Movie/Theater snacks outside of United States?

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Hey guys,

Hope everyone is doing well. Apologies for not being on for awhile; I'm in my final semester to obtain a MA in Public History and it's likely the hardest one yet! I had to take a non-history elective so I'm currently writing an English paper in non-fiction creative writing. I have to write an essay on food, in this case the stuff they sell at movies( I worked in a movie theater over the summer). I want to write an angle on why popcorn is popular at the movies, and the addition of other snack food. I'm also trying to compare what moviegoers eat outside the US.

I want to ask the members outside the United States: What do movie theaters sell for food in your countries? I'm looking online but have not had much success. There are a lot of websites about European cinema chains, but I have no luck finding what they have for concessions.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys, and take care!

 

[Wildcat]

In Oz its the usual rubbish of Popcorn, frozen coke,raspberry drink. Maltesers, choc top ice creams, M&M's, skittels, Jaffas etc. However if you go to a Gold Class cinema you get waited on with meals and alcohol. See here for menus. See the menu

 

[Capt. Vick]

Been to Canada and it's the same as the US.

 

[fubar57]

In Canada, same as Andy and Jim; overpriced. The last movie I went to was in '82 or '83, brought our own beer in.

Geo

 

[GrauGeist]

...However if you go to a Gold Class cinema you get waited on with meals and alcohol...

Well now...why the heck don't we have something like this???

 

[michaelmaltby]

"...why popcorn is popular at the movies ..."

Inexpensive to make

Can be made fresh

crunch factor

easy to eat in the dark

easy to sweep up

makes the consumer thirsty

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

In Germany the popcorn at movie theaters is sweet, it has sugar instead of butter and salt. You can also get a beer with it.

 

[Crimea_River]

Well, the last time I went to the movies here in the great white north, they served poutine. Doubt you can get that in the US.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Thanks guys, looks like similar methods throughout. Grau, I think AMC theatres have that in select locations. I worked at a Cinemark; we were not that fancy but you could order Chicken Tenders/fries, etc. and bring it into the movie. I did a little digging on the subject. Concession selling really didn't start until the Great Depression, which saved a lot of theaters from bankruptcy.

 

[bobbysocks]

if that is true then pop corn was probably the cheapest ( most affordable ) snack they could offer. back then werent movies 5 cents...hence the term nickelodeon? or was that way earlier during silent movies?

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

I'm going off an article from Smithsonian Magazinebut silent films weren't as widely seen as audible ones. The big issue was literacy needed to read the captions. Movie theaters back then were trying to act like live-action theaters.

Here's the article. Why Do We Eat Popcorn at the Movies? | Arts Culture | Smithsonian

 

[bobbysocks]

pretty interesting article. one thing...the "lets all go to the lobby" clip i remember well. back in the early days there was usually an intermission...either half way through a main feature or between the 2 movies if it was a double feature. i think that practice fell off somewhere in the late 60s or very early 70s....bascially when the movie theather had one screen and they could control the crowd...lol

 

[GrauGeist]

Not sure if or how this could be worked into the concession aspect of the story, but air conditioned buildings got their start in a movie theater because of an invention to eliminate high humidity in a building that housed a printing press and book binder

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Not sure if or how this could be worked into the concession aspect of the story, but air conditioned buildings got their start in a movie theater because of an invention to eliminate high humidity in a building that housed a printing press and book binder

Did not know that. Interesting, but I don't believe that's relevant enough to what the professor wants. Thanks though, interesting in itself. Actually, I find the history of movie concessions interesting. What they serve today in some spots makes them look more like the theaters of old(more emphasis on experience). A funny cycle.

 

[GrauGeist]

The world's first air conditioned theater was the Rivoli, in New York (Times Square) in 1925, invented and installed by Willis Carrier.

For many people, this was the first experience for "treated air" they had ever seen. With "treated air", the comfort of movie goers increased and as a result, would stay for longer periods of time. This in turn, allowed them more time to consider refreshments in the comfort of a "treated air" environment.

So it actually goes hand in hand

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Interesting, a lot of the earlier theaters did not have the ventilation needed to make popcorn, so I can see how this is relevant. Cool, do you have a link or reference I can look at?

 

[GrauGeist]

Sure, here's a few that may be of interest:

First, a little about Willis Carrier: Willis Carrier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And here's some informative pages about the Air Conditioning and the effects it had on the moviegoers:

Air Conditioning Goes to the Movies, 1925

Forever 74 Degrees: How Movie Theaters Keep Cool During Summer's Scorching Months - The Hollywood Reporter

 

[Marcel]

Here in the Netherlands we also eat what we call 'chips'. I think you call them crisps. Especially the paprika flavour.

 

[bobbysocks]

as in uk style fish and chips...what we call french fries in the us?

 

[Capt. Vick]

It is interesting to note that before the addition of air conditioning there was no such thing as a "Summer Blockbuster". No one would be caught dead in the poorly ventilated theaters in the blazing heat of the summer, with the masses of stinking humanity.