Is it Wrong to Sneak Candy Into the Movie Theater?
We've all done it.
A little over a week ago, my sweet mother took two of my children to go see, The King of Kings, but that’s not the only sweet thing she did. She, like most of you reading this, smuggled street candy into the movies. Please don’t miss the irony that street candy was being consumed as they watched the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior.
As they arrived, they went through the familiar process of purchasing movie tickets, but something unfamiliar happened.
Mom: Three tickets for ‘Lord of Lords’, please.
Employee: Which movie did you say?
Mom: Um, ‘Lord of Lords’…please.
[Awkwardly looking at each other.]
Employee: Do you mean, ‘The King of Kings’?
Mom: Oh! Yes! I’m sorry…3 for The King of Kings.
Employee: Here are your tickets.
Mom: Thank you.
Employee: Ma’am, I’m going to need to search your bag.
[Awkwardly looking at each other.]
Mom: Run for it, kids!
No, my mom and daughters didn’t run for it. Yes, the employee confiscated the sweets. It was a cordial interaction, nothing got heated. And my mom apologized and placed the candy in a bucket to retrieve after the movie.
The Sin of Candy-Sneaking
Funny enough, I had started a draft of this article prior to the incident with my mother getting busted by the diligent Malco employee of the month.
Truth be told, I took many students to go see movies during my time in youth ministry. And, almost one hundred percent of the time, I would take students to the Dollar Tree to purchase cheap candy to smuggle into the theaters (keep in mind that I was the adult setting the example to all these little children of God).
It was funny to walk in with a host of children - pockets bulging and rattling - as the employees of the theater knew that we knew that they knew, and they still let us in.
Every now and then I thought, Is this wrong? Should I really be doing this? Am I in sin? Man, Sour Patch Children are so good!
In all seriousness, is the practice of taking street candy into a theater wrong? Is it something we should stop doing? Well, here are a few thoughts:
If the movie theater clearly states that this is prohibited, then we should respect those rules. After all, they are the ones providing the venue and investment. Think about it, they purchased the movie rights, they pay the employees, they (somewhat) clean the facility, they provide air conditioning, etc. In short, they are the host and we are the guest. If a host asks you to do something, you should oblige.
On the other hand, the snacks are absurdly over-priced and even come in smaller packaging than you’ll find in stores. The movie theaters know that they’re ripping us off, so why should we feel guilty? If we spend the money to buy a ticket, shouldn’t we have the freedom to bring our own snacks in?
The Big Picture
I need to say upfront, that I haven’t done an extensive amount of research for what I’m about to say. That said, I have read enough to know that movie theaters don’t make much money off of initial ticket sales. In fact, the majority of ticket sales go back to the movie studios - not the theater.
From my understanding, movie theaters make more money off of movies that are in theaters for a longer period of time. Movie studios want you to go see the movie on opening weekend, because the vast majority of the profit goes right back to them. Theaters, on the other hand, would rather you come see a movie after weeks of release. Or, they’d love for you to come opening night and buy some of those over-priced candies.
A Concession on Concessions
I did reach out to the Substack community via ‘Notes’ and heard some interesting thoughts. Let me share two of them:
One person said that they don’t have a problem bringing in a preferred snack that the theater doesn’t offer. For example, they’re not bringing in their own popcorn or even a type of candy offered by the theater, so they bring something that isn’t in competition with that concession’s offerings.
Another person said that they have certain dietary restrictions that prohibit them from eating anything the theater offers. Since this person is unable to eat any processed snacks, but would like to have a snack during the movie, shouldn’t they be able to bring something in?
To the latter point, I do wonder if some theaters accommodate dietary needs for those who may have them. I wonder if there would be a concession if that were explained to management.
Regardless of where you land on this debate, I do think there’s something to keep in mind. Movie theaters are in an era of desperation. More of them are closing because they cannot compete with streaming services.
At the end of the day, we all know the snacks are over-priced. We also know that theaters really do depend on concession sales to help them keep the doors open, the silver screen silver, and the A/C cooling. Maybe we could help them out a little during this tumultuous season.
There is a third option - just don’t eat any snacks during the movie.
A big thanks to
, & for taking the time to share some thoughts! Be sure to check out their work.
My dad and I got kicked out of a movie when I was a little kid for brining in snacks. He didn't want me to have soda and candy as a 5 year old so he brought in juice and pretzels, a healthier snack that wasn't available at the concession stand. I never did see the entire movie, but I never forgot the lesson either. Just because something good isn't available, doesn't mean you have to partake in something bad. And while you're at it, stand up for your convictions.
Granted we could have snacked prior to the movie, but the lesson I learned that day was better than any movie.
That's a great question, and I love the thoughts. I've also heard the theater gets its Coke and drink products nearly free in exchange for advertising.