to think we aren't stingy?

[pencilpotted]

DH and I went to the cinema today, we went online to book and the tickets at all showing today were £5, so we buy our tickets and go about 12pm. We've just had breakfast at home and the food at the cinema isn't to our taste so I just fill our water bottles and we see the film and don't buy any snacks etc.

Then after the film we left the cinema and drove to a local place we like for lunch. We each order a main, a soft drink and a platter of sushi to share. All this cost about £50 with the cinema being another £10.

On the way home we dropped in on DH's parents and his sister was there with her family. We tell her what we had been up to and she enquires about what we had and how much it costs and then tells us that it's because of people like us being stingy that places are struggling and closing down and that these days it's expected that you order a bit more, buy food from the concession stands at the cinema.

All we wanted was to see the film, I don't want to drink a large fizzy drink or eat a hotdog or ice cream right after breakfast. It wasn't my fault the cinema tickets were discounted. The cinema was empty only about 8 people in the screening but it was early.

If I go for food we order what we want but I'm not ordering extra drinks and sides I don't want just to please the restaurant? Does anyone actually do this?

We do try to be intentional with our spending but that doesn't make us tight fisted?

house rules of the cinema 😂
where have you got that from? I think I've been to pretty much every cinema chain in the UK, and some independents, and also worked for one, and I've never seen any "house rules" saying you can't take a bottle of water in!

his sister is the weird (and rude!) one. Who on earth asks how much somebody spent on a meal/cinema rather than if they enjoyed their food/the film or literally anything else!

Apart from anything else nobody needs to be snacking constantly. If you'd bought nachos/chocolates etc at the cinema after eating a big breakfast you might not have wanted to go out for food as well, so the cinema might have made an extra fiver but the restaurant would have lost out £50.

I'm sure both of those places would prefer people go and 'only' spend £5/£25 p/p, than think 'Ugh, by the time we've gone, paid for tickets, parking, snacks, a tip etc., it's too expensive, let's not bother.' Which is what happens when everything gets too expensive.

I thought Odeon cinemas had a £5 a tickets offer this weekend? Our local one sells alcohol so has free water.
I wish there was a decent films on.

Cinemas do make a lot of their money from the concession stands and probably would close if nobody bought snacks - but that doesn’t mean everyone has to buy something from them! Your SIL sounds like a complete weirdo. Who the fuck even asks for a breakdown of the cost of someone’s outing?!

If someone tells me they’ve been to the cinema and lunch, I don’t say ‘So, tell me - did you spend anything on popcorn? What did your lunch cost?’ because I’m not mental.

Of course it’s not expected. I use the local Vue and their policy allows you to take your own drinks and snacks in,no hiding required, they don’t allow you to take your own alcohol or hot food but sweets and pop is all good.

She sounds rude and judgey… why is she quizzing you on how much you spent anyway, what a hugely boring topic of conversation

Ive seen threads on Mumsnet where posters declare that they no longer eat out or visit pubs as much because of poor sperceived ervice and value. People have no duty to keep local businesses viable by purchasing items they do not need. Its up to everyone to manage their finances as they see fit. Consumers do not exist simply to keep unviable pubs, restaurants and concessions in business. I say this as a business person.

Which cinemas have you used where this as a house rule? Most have a no alcohol or hot food policy. Some dont allow anything in glass bottles. But all the cinemas I’ve used like odeon, vue, cineworld, showcase etc actually have policy that state you can take your own cold snacks and drinks in.

She sounds like an oddball and heaven knows why you got embroiled in such a boring conversation. I’ve come to realise that any conversation involving money is a hiding to nothing. It sparks jealousy, resentment and competition. Especially where family is concerned.

Omg, you really don’t need to explain. It’s your money and you get to decide what you spend it on.
She is the one with the problem? How nosy and intrusive of her to ask where and how you spent your money, it has nothing to do with her whatsoever. And then to tell you off afterwards? Wow.

Ds worked at a big city one and I'd not eat anything that's not sealed after some of his tales.

She's weird. I know people like this, who are strident and judgemental, and they are very good at making you feel bad. But they are usually just weird, weird views and poor social skills. I try not to worry about what they think - if I think they are strange or silly, why should I care what they think of me?

It is a bit stingy imo. I always feel I should buy something, even if it's just water. I also find it difficult to resist the snacks. Although you are helping the environment by not purchasing which is amazing 🤷

Maybe if the prices for food and drink in cinemas were halfway reasonable people would buy more snacks. I love popcorn but no way am I paying a fiver upwards for a little tub of it. We buy a bag of maltesers and take it with us!

We always take snacks if me and the children. Theres always loads of people buying stuff at the cinema. I just cant justify paying double for say malteasers!

With prices going up and salaries staying the same, most people can't afford to get ripped off just for the sake of it

She's being weird, you have no obligation to buy snacks or drinks at the cinema

you need a mortgage to go to the cinema these days the cost of food and drink there is ridiculous! No-one I know buys food there they take their own snacks in! Ignore them OP let them continue to get ripped off

I think it’s very odd to of someone to suggest I buy stuff I don’t want to eat. I buy DD a haul at the cinema as we don’t go often but if it were just DH and I it would be two coffees and thats it.

You should’ve just clapped back with: we were running a little tight on time so weren’t able to remortgage for the cinema prices of snacks.

Bless her. She’d have a heart attack if she knew I always used to smuggle in snacks from Tesco 😂

It's a business, not a charity.

Ours is exactly the same.

That's just bizarre. You're not understand any obligation to buy anything other than your film ticket at the cinema.

If you'd bought rubber hotdogs and some plastic cheese nachos at the cinema, you would not then have gone for lunch after, so the restaurant you went to would have lost your custom!

But cinema prices for drinks and snacks are outrageous. At our local you could see two films for the cost of two drinks and a popcorn.

You’re not stingy if you didn’t want the food but you are definitely frugal. That’s not a bad thing. The sharing of a plate is thrifty- again not bad but I’d see how some people might wonder - if she spends a lot she’s probably bemused by the concept

eta just realised you had food each, thought you shared a plate!!

You’re fine, ignore her.

Yes, cinemas would ideally love for you to buy as much as they sell, but you don’t have to.

I have loads of cinemas near me and they all have their own policies - for example some allow you to bring your own food in, whatever it is. One of the franchises near me is in a shopping centre, that cinema literally always has some issue with their on-site food, so they tell you it’s fine to go and get food from
anywhere in the shopping centre & come back in time for the film start. That food could literally be anything from a chippy, to pizza to supermarket food or any of the chain restaurants…