To wish people could sit through a film without stuffing their faces

[user1485342611]

No problem with people having a bar of chocolate, or quietly eating some popcorn. But people who spend half the film guzzling and slurping and chewing and munching and rustling through paper bags and stinking the place out with greasy hot dogs and stinking nachos drive me mad.

AIBU and trying to deprive people of the full 'cinema experience'?

Agree Dancergirl. When I go to orchestral concerts everyone manages to sit fairly silently barring the occasional cough. I don't think cinema should be different, but I know it'll never happen as cinemas make so much from snacks.

and, popcorn smells like farts.

I had a boy next to me eat his popcorn like it was in a nose bag he was actually diving in facefirst i sighed and tutted so much his mumeventually noticed and took it off him. HE then did the drink slurping thing just to annoy me the little bugger was looking straight at me as he slurped

Yes. Let's exclude people who suffer from incontinence, those with crohn's or IBS, men with prostrate problems, heavily pregnant women, and everyone else who might need to use the toilet during a movie

So sit at the end of the aisle if you're likely to need the loo, I don't think that's unreasonable.

Not to mention the people who can't find their packet of rolos. Are they at the bottom of the Tesco bag? No. Did I put them in my handbag? No. Maybe they're in the pocket of my jacket? No. I'll just try the Tesco bag again. Oh here they are, right underneath everything else, oh dear they've moved, they were definitely underneath that packet of pasta, I'll just burrow some more.......

Depends on the movie: crunching popcorn during a loud blockbuster action film, not a big problem. During a restrained, quiet, subtle film, more so. Stinky food in a confined space is vile.

I went to see Manchester-by-Sea at Peckhamplex, where the tickets are £4.99. The audience cheerfully munched, rustled, chomped, slurped throughout the entire film. Same film at East Dulwich Picturehouse, ticket price £13.99, not a peep from the audience, apart from the occasional restrained sob. Maybe silence has a price, eh?

We have a new cinema nearby with a hot food menu...soft pork tacos, monkfish skewers etc. (Also a cocktail menu). They even have waiter service. It's great though, as the big leather armchairs are a good distance from each other so you don't hear other people eating.

The cinema experience to buy rip-off food and drink and then munch and slurp as noisily as possible.

I agree with you OP but people nowadays can't go anywhere or do anything without stuffing their faces with food or drink, not even walk down the High Street or round a shopping centre.

Dancergirl Fishonabicycle made no mention of where people are sat Just that anyone who uses the toilet during the film should be shot.

My local cinema gives you a seat number so you sit where your assigned. I don't care much about food tbh what I do hate is alcohol in cinemas. Me and dh went on a date evening out to see a popular horror film, the whole night was ruined by 2 girls who drank wine to stop themselves getting scared but got drunk in the 1st 45 minutes and spent the rest of the time up and down to the toilet, giggling loudly and eventually falling off the seats. Manager didn't seem interested in removing them at all. Totally ruined the night.

Cinemas make most of their money on food and drink. Without selling concessions they couldn't afford to show movies unless they massively increased the ticket price.

I wish people could sit through a film without having to get up and go to the toilet or get more food and drink!
Is it too much to ask that people sit still for less than 2 hours?

Are you my DP? He cannot bear it either!
YANBU though.

Last time we went to the pictures three people walked in carrying a tray full of Doritos and dips. Ridiculous.

YANBU

We once went to see an opera production. It started, about 20 minutes later somebody got out a lunchbox. And the proceeded to eat foil wrapped sandwiches, crisps etc It was bonkers

"Depends on the movie: crunching popcorn during a loud blockbuster action film, not a big problem. During a restrained, quiet, subtle film, more so. Stinky food in a confined space is vile.

I went to see Manchester-by-Sea at Peckhamplex, where the tickets are £4.99. The audience cheerfully munched, rustled, chomped, slurped throughout the entire film. Same film at East Dulwich Picturehouse, ticket price £13.99, not a peep from the audience, apart from the occasional restrained sob. Maybe silence has a price, eh?"

I think a large part of it is a lot of people seem very blithely unaware of how to act in a space with others, no awareness of whether other people's enjoyment would be hampered or not by their actions. It takes a degree of self and social awareness to note the difference between as you say, crunching popcorn during a loud bit of an action movie and refraining from doing so during a sensitive quiet moment of an intensely emotional movie. I suspect some people just haven't had enough exposure to being around others in varying situations to know how to read the room and behave accordingly. And then there are those who know but don't give a shit!

Agree it's usually worse when tickets are cheaper. Not sure why that is. Maybe if you're paying more you're more invested in actually enjoying the film instead of how much food you can cram into your face in 90 minutes!

That's interesting Bellamuerte, I knew they made loads on snacks but didn't realise margins were so tight films alone would be unaffordable, where did you hear that?

They must hate me, I refuse to pay cinema prices for food and drink! I take my own. Not just being tight, they also never sell any snacks I can eat due to dietary requirements. I do sometimes get a drink but would rather go without than pay several pounds for a drink I can get for a quid elsewhere.

Drives me bloody mad which is why I don't go much anymore, at least our small local has a interval before the main film and an ice cream lady and the only sell drinks and chocolate. You can't help needing the loo but food you can wait.

I had my bag ruined a few years back by someone who had very considerately left a food tray containing some revolting BBQ sauce under the seat.

I totally agree. I hate it and don’t often go the cinema because of it....
I guess it’s how they make their profit - I’d happily pay more to sit through a no eating film!

I feel your pain OP, to the extent I very rarely go anymore. Ds wanted to treat me very recently and the lad that sat next to me on my other side munched his way through a foul smelling foot long hot dog, then a bucket of popcorn. Hey, I definitely don't fit into the 'healthy eating' category, but I do wonder how anyone could digest that .
I thought it was too loud cos I'm too old, I know when the first ads came on, but I realise they needed it that loud to drown out the noise of people that seem to have no awareness of other people.

Oh - I prefer to sit on an aisle seat (whoever suggested that) but there aren't that many in the cinema and, unless you are the first people booking, you don't get much choice.

I just think I'll return to waiting for the DVD, or TV showings.

I lay the blame on cinemas for selling nachos, hot dogs etc, and promoting the idea that hot food is desirable or necessary in the cinema. (Though these days I mainly go to Baby Cinema, where you can’t move for pooing, farting and spitting up, so it’s all a matter of perspective ).

Completely agree with you, OP. There used to be an interval where a lady came out with a tray of choc ices and everyone queued up nicely, ate their choc ice then watched the second film. There was no other food allowed, not even pop corn.

Genuine question, but how come years ago cinemas were able to operate without selling overpriced food, or forbidding patrons to bring in sweets or chocolate from outside.

They could even afford to hire usherettes to keep some kind of order during the film, and stop inconsiderate people from annoying others in the audience.

Is it because films are making it to local cinemas earlier now and are more costly to show?

I don't go to the cinema because of all this - not worth the bleugh of it all.