take Sherlock Holmes to work out where the tons of popcorn came from.

I'm not one of those litterers. I'm too tight to buy anything other than the occasional bottle of water and I always take it home with me - it's over £1 Shock

Branleuse · 05/12/2016 11:01

dont you want the cinema/mcdonalds staff to have jobs?? The less there is to do, the fewer staff will be employed to do it

ShelaghTurner · 05/12/2016 11:10

Always take rubbish with us. And missed a quarter of Finding Dory picking up the whole box of popcorn that my 4yo had dropped on the floor! I wish I'd known to leave it!

Kel1234 · 05/12/2016 11:15

It drives me mad. If we are in a cinema or fast food place, we always put our rubbish in the bin on the way out. If we are in a restaurant we stack up the plates as best we can when we are finished, so it is a bit easier for the waiter or waitress. And in a pub, we always are glasses back to the bar.
A little manners and help often goes a long way. The staff always look surprised though, definitely do not expect it