Going to the movies? Theaters hope you arrive hungry and thirsty
CHICAGO — Forget the concept of dinner and a movie. Cineplexes these days hope you’re planning an evening of cuisine at the movie.
With theater attendance essentially flat as consumers binge-watch programs from their sofas, movie theaters are kicking it up a notch, with new food offerings, plush seating and state-ofthe-art sound and viewing systems.
At some complexes, the menu has moved beyond the fry-fest of chicken nuggets, french fries and popcorn to include fancy brussels sprouts, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, mussels and other made-to-order fare.
Often, there’s a server to deliver your food to a private table at your seat. There are also handcrafted cocktails and craft beers. Still want popcorn? Sure, and you’re eating it on heated, reclining seats.
Bringing luxury to the moviegoing experience is crucial for an industry that is fighting back against the likes Netflix and Amazon, and movie watchers who’d rather wait to watch a movie on iTunes than head out to a classic movie theater. Box office receipts remain lackluster — last year, films brought in $11.3 billion, up a mere 2 percent from 2015, according to Box Office Mojo.
The battle for a piece of the theatergoing audience has turned into a game of one-upsmanship since the same movies are playing in multiple venues.
“There are a variety of ways you can consume content,” said James Goss, managing partner of Barrington Research, which tracks media and technology companies, including movie theaters. “They’ve had to combat that ... so they’ve improved the quality of seating and food.”
Noshing while you’re watching is a key to a theater’s viability because the food and drink categories can generate an 85 percent profit margin, according to Goss. Ticket prices at decked-out megaplexes can run as high as $17 for an evening show, but movie studios often take about half of those proceeds.
Some theaters have lowered ticket prices knowing they’ll get moviegoers in the door to spend more money on upscale food and drinks. “By buying concessions ... you’re paying for the environment,” he said.
Ambiance is exactly what Ben Munro and his partners, Tom Fencl and Tim Ryll were aiming for when they reopened the nearly 100-year-old Davis Theater late last year in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood.
In addition to refreshing the Davis, the trio opened a restaurant, Carbon Arc Bar & Board next door.
The plan was for the two businesses to have an “umbilical” relationship, according to Munro. That way, he said, the theater and the restaurant “get to take advantage of each other (and it) happens naturally.”
Carbon Arc’s menu includes upscale offerings such as pate, steak frites, scallops and cocktails that can be consumed in the restaurant or carried into the theater that underwent a $5 million restoration.
“Our idea was to take it to another level of social sharing and experience than may be offered in typical movie theaters,” Munro said. But unlike some newer theaters, there are no servers delivering food or reclining seats, because there just wasn’t enough room.
“You’re coming to spend time with neighbors you know or don’t know, he said. “It feels a little more charming than the big guys.”
So far, the strategy has worked. The Davis and Carbon Arc have been turning a profit since March and not just because of the restaurant, Munro said.
However, the standalone restaurant can make up revenues for slow movie periods.
Theater owners say their main goal is to reel in moviegoers who are excited to meld dinner and movie into one, less time-consuming experience.
“Movies and dining are the most common forms of entertainment,” said Hamid Hashemi, president and CEO of iPic Entertainment, which has 16 theaters and 121 screens around the country. “We will give part of that time back to you. If you’re getting a baby sitter, and can combine the two under four hours, it will become a more frequent experience.”
Over the July Fourth holiday weekend, Milwaukee-based Marcus Theaters launched its new, built-from-theground-up “BistroPlex” in suburban Milwaukee. Patrons will lounge in the theaters’ “DreamLounger” heated, reclining seats, watch movies on oversized screens, and order freshly made food delivered directly to an individual side table attached to their seat. Marcus wants guests to remember the food as much as the movie.
“We call it the restaurant that serves a movie,” said Rob Novak, vice president of food, beverage and concessions at Marcus. After testing the concept in the Milwaukee suburbs, Marcus plans to roll it out to other cities in the near future, he added.