First off, before I go any further… before you think I’m going to get on some moral high horse… I must confess: I have been known to sneak candy into the movie theatre on more than one occasion.
My mission was one of frugality: Buy the giant boxes of candy at Target or Dollar Tree for a dollar, then avoid the $3.50 candy at the movie theatre concessions.
I wasn’t as bad as some friends though… they actually brought microwave popcorn with them (tacky!), and my husband once confessed to bringing a Big Mac MEAL into the theatre when he was in high school.
But I’m not going to do it anymore. Not after reading Frugal Dad’s post entitled Ask the Reader: Is Sneaking Candy into a Movie Theatre Frugal or Cheap?
Frugal Dad makes the point that since movie theatres make most of their money from the concessions, it’s pretty cheap to bring in your own snacks. He says that if the price is too high, then don’t buy the treats… and if you’re like us, and don’t go very often, then it’s not an expense that would break you anyway.
The post and its many responses really made me think. I always felt kind of cheap whenever we did sneak in candy… and when you get that lousy feeling in the pit of your stomach… then it’s probably the wrong thing to do.
And if the money spent really was the issue, then maybe we shouldn’t be going to the movies at all. I mean, is a 5-spot really going to make that much difference when we only go to the show a handful of times a year?
It also made me think about our children. None of them have been to a movie theatre yet, but I know they will. I don’t want to explain to them why we “hide our candy.” It just seems a bit deceitful. And how do you explain to the kids that it’s okay to bring snacks into the theatre, but not okay to bring food into a restaurant. It’s just awkward.
So, I’ve changed my thinking. Now, what do you think? Is sneaking candy into the movies wrong?
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{ 2 comments }
I guess I'm on the fence about this one. Carmike theaters let people who are in wheelchairs in for free, and they used to let one person in for free with them but so many abused that generosity that it stopped. When we lived near one, we went to see a lot of movies because we got in for free. We did not always buy snacks but we NEVER snuck them in because they were so generous to me. Even when they stopped letting my husband in for free we would have never snuck food in because they were losing out on my ticket profit. Our income is very, very limited, and a 5 spot can break us some months, so of course we don't go to the theatre then, but taking advantage of others isn't something that would make matters better. There's something to be said for karma. But now that we live near theater tht just raised their prices $1.50 in one fell swoop, and we both have to pay the full price, I'm not sure sneaking in candy is wrong.
I think that movie theaters make plenty of money on their tickets. I could almost understand paying so much for popcorn, but not drinks and candy. The candy is typically stale, nd $3 for a fountain drink is just wrong. It shouldn't cost $30 for 2 people to see a movie with snacks.
The bottom line is that it does cost that much. They aren't going to get lower, so you just have to make up your mind about which road you take. I truly think that theaters charging so much is unethical, but 2 wrongs don't make a right. I've done it before but I'm trying to change my lifestyle so if a theater asks for no outside food/drink I will respect their wishes. They make rules to follow just like any other establishment, so what makes it OK to cheat them and nobody else?
I won't tell anybody else what's ethical, ethics is something one has to decide for themselves but for me I have to be able to sleep at night. I'm 30 years old, I think I can go 2 hours without candy or food, but there are always exceptions for every rule. I think for diabetics maybe if you explain to management they'd understand.
i really don't have any bad feelings about sneaking food in. i actually feel better when i do it cuz i saved money
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