• Hegar
    link
    fedilink
    26111 months ago

    This is a story of one bootlicking employee who was in desperate need of fucking off and minding his own business:

    However, just as the movie started, an employee told them to put their snack bags away, the report said. They agreed but the employee apparently insisted on sitting next to them to monitor the snack situation.

    A few minutes later, one of the children popped a Skittle he was already holding into his mouth, and quite frankly, all hell broke loose, the women said. The employee started shouting at them, and said that the police would be called unless they left. This is when the children started crying.

    “My niece asked nicely: ‘If you’re calling the police, are they going to kill my mum?’” one of the women told the newspaper. “And he laughed at that stage. He looks directly in her face and he said: ‘Yeah, maybe we’ll find out.’

      • @jorp@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        8911 months ago

        Fascists have it so easy, give the average fucker a little pin and tell them they’re special helpers and they’ll do this kind of thing for free.

        • Ephera
          link
          fedilink
          English
          1911 months ago

          Hopefully they fired the guy and referred him to a mental health institute. If I was a parent, I would definitely not visit a place where my kids get told I could be killed for their actions.

          • @BruceTwarzen@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            611 months ago

            Seriously, what is a guy like this even gonna do for the rest of his life? Moving to the US and becoming a cop?

          • @Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            111 months ago

            They were trespassed by the theater, so they don’t really have a choice in the matter there.

            Also, I’ve seen a video of the encounter, and their conduct towards the employees was pretty poor, and they refused to leave.

    • ALQ
      link
      fedilink
      English
      4811 months ago

      Is he secretly an American? Because that sounds far more like something I’d hear here. Atrocious.

      • @optissima@possumpat.io
        link
        fedilink
        English
        3811 months ago

        Yeah I thought it was US based on context too. I should’ve been suspicious when the employee didn’t open fire on the family…

              • @MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
                link
                fedilink
                English
                3
                edit-2
                11 months ago

                I agree with what I think you’re trying to say, which is that moral narcissism is good, but I don’t think moral n*rcissists are smug assholes. I think they’re people with a pathological need to improve and treat others with kindness.

                • @AnomalousBit@programming.dev
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  311 months ago

                  So by making some snarky comment about how a guy working at a movie theater would probably just shoot the whole family if they were all in America, you think the original comment is by someone who seeks to improve and treat others with kindness? Are you even reading the same thread?

    • @pyre@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      711 months ago

      this whole thing wouldn’t be a problem if the police were the tiniest bit trustworthy

    • @Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      111 months ago

      “My niece asked nicely: ‘If you’re calling the police, are they going to kill my mum?’”

      the fuck

    • @illi@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2711 months ago

      A long time ago, as teens, we used to go to the movies quite often. Ofc we didn’t buy the local overpriced popcorn but brought our own snacks, smuggling them, all sneaky like. One day the guy who was admitting us in was like “you should just be honest guys - no need to hide them”. Of course this was not forever but for a couple of months we could bring inanything because we were not tied by the snacks being hideable.

      • LifeBandit666
        link
        fedilink
        English
        7
        edit-2
        11 months ago

        We just take a tote bag full. If anyone says anything they have just lost our custom. Can’t stop people smuggling snacks when nobody goes

    • @Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2411 months ago

      I mean…theaters ONLY make money on the consession stand. They basically break even on ticket sales, because of having to pay the movie studios. So if they make you bring the snacks back to your car BEFORE you go in, I get it.

      But once you do go in? Once you’re in the theater? No. If I were someone NOT with those people, I’d be angered that I followed your rules, I paid my admission, I bought from your concession stand, and now MY movie theater experience is being ruined over some fucking skittles???

      I’d me more angry at the employee than the kids/mom. It would cause me to find a new movie theater.

      • Brave Little Hitachi Wand
        link
        fedilink
        English
        4611 months ago

        Here’s the deal. If theatres can’t survive if I don’t like their bad expensive snacks, Hollywood will have to figure something else out. Maybe they’ll have to hire the same twenty faces less often, or take a more reasonable cut, who knows. Not my problem.

        • @Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          1111 months ago

          No, all that happens is the movie theaters close. Back in the 90s, in my area we had what we call quarter cinemas. These were theaters that showed movies that weren’t in theaters anymore. So, older movies. Instead of $6.00 per ticket, it was $0.25, and kids under 12 were free with a paying adult.

          So you could get one adult to bring 6-7 kids in, for $0.25. Problem is, nobody bought the snacks.

          So now, we went from having 8-9 mega plex’s, 3 mall cinemas, and 4 quarter cinemas, to now having 2 mega plex’s, and thats it. Hollywood doesn’t care WHERE you buy your ticket. It doesn’t affect hollywood. It only affects movie goers.

          • Brave Little Hitachi Wand
            link
            fedilink
            English
            1311 months ago

            When I lived near a cinema like that, I was happy to buy its snacks and even the occasional beer. The snacks were good, and only slightly marked up. They had great taste in film, and tickets were cheap.

            It was a good business model, and I supported it. Nowadays it seems they’ve moved on to higher ticket prices and more “hot” movies. I wish them luck, but I would not likely continue to support them if I was still in their area.

            It’s a bad business model. The way it’s supposed to work is that bad business models die. If that’s not how it works anymore, all I can say is that projectors are affordable and you can make really good popcorn with ghee and powdered salt. A little turmeric gives it that yellow color. Enjoy.

        • @samus12345@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          511 months ago

          Hollywood can do what they did during the pandemic and release everything straight to streaming. Movie theaters are not necessary any more. As a bonus, pirates get to see the best quality versions on the day of release.

          • Brave Little Hitachi Wand
            link
            fedilink
            English
            611 months ago

            I’d love to see more outdoor cinema nights instead. I grew up in an area that did those and it was amazing. I’d even step up to run it, if there was a venue.

            • @samus12345@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              511 months ago

              I remember going to a drive in movie once when I was a kid. I wish those were still a thing - it was nice to have a big screen, but also some privacy from other people - but alas, technology marches on!

    • @lobut@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      811 months ago

      … is it smelly food or something? if not, who cares. There’s fewer and fewer people watching movies now anyways why chase them away man … it’s so dumb.

        • @Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          111 months ago

          Ehhh if it’s not old, it’s not gonna be smells enough for others a meter away to smell… and if it IS old, not a food idea to eat anyway hahaha

    • @Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      411 months ago

      I mean if it was my job then yeah I’d say something. It sucks you can’t bring in your own snacks but I’m not risking my job so someone can eat their own Skittles during a movie lol

  • @A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    97
    edit-2
    11 months ago

    “many struggling cinemas depend on the sales of pricy food and drink”

    Fuck you, what they charge isnt “pricy”

    its fuckin exploitative. Its why they ban you bringing in snacks, in the hopes you’ll pay 20 dollars for 5 cents of popcorn aind 7 cents of soda.

    also, You expect anyone to have sympathy for the theater after

    “My niece asked nicely: ‘If you’re calling the police, are they going to kill my mum?’” one of the women told the newspaper. “And he laughed at that stage. He looks directly in her face and he said: ‘Yeah, maybe we’ll find out.’

      • @buddascrayon@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        911 months ago

        And yet the entire Cinema industry is crying like babies cause “no one is going to the theater anymore”.

        They can all go fuck themselves.

    • @credo@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      311 months ago

      its fuckin exploitative

      It’s literally how they pay for the seats you’re sitting in. The money you pay for the ticket goes to the studio, not the theatre.

      • Rob T Firefly
        link
        fedilink
        English
        2211 months ago

        A poor business model on their part does not constitute a moral obligation on mine. Places like this are more than welcome to figure out ways to stay in business without being unreasonably fucking exploitative.

        • @credo@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          1
          edit-2
          11 months ago

          Why the fuck do you people think there is an obligation? A) don’t go or b) don’t eat. If you go to a business, you play by their rules.

          Buncha fucking children that want everything their way, or they bitch and complain on the internet. Just don’t go and stfu about it?

          • Rob T Firefly
            link
            fedilink
            English
            211 months ago

            Wait’ll you find out I also sometimes go in ten or fifteen minutes after the posted showtime so I don’t have to watch the ads they got paid to show me before the movie starts.

      • @buddascrayon@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        9
        edit-2
        11 months ago

        Yeah I’m sorry but fuck cinemas. I used to love going to the movies in the theater. It was a great time and it didn’t really cost all that much. Now if I want to see a movie in the theater I have to plan at least 2 or 3 weeks ahead to save up the money necessary to go. The ticket prices are too high the cost of the food is too high and they’re getting dickish about it. And it’s not fucking inflation either, they are blatantly overcharging for everything. Quite frankly they can all fucking close for all I care.

  • Stern
    link
    fedilink
    English
    6911 months ago

    They agreed but the employee apparently insisted on sitting next to them to monitor the snack situation.

    Instead of… telling them to take the snacks back out to the car? There’s no situation where that isn’t weird to me. Were there no other theaters to be cleaned, patrons to be helped, tickets to be sold, anything else, they just have this extra guy with literally nothing else to do but watch this family not eat the food they brought in?

      • dditty
        link
        fedilink
        English
        311 months ago

        Pathetic, small men who relish in wielding any power they have to fuck over normal people make my blood boil. From the lowly movie theater grunt in NZ to the plethora of elected officials in the US, they all need to get knocked down a peg. Let people live their lives for Christs sake.

    • Ephera
      link
      fedilink
      English
      511 months ago

      Yep, seriously, is he thinking if he’s extra hard on these visitors then no one else will smuggle food in? Because they’re not earning any more money by disallowing this family to eat their snacks.

      And they’re hopefully losing customers over this shitshow, too.

    • @Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      211 months ago

      Instead of… telling them to take the snacks back out to the car?

      Where I live in you can bring stuff in but you can’t snack it during the viewing. Also, did we know that they came in with a car?

  • @esc27@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    5811 months ago

    I was planning to see a movie this weekend, but this story just reminded me how greedy and anti-customer that whole industry is.

    • @BigBananaDealer@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1811 months ago

      its not nearly as good as any of the other despicible me movies. felt like they had no idea how to tie everything together plus the kids are barely in the movie and dont do anything

    • Kairos
      link
      fedilink
      English
      711 months ago

      Ticket price caps should be illegal. Blame the studios

      • @mightyfoolish@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        411 months ago

        Try shopping out theaters. There are many movie theaters pretty close to each other. One of them costs $40 for tickets. The other I can get two tickets, medium popcorn, a box of candy, two medium drinks for that same $40. Guess which one I refuse to go to…

        Though, I can probably sneak in that same box of candy if I really wanted to. 🤔

  • @jasep@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    4911 months ago

    I hope this cinema (or the chain it belongs to) goes out of business. What a hostile way to treat your customers.

  • @Doxatek@mander.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    English
    4911 months ago

    At least it wasn’t in the US. Calling the police on someone for anything has a non zero chance of just getting them straight up murdered. So i was happy to see it was in NZ lol

  • @deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
    link
    fedilink
    English
    45
    edit-2
    11 months ago

    Cinemas: our business model sucks so much we have to sell overpriced food!

    So? Just die already. Bye.

    • Paranomaly
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1311 months ago

      Unfortunately they’re trapped. If they lowered the price of food and raised the price of admission to compensate people wouldn’t notice. In fact, they wouldn’t even make it to the food to see, they’d just know that one cinema has $10 admission and the other has $20.

      They could advertise that they have lower concession cost to attract people, but there would be enough people thinking “I’ll just go to the cheap one and bring my own food/not buy food.” that momentum wouldn’t move into their favor.

      • Flax
        link
        fedilink
        English
        511 months ago

        I don’t really know anywhere that’s just a cinema these days anyway. I know of arcades, mini golf places, restaurants, soft play areas, etc that also have a cinema

          • @cass24@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            311 months ago

            It’s like this in Australia, too. Sometimes cinemas here have a couple of arcade machines off to the side in the foyer, but that’s about it.

    • @stoly@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      811 months ago

      Keep in mind that you have fancy media devices at home. Cinema served a purpose that may not be as necessary now. That said, cinemas have always made money on food and not on tickets. It will die, but it’s not like they are stupid people suddenly for doing this.

      • @deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        911 months ago

        Cinemas made all their money on tickets before TV.

        Then TV came along, then ridiculously predatory movie distribution contracts, then the Internet.

        Their response? Apparently. Using the police to enforce their terms of service regarding food sales.

        What’s next; calling the police when you don’t watch the advertisements?

        • @cass24@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          2
          edit-2
          11 months ago

          The police were called for trespass after the patron(s) refused to leave for violating the rules. There’s a difference.

          Hanging around in the foyer to try and argue the point is not leaving.

          Obviously it was excessive, but they’re still within their rights to have someone removed.

      • @YeetPics@mander.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        211 months ago

        I have a feeling you or a member of your family owns a struggling (dare I say failing) theater.

      • @deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        111 months ago

        If enough of them die, then that particular market will need to correct. The movie industry needs consumers.

        Or, to put it another way, the current business models need to die, so they can be replaced with better models.

        • @Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          211 months ago

          I have a more cynical view where it’s the smaller ones that die and the market just turbo consolidates, and the remaining cinemas get even shittier since there will be always people who probably go to cinema no matter what

          • @deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            111 months ago

            Hmm. Yeah. That is exactly what would happen.

            Though the possible advantage of that is the bargaining power of the cinemas increases compared to the distributors… as if cinemas should have some form of union ;-)

  • @M500@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    4411 months ago

    Where I live it is pretty normal to openly bring your own food. You can bring whatever you want. Bring your own ice cream and cheese burgers for all they care.

    They do sell some stuff, but its not overpriced.

    A few years back, one cinema chain said they were going to stop allowing this. Then their competitor advertised that they still allow you to bring your own food in and then the first cinema chain backed off.

    • @Schmuppes@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      15
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      It’s become so expensive over here. We were out last week to watch the new Pixar movie. Tickets were 12€ per person (so 24€ for the two of us) and we’re eyeing nachos with a cheese dip and a medium drink to share. That would have added 20€ to the bill and we decided that was was just too much. I understand that ticket sales alone don’t keep the little cinema afloat, but 20€ for maybe half a bag of store-bought nacho chips and a drink that’s 95% tap water? Come on. 20€ is almost a cooked meal for two at an entry-level restaurant.

      • @Syd@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        7
        edit-2
        11 months ago

        It’s probably a slight mistranslation so I don’t mean any offense but, I’m finding"entry-level restaurant" hilarious.

        Imagine Alexander, who after years of hard work and dedication to his craft finally moves on to a professional level restaurant. On the way in he sees an overconfident novice kitted out in the newest gear, silk napkin smoldering at his side. Escaping from singed mustache hairs a rasp can be heard, “Don’t eat the fire… Don’t eat… The fire.”

        “Poor guy never stood a chance, came here having never even seen a flambe?? I’ve trained for this, I’ve got this, I might not have the best gear but those forks and knives become a part of me when it’s time to dine”.

        Alexander reassures him self, attempting to squelch the nerves steaming from his soul.

        His teeth grit, hands clench, breath ceases for just a moment upon hearing the words.

        “Do you have a reservation?”

        Suddenly the seriousness of the situation struck Alexander, then with a cool confident sigh he knew he would succeed. No plate, bowl, or flaming pan would stop him.

  • @crusa187@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    3911 months ago

    “My niece asked nicely: ‘If you’re calling the police, are they going to kill my mum?’” one of the women told the newspaper. “And he laughed at that stage. He looks directly in her face and he said: ‘Yeah, maybe we’ll find out.’”

    My man’s finally flexing the full power vested in him as cinema popcorn popper, and it is glorious!!

    • @qarbone@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      611 months ago

      It’s not the nature of power. Sometimes it’s just the nature of peoplw to be week-old cockswabs

  • @MachineFab812@discuss.tchncs.de
    link
    fedilink
    English
    39
    edit-2
    11 months ago

    I snuck a whole Arby’s French Dip into that movie. Carried the au jus cup in my hand and walked right by the staff.

    Ask me to leave all you want, but call the police? wtf? That’ll be WHY I sneak food in the next time. This time I just needed actual dinner, and y’all don’t even sell real food here.

    • @stoly@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1211 months ago

      I walked in with two footlong Subways once. They’re like…eh…just clean up when you’re done, please.

      • @MisterD@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1211 months ago

        This. Regardless if you brought it in on bought it at the cinema, don’t make a mess or leave garbage behind

      • @RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        411 months ago

        The girl next to me just tonight at Deadpool brought a full meal in a Whole Foods paper bag. At a theater with a full bar and some hot food like pizza and chicken wings.

    • @ZeffSyde@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      611 months ago

      You haven’t lived until you’ve snuck all you can eat fajitas from Applebee’s into a movie.

      • Hello Hotel
        link
        fedilink
        English
        411 months ago

        That implies you snuck all you can eat fajitas out of an Applebee’s

    • @Stalinwolf@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      211 months ago

      Damn, dude. A French dip with au jus? That’s way better than my shitty French fry story…

    • @Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      111 months ago

      They did refuse to leave, I’ve seen a video posted by the people who got kicked out, and even their own video makes them look pretty bad.

  • @raynethackery@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    3111 months ago

    So, theater patrons and owners need to get together and tell studios to stop expecting to receive 99% of ticket sales money.

  • @fubarx@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    3111 months ago

    What’s the policy on bringing raw materials and making it in the theater? It’s not technically outside food and is prepared on the premises.

    Thinking a hibachi stove or an electric blender.

      • @fubarx@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1511 months ago

        Raw popcorn kernels are not digestible ‘food.’ Oil is not food. Salt is not food.

        Combine. Add heat. Et Voila! Someone complain, bring in bags of powdered chemicals, beakers, reagents, and bunsen burners, and go to work.

        It’s all in the technical margins.

      • @Unreliable@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        511 months ago

        If I bring my own food and consume it indoors it is indoor food. If I ate it outside, it would be outside food. /s

      • @Fedizen@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1
        edit-2
        11 months ago

        If I had to guess the idea is the food comes to the theater in a truck, too, is that also “outside food”?

        Realistically though I think everyone knows you’re supposed to buy the food in the theater - everything else is people being cute

    • Kairos
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1411 months ago

      What are you gonna grow it during the movie

  • @Cataphract@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    3111 months ago

    Here is the original posting from New Zealand Herald which has video of the incident (1 of 3 near identical pages, that website is a mess). I searched out the real one because that linked article is just horrible and unnecessary (idk why he felt cool putting “The only things I’m planning to sneak in are sleeping tablets.” at the end).

    For anyone wanting to get riled up, NZ Herald also has this wonderful little opinion piece from Ryan Bridge (a local broadcaster).

    Ryan Bridge is wondering where people’s shame went when it comes to breaking the rules. This is not the most important story that you will hear today, but it grinds my gears. It’s a small, seemingly insignificant event, but I think it speaks to two things that I absolutely hate about the world that we live in right now.

    The opinion article is just a shit show from what sounds like a pretty horrible and privileged person.

      • @YeetPics@mander.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        911 months ago

        Also, if the rules say you get to charge 500% the MSRP on shitty junk food, I am allowed to steal your profits by not being an idiotic consumer.

        There is a singular reason why theaters are struggling; their misunderstanding of the profits they should be generating.

        • @stoly@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          411 months ago

          The model has always been based on food sales from back in the early cinema days. Theaters have to pay a lot of money in fees to get the film reals, and tickets basically just offset that. To get a profit, it’s food.

          • @YeetPics@mander.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            9
            edit-2
            11 months ago

            The model has always been based on food sales from back in the early cinema days.

            That was almost 100 years ago. If they haven’t updated their business model in a century idk what to tell you; the model is outdated and inadequate.

            If your business model fails because I’m not stupid enough to pay $18 for a small bucket of popcorn, your business doesn’t deserve to exist 🤷

            You can be mad at it, but that’s the way the corn pops, fella.

            I download cams and haven’t paid for a movie ticket in over a decade. If they want me to buy tickets they can make movies that are worth the ticket value.

            Maybe if that happens I’ll return to the theater to balk at the snack prices lmao.

            • @stoly@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              311 months ago

              I’m not sure why you’re taking exception with me for pointing out how an industry I have nothing to do with operates.

          • @Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            111 months ago

            Seriously, the people carping on about the fascism reeealy need to get some perspective on life I think.

        • @cass24@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          311 months ago

          You can choose not to go to the cinema. The options here aren’t “accept or disobey”.

          You can entirely remove yourself from the situation, given the fact no-one is forcing you to go into their private premises.

          Unlike actual fascism in a country where escaping the government is, at best, uprooting your entire life. Or worst, illegal / risking your life / impossible.

          • @stoly@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            2
            edit-2
            11 months ago

            I’m on the side of business here. It’s private, their rules, etc. My comment was more a response to their appeal to authority.