Now that America’s largest movie show chain goes to start out charging ticket costs primarily based on the place your seat is situated, it’s time to consider methods it can save you cash on the motion pictures.
Significantly, people, AMC Theatres’ new pricing coverage has lots of people riled up. Only for instance, actor Elijah Wooden says it’ll penalize moviegoers who've decrease incomes. “The movie show is and all the time has been a sacred democratic area for all,” Frodo tweeted.
Nonetheless, by the top of the 12 months at each AMC theater, seats within the entrance might be cheaper whereas the very best seats within the center will value extra.
When you ask us, it’s simply one other approach for them to gouge you.
16 Methods to Save Cash on the Film Theater
Happily, we’ve bought concepts for how one can save a buck or two on the motion pictures. Try our listing of 16 methods to spend much less on the theater.
1. Go to Matinees
Going to a matinee can knock as much as 30% off the ticket worth, however be careful for the theater’s definition of “matinee.”
Reveals earlier than 4 p.m. was known as matinees at most theaters, however some now cost the night worth for something that begins after 3 p.m.
2. Go to Pre-Matinees
Some theaters supply a fair higher deal for actually early motion pictures — “pre-matinees.”
These usually apply to motion pictures beginning earlier than midday.
3. Go on Tuesday!
America’s three largest movie show chains all have the identical low cost day — Tuesday. You even have to hitch their buyer loyalty membership to get the Tuesday low cost, however that’s often free.
AMC: The largest chain within the U.S. has Discount Tuesdays if you happen to’re a member of its loyalty membership, which is named AMC Stubs. You may be a part of without spending a dime, though there’s additionally a premium choice you possibly can pay for in order for you. As for Low cost Tuesdays, the ticket worth varies by location.
Regal Cinemas: These theaters have Regal Value Days on Tuesdays, when Regal Crown Membership members get discounted film ticket costs and 50% off popcorn. The membership is free to join. A have a look at this theater-by-theater list reveals that almost all Regal theaters cost both $5 or $5.95 for film tickets on Tuesdays.
Cinemark: This theater chain has Discount Tuesdays if you happen to’re a Cinemark Movie Rewards member. There’s a free choice or a $10-per-month choice that will get you extra perks. Once more, the ticket worth on Tuesdays varies by location.
4. Purchase at Your Warehouse Membership — In Particular person or On-line
Significantly, you need to make full use of these warehouse membership memberships! When you store at Sam’s Membership or Costco, ask about theater tickets on the customer support desk. They typically have them at a reduction.
Costco additionally sells theater tickets online at a reduction, and so does Sam’s Club.
5. Attempt Groupon
It’s type of a crapshoot, clearly. However you possibly can all the time hop on Groupon to see what kind of movie ticket deals are going on there. We see offers for AMC, Regal and Cinemark theaters there, on and off.
The web site LivingSocial is one other choice to test right here.
6. Eat Earlier than You Go
As of late, plenty of film theaters go effectively past popcorn, Sno-Caps and Raisinets. When you’re hungry, you’ll be tremendous tempted by the new canine, nachos, cheese fries, hen tenders, pizza…
And so they’re all approach overpriced, in fact.
You’d be higher off consuming in a restaurant beforehand.
Save much more cash by consuming at house earlier than you go.
7. Share the Snacks
Theaters don’t need you to convey your personal meals.
However we haven’t seen them cease mother and father who convey their very own paper baggage to divvy up a big bucket of popcorn between the children.
It’s less expensive than shopping for a small bag of popcorn for every particular person. Share different snacks to save cash.
8. Get Particular Reductions
You would possibly qualify for particular reductions — and you can save as much as 35%. Listed here are some examples:
9. Purchase Low cost Film Reward Playing cards
There are a variety of locations the place you should buy discounted theater reward playing cards on-line. For instance, you should buy AMC reward playing cards on on-line marketplaces like Raise for reductions of as much as 25%.
Use them for matinees, and your whole value is likely to be lower than half of what a night ticket prices.
10. Go to Low cost Theaters
These are additionally known as late-run film theaters. You’ll see the identical film, so why not wait a few months and catch it for much less?
Simply search “low cost theater” plus the title of your metropolis to find low-cost motion pictures.
11. Be a part of the Membership
Most theaters have a membership or loyalty program you possibly can be a part of to save cash. Listed here are some examples:
AMC
The biggest theater chain’s loyalty membership, AMC Stubs, has three tiers.
- Insider is free and will get you perks like Low cost Tuesdays, which might be the primary attraction right here. You additionally earn $5 again for each $50 you spend.
- Premiere appears pricy to us. It prices $15 per 30 days and allows you to reserve theater tickets on-line without spending a dime. You can even upsize your popcorn and fountain drinks. Doesn’t sound like an excellent deal.
- A-List permits you to see three motion pictures every week for $20 a month. That’s numerous motion pictures.
Regal Cinemas
The Regal Crown Membership is free to join and will get you entry to Regal Value Days on Tuesdays, the place you get discounted ticket costs and 50% off popcorn.
Cinemark
Cinemark has Film Fan, which is free, and Film Membership, which prices $10 a month and will get you one film a month and 20% off concessions.
12. Go to a Drive-In Theater
Verify DriveInMovie.com or DriveInTheater.com to see if one of many few remaining drive-in theaters is close to you.
Name or test on-line to see if they've low cost days or a price-per-car night time when you possibly can convey the entire household or break up the fee with mates. And take a look at our ideas for maximizing the enjoyable.
13. Go to Advance Screenings for Free
Film firms typically supply free tickets to the general public for advance screenings. When you get one, go early — film screenings typically get overbooked.
Listed here are a couple of locations you possibly can test to see if something is accessible close to you:
See The TWP’s put up on methods to get free tickets to advance film screenings for extra recommendations on how one can snag these freebies.
14. Purchase in Bulk for a Low cost
At BulkTix.com, save as much as $5 per ticket for some theaters if you happen to purchase greater than 4 at a time. At Costco, you get a reduction when shopping for 10-packs of tickets on the retailer.
15. Go to Late Reveals
Some theaters supply low-cost tickets for late-night reveals — typically at matinee costs.
Showings usually begin round midnight. When you’re an evening owl, this may be a good way to keep away from the crowds and save a couple of bucks.
16. Sit within the Entrance Row at AMC Theatres
When you’re OK with sitting within the entrance row, you’re in luck! It’s not likely most moviegoers’ favourite spot, although.
By the top of the 12 months in any respect of AMC’s film theaters, right here’s how the tickets might be priced:
Probably the most fascinating seats in the course of the theater might be priced at a “slight premium” in contrast with the common theater seats, which can stay the most typical selection, AMC says. These common seats will proceed to value the present worth. Seats within the entrance row are “worth seating” and can value lower than the standard seat.
It’s as much as you, however you would possibly need to keep away from neck pressure and stick to the common seating. You may all the time save a couple of bucks by not shopping for these Raisinets.
Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior author at The TWP. Steve Gillman is a former contributor to The TWP.