To sneak McD's into the cinema

[fr4zzledmum]

Going to a tea time showing tonight - McD's is right next door to the cinema so was just going to buy DC a Happy Meal and pop it in my bag to eat when we get in there.

Cheaper than a hot dog at the cinema. I don't think it's particularly a bother smell wise, as people have nachos and hot dogs etc.

AIBU?

But clearly not so many that as a business decision the cinemas don't stop it.

I often take a Burger King to the cinema with me - we don't even hide the bag, never been challenged but always a wee bit para about the smell. Not para enough to never do it again mind haha 😉

It’s all to try to get more audience in, cinemas have changed. 30 -40 years ago it was considered vulgar to eat in the street. So it goes, a shame really as it does spoil the cinema experience for many people.

As you and others have pointed out there is a variety of choice.

And the shame would be if cinemas closed because of lack of audiences.

It’s all to try to get more audience in

Exactly. Cinemas won't survive if they only cater to hard-core film buffs. Many more people go to the cinema as a treat. It's a day/evening out. They go to sit back and watch a good movie while enjoying a snack. If you take that side of it away and make it only about the movie, people will just wait until it comes out on Netflix. Cinemas know they have to adapt or die.

You need to also avoid Vue cinemas as they sell food. And PictureHouse as they sell hot food.

In fact, I can't think of the last time I went to a cinema that didn't sell some form of hot food - oh, probably soho arthouse cinemas before I had kids and had time for such things!

Personally I find the smell of stale popcorn to be akin to vomit! But I'm not going to the cinema these days for a high end hipster experience. I'm going for some basic entertainment.

If you're going to a shitty cinema (Vue,Odeon etc) that sells hot food anyway then I think it's not that uncommon and you can probably get away with it - but really you should only be eating popcorn/sweets etc in a cinema rather than hot food, it s a bit vulgar - you're there to watch a film not eat your tea - but unfortunately lots of people do it...saw a couple once in a community cinema with a full Chinese takeaway!

This thread is fucking brilliant. I may need a McDonalds for lunch 🤔

Also the last time I went the cinema my friend and I ordered food to our seat and a bottle of wine. Terrible behaviour!

If you're going to a shitty cinema (Vue,Odeon etc)...

I love my Odeon cinema. Their reclining seats are just the comfiest thing ever.

Shitty cinemas 4 lyfe!

I absolutely don't mind the answers - and if you had read my replies, you'll see I actually didn't take it into the cinema.

What is absolutely ridiculous is how people are literally acting like I've shat on their nan.

But if cinemas closed, it would solve the country's obesity problem immediately!

Sorry you've had to put up with this, but thank you...this is one of the best threads on here for a long time.

Hahahahahahahaha who cares if the other 50 people have to sit through a film they've paid for with the stench of fast food and rustling paper bags hahahahahhaa at least I've done exactly what I want with no thought for anyone else hahaha

🙄

Also does nobody consider that perhaps the reason the cinema wants you to buy their food is because the business model is not sustainable without people buying food and drink? Cinemas are expensive to run and are very rarely even half full these days. I've been to many cinema showings where I've been one of only a handful of people in the cinema. Cinemas are shutting down up and down the country.

Will everyone find it so hilarious that they sneaked in their fast food when their cinema shuts down because it can't sustain itself on £50 worth of ticket sales and a bunch of entitled idiots sat in the place eating their McDonalds?

Are you saying you're actually fine with the "stench of fast food and rustling paper bags" as long as it's from nachos, hot dogs and bags that were bought on site and therefore subsidise tickets? Shouldn't you be grateful to the eaters since they're helping to keep your ticket costs down?

*Also does nobody consider that perhaps the reason the cinema wants you to buy their food is because the business model is not sustainable without people buying food and drink? Cinemas are expensive to run and are very rarely even half full these days. I've been to many cinema showings where I've been one of only a handful of people in the cinema. Cinemas are shutting down up and down the country.

Will everyone find it so hilarious that they sneaked in their fast food when their cinema shuts down because it can't sustain itself on £50 worth of ticket sales and a bunch of entitled idiots sat in the place eating their McDonalds?*

If the business model is not working it's not working. The customers don't go to the cinema to keep them going. They go because it's entertaining.

Maybe it's the cinemas missing a trick.

Funnily enough Everyman's are still opening new Cinemas.

Also does nobody consider that perhaps the reason the cinema wants you to buy their food is because the business model is not sustainable without people buying food and drink?

Lol. Customers don't exist to prop up a failing business model. 😄

Change the business model then!
Sell good food at a decent price. 😂

@wherethewildtbingsgo

I still like that moment, those moments in the film, the whole audience is captured and hooked with tension,it’s a critical moment in the film, you are listening and watching intently and you know, that saying, ‘You could have heard a pin drop’! Then, just at the crucial moment, a rustle of a crisp bag breaks the atmosphere and you come back into reality with a hard thud. I have been in cinemas where I have heard audience members saying Sshhhh to noisy rustlers. It does completely spoil the ambience.
Fine if it’s an all guns blazing, noisy action hero thriller, but for some films, the atmosphere also is what is important, the whole audience waiting on baited breath is a tangible positive to a cinemas screening rather than Netflix at home. I like to see what I am eating, however, I will bring a drink with me to a film but also be careful not to slurp or burp!

@NonPlayerCharacter no I'm not saying that at all. Nachos and other food purchased in the cinema does not have the same sickly sweet, disgusting smell that McDonalds has. If you like McDonalds then you probably don't notice the smell but if someone doesn't like McDonalds then I can assure you the smell is often absolutely disgusting.

It's reasonable to expect to be able to go to a cinema in which they don't serve McDonalds and expect people not to be eating it.

It would be unreasonable of me to walk into a McDonalds and complain about the smell. But it's selfish and inconsiderate to take your smelly takeout food to a cinema when everyone else in there has not chosen to smell it. When I attend a cinema i can expect to smell nachos or whatever food they serve there. If I find it disgusting then I can choose not to attend but what isn't reasonable is being expected to sit through a film I've paid for with the offensive smell of McDonalds.

@fr4zzledmum I think that this is a brilliant idea, If you want the full Big Mac experience as well as a film thrown in, screen the film upstairs in McDonalds.!

Nachos and other food purchased in the cinema does not have the same sickly sweet, disgusting smell that McDonalds has.

So it's not the fast food ( cos loaded nachos, hot dogs, pizza - seem to be ok )

It's not the rustling and paper bags ( see former )

It's probably not the business model - that's the cinemas responsibility

It's actually back to page 1 - the smell

Give over it's a kids Happy Meal . You will not be able to smell that over the pizza, nacho, hot dog fest. Pull the other one.

Nachos and other food purchased in the cinema does not have the same sickly sweet, disgusting smell that McDonalds has.

Ah, I knew there'd be a reasonable explanation for the apparent contradiction.

What about people who don't mind McD's but find nachos "offensive"? There were people earlier saying that makes them dry heave or otherwise unwell.

I’m surprised by how popular McDonald’s is, considering how many folks seem to be repulsed by the scent of a kids happy meal

gotta love internet hyperbole 😂😂😂

I used to work in an Odeon. There were no rules about taking in your own food and drink.

Personally, I don’t really think there’s a difference in smell between a cinema hot dog and a McDonald’s cheeseburger.

Well, there are now. Their website is very clear. You can’t bring in hot food, pungent food or alcohol.