Sneaking snacks into movies?

**Sara Noel** · 08-03-2009, 01:57 PM

OK I have to admit, I have never brought my own snacks into a theater. But it seems pretty common. Do you bring your own snacks when you go to the movies?

What are ways you save money when going to see a movie? Please don't say you save by NOT going at all. Or by renting movies or getting them at the library. This question is for people that do go see movies.

I know many people go for a matinee vs. prime showtimes for a small discount.

**HisDaisy** · 08-03-2009, 02:09 PM

In the last place we lived there was a theater that had $3 movies no matter the what time you went. They would run new movies, but only one per week. I would keep my eye on the schedule for movies I wanted to see. That we could go in the evening. They also sold popcorn and drinks for $1. I miss that theater. I have yet to find one around here.

**savvy_sniper** · 08-03-2009, 02:19 PM

We seldom go to the movies, but when we do we go to the matinee. We also take our own drinks and snacks. I have a big purse and I put soft drinks in koozies in my purse, ziploc bag of nuts, a candy bar or two, etc. I have a friend that takes her microwaved popcorn to the movie.

To tell the truth, I have even taken a can of beer to the movies before. I am sorry, but snack prices are just outrageous and I refuse to pay them!

**imagine** · 08-03-2009, 02:29 PM

I have never sneaked snacks/drinks into a theater except baby snacks when the kids were babies (but that was not intentional just some cherrios in my purse)

There are several ways to make going to the movies less expensive.

We use gift cards to the local movies (we ask for these for Christmas/birthday presents)

We generally only drink water - which is free at our movie theater. Hubby and I started doing this when we were dating so it seems normal to us. The kids sometimes feel like it is abnormal when they hear all the crunching going on around us so we sometimes buy a snack and or drink. They are starting to catch on that we get to see more movies if we don't buy snacks as the gift cards go further.

When buying snacks - buy the big one and share. Our theater lets us get extra cups for freeand we use these to dole out the popcorn everyone gets a cup of popcorn and when they need more they just pass the cup back. This is a handy way of sharing the popcorn as everyone can reach the popcorn ( even if the children sit int he row in front of you LOL)
You can also get extra cups to share a drink without sharing the germs. Use the large drink as a pitcher and pour everyone there own drink. I have seen people do this with cups from home also (great for tippy/sippy cups for younger viewer just don't use the plug in sippy cups as the soda gas will build up in the sippy cup not a pleasant thing to happen.

We also try and attend matinees as they are cheaper and generally less crowded. Our local theater sometimes gives you a discount for the first showing of a movie (which is very early in the afternoon)

If not attending the matinee there are student discounts, child discounts and senior discounts that make them the same price as a matinee no such luck for other adults .

There are also sometimes group discounts for when a company buys in bulk. One place hubby worked would buy these and let you purchase them at the discount price (also gave them out as rewards and bonuses etc)

There are also kids movies in the summer that are cheaper and we attend those sometimes. I think they end up being about $1.50 per person (adults at the same price)

One town I lived in even had free movies at the local theater several a year. We just kept and eye out for them in the local paper.

**rsbs** · 08-03-2009, 02:51 PM

We have what I call a "dollar movie" that I use alot. Every show is $1.99 ticket. Movies aren't the MOST current, they usually run a couple of weeks, to a month behind the regular theatre, but I don't mind waiting. I've also snuck in snacks, but I often feel that is kind of stealing, so I try to make sure DD & I eat before we go. Usually I splurge for a drink for the two of us to share!

**fernykins** · 08-03-2009, 03:01 PM

I go to the first showing of the day its about 3 dollars cheaper. I also bring in what I want to eat or drink. I can't see paying 6.00 for a small popcorn and 5 dollars for a small drink.
Fern

**Sara Noel** · 08-03-2009, 03:10 PM

I wanted to mention rainchecks, too. Gabe has brought the kids to the movies and Miranda only being 3, sometimes a movie is too long for her to sit through or if maybe your child has to use the bathroom and it takes an unusual amount of time or an emergency pops up, etc etc and the theater will give you tickets for any movie in the future.
Not sure if this is at all theaters.

**Contrary Housewife** · 08-03-2009, 03:17 PM

The theatres here have a card you can get, if you show it each time you buy tickets you get credit for free stuff. Usually we get a lot of $1 off candy coupons, but every so often we get a free ticket, and we get free popcorn or drink coupons too.

We try to go to the matinees with the cheaper prices, it used to be the early shows, but they recently changed to weeknights only. So if we want the cheaper price we have to go on a weekday.

I think movie theatre popcorn is nasty so I have no real desire to have any, but we do use the coupons when we get them, because DH likes it.

Most of the time we have just eaten and neither of us really wants a snack. I have a tiny purse, but it will hold a couple candy bars if we want them, which is not often. If I am thirsty I use the water fountain, I don't really like soda since it tends to leave me thirstier than before I drank it.

I think it comes down to this, we go to the theatre for the movie, not for the food.

**semo_mom** · 08-03-2009, 03:18 PM

I remember as a kid my mom making popcorn balls for us to sneak in.

We hardly ever see a movie that isn't geared towards the kids. We have Bargin Tuesdays, every ticket is $5 and you get free popcorn (adult tickets are usually $6.95 and kids $5.75, matinees are usualy the same $5), so I just sneak in the drinks. I usually just pack along sweet tea in a drip proof bottle in my huge purse. Only thing about Bargain Tuesdays that isn't so great, the most popular movies are never part of this. I'm not sure why though. I remember none of the Harry Potter movies and Twilight wasn't either, and of course that would be the movies my daughter wanted to see. Other than that, most of the time, any of the eight movies they are showing are part of this promotion.

We also have two drive-in theaters that are within 40 miles. Admission for both are around $5, but one of them always shows a double feature. That's something we do once a year and they don't care if you bring your own snacks.

**jamie79** · 08-03-2009, 04:31 PM

We get our tickets at a discount because we show our military I.D. We have brought our own snacks in when its all 4 of us because it gets expensive. Last time we went we didnt and it cost us $30 just for snacks

**Pemberleyan** · 08-03-2009, 04:33 PM

On the rare occasion when I go to the theater, I sometimes take food in my purse.

**NewLeaf** · 08-03-2009, 04:41 PM

When my kids were smaller I snuck in drinks & snacks in a diaper bag. When they got older it was a big purse. I haven't done this for the last few times and the movies end up costing $30 for the three of us w/snacks. So I will probably continue to bring my own. Our movies cost us $8 per adult and $5 per child. Matinees are $5 per person which is usually when we go.

**Karen1** · 08-03-2009, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Sara Noel

OK I have to admit, I have never brought my own snacks into a theater. But it seems pretty common. Do you bring your own snacks when you go to the movies?

What are ways you save money when going to see a movie? Please don't say you save by NOT going at all. Or by renting movies or getting them at the library. This question is for people that do go see movies.

I know many people go for a matinee vs. prime showtimes for a small discount.

I seldom go anymore to the movies. I got the money and don't mind paying, just that I am more tired at night than it is worth it to me. And I got pay per view and DVDs and all that so I can fall asleep and watch the rest when I wake up..HA HA HA

Younger I snuck in beer into the movies. We would sneak friends in also. 2 of us would pay, get our seats early and run down to the exit door, open and let a few friends in. Not many times, just a few....I know, kid stuff...LOL-LOL

Sneak snacks. Nope. If I go to a movie I want their snacks...which are horrible priced, but if I go I want the full deal. especially the nasty greasy icky popcorn that I love!!!!

good thing I don't go often, it would cost me $100 to see a movie with hubby...LOL

**annymoll** · 08-03-2009, 05:02 PM

If the theater had no policy on snacks, then I brought my own and carried them right in. If there was a policy against it, then no, I did not sneak in snacks.(Didn't lie about how old the kids were either, just to get them in cheaper.)I had little eyes watching me, and I knew they were smart enough to know that if I had to sneak, it was wrong.I save money by going to matinees. Once a month there is a dollar day matinee I can take the g- kids to.We eat before, and water is free.

**Neeley** · 08-03-2009, 05:05 PM

DH's company has a deal with a theater chain to give employees discounted movie tickets. We are able to buy discount tickets for new releases (only been in theaters for two weeks or less) to see either a matinee or regular showing. If the movie has been out more than two weeks we can get an even deeper discount on those tickets for both matinee and regular showings.

I've never taken in my own popcorn or drinks to the theater. The concession area sells a large popcorn with two large drinks for $12.50. Both the popcorn and drinks can be refilled unlimited amount of times. We refill the drinks two to three times each and the popcorn at least once, sometimes twice. I love movie theater popcorn and have to have lots of it if I am going to sit through a movie.

If the kids want the candy, I do stop by the grocery store and get them the movie theater candy boxes from there and take them in my purse. It is the exact same size and same brand they sell in the theater. Only difference is it's $1.50-$2.00 cheaper a box.

We are going to see G-Force tonight. The tickets were $28.00, popcorn and drinks will be $12.50 and candy will be $4.40.