[maryavan]

I thought I'd share a few ideas on beating the "popcorn/drink blues" for folks using their movie passes this summer. My mother, against my wishes, spoiled my son the first couple of years he went to the movies w/ popcorn and pop every show. He came to naturally expect it. Then she backed out of it and I had a problem to solve. Here's how we've done it. These are "not breaking the rules" ideas. I know there are many more that go against theater rules. To each their own on that.

1.) Share what you buy at the concessions. Just get one drink and one popcorn. The signs just say "no outside food or drink", not no extra empty cups or bowls. So whenever we are going to buy refreshments (usually at Kerasotes where they have free refills), we bring along cups to split a large drink and bowls (or lunch bags) for the popcorn. We've never been asked about it. One of us usually has some type of cold/allergies, so we'd just give that for a reason. Plus it isn't against the rules. All our food is bought there.

2.) When on her diet, my mom would always give into popcorn when she smelled it in the theater. So to save our waists as well as pocketbooks, we started bringing micro popcorn and drinks in the car. On the way to the theater we'd have our fill of buttery popcorn and drinks. Then once in the movie w/ full tummies, we weren't tempted by the smell. Already been there, done that! This idea has worked better than I even hoped for w/ my 5yo son. Before leaving for a movie recently, he asked, "Can we have popcorn?" Since we were going to Kerasotes, I said "okay" b/c I had been planning to get popcorn that time. "Good. Get it popping in the microwave. I want milk to drink". Smart boy.

Mary Ava

[mmb1996]

Glad to see I wasn't the only one buying the large soda/popcorn and bringing my own cups and baggies to share, with 3 kids and usually my brother and sister along it would of been a small fortune to buy them all seperate sodas/popcorn. I know everyone usually shares the popcorn but my DH would roll his eyes when I brought out the paper cups and sent one of the kids up for refills before the movie started. One refill of each is all we ever needed so I didn't feel too much guilt in sharing, and considering a large popcorn and soda was over 8 dollars I think the movie theater got their share of money. I read they make more off the soda and popcorn than anything else, it cost like pennies for those 2 items. Good tips to pass along!

[MBZ321]

At the Regal I go to, they hardly ever (they haven't in years) check for outside food or really care. So I always just run to the local supermarket and get one of those jumbo bags of popcorn for 99 cents!

[phlack]

Carry a big purse!

I suppose a guy carrying a backpack would be searched (or at least asked), but unless they are searching women's pocketbooks, I suppose something could go in there.

I never even noticed at my local theaters if that is "prohibited" or not. I guess I rarely go to movies. Last one was Revenge of the Sith, of course. But before that, I think it was the last Harry Potter flick. (Oh, Shrek 2, but that was that morning because it was a kid's freebie). And before that, Star Trek: Nemesis. Shows how often I go to movies!

-Mike

[mmb1996]

we bring our own candy, but the movie theater popcorn with the fountain soda is sooooo good, so we will share share share .

[tightwad]

I sometimes bring in popcorn with me - usually, though, only when it is DS and I - DH is embarrassed to do that, even though they never know. I just throw in a bag of microwave popcorn that I have popped before I leave home - I have a very large purse that I keep in the car and I just throw it in there and zip it up - sometimes I take a can of soda and a juice box, too. DS doesn't like soda.

[jenniferkentwood]

I don't like popcorn that much so I am not tempted by it at the movie theater (most of the time that is).

I once met a lady at the movie theater who gave me her frugal tip. She buys the largest popcorn there is available, usually there is a promo where the refill on the popcorn is free with the largest size. She eats all the popcorn she can eat, and then keep the bag. She would then get free popcorn each time. She showed me her bag and it looked pretty old and had seen better days but she gets her free popcorn each time and paid only once for it.
Plus she showed me her bag of goodies. A large big tote she carried, there was juice and diced fruit and veggies in it. She took all this from home....hehe

[tmotley]

At our theaters, you can get 1 free refill on the large popcorn. They mark your bag with a black marker when you get a refill, so only one. I tried once to save the bag and bring it back, but DH wouldn't let me take it back.
They also sell a collectors cup that you can bring in each time for $1 refill. We have 2 of these and we can use them until the end of the year. They do a new design each year, so you have to get a new cup in January.
We try to eat right before we go so we don't always get popcorn. We also go to the drive in sometimes and we can bring anything we like there. We usually cook hot dogs, bring microwave popcorn and other snacks and plenty of drinks.

[Jorelanu]

The theatre that is a little far from us has a sign posted that you are welcome to bring in food/drinks as long as you clean up after yourself. I believe that it is because they have to compete with a theatre across the street. We always have one person grab Taco Bell while the other waits in line for tickets and we eat dinner during the movie. This way we get dinner, a movie and we make it home before the kids bedtime.

Our kids have no issues with sleeping in their own beds in their own rooms all night as long as WE put them to bed. Anyone else and there won't be any sleeping that night even after we get home and re-put them to bed Oh well, I love their last little hugs of the night the best anyways

Jore

[Shayrose]

There is a Victorias Secret in the mall where I usally see movies, so I take an onld Vic Sec shopping bag and load it up with my snacks. (usually baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, berries, etc)
No one will ever ask to look into that bag, even though that theater has a no ouside food or drinks sign.

Once I got caught with some grapes and walnuts and I told the manager that I would be more than happy to buy healthy snacks from the concession stand, but they don't sell fruit or veggies.

I bring natural stuff to the theater because whatever I bring in, I will eat, so it may as well be good for me.