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Eating at the cinema

(140 Posts)
Beswitched Sun 09-Feb-20 08:51:49

I was at the cinema last night and the young man beside me was eating crisps non stop for the first hour or so. The smell was awful not to mention the noise.

I've no objection to people quietly eating some sweets or chocolate or whatever but aibu to find this constant munching and guzzling and bringing in smelly nachos, hot dogs etc really annoying.

He and his girlfriend had bought the crisps somewhere outside the cinema and brought them in in their rucksack as they don't sell crisps at the ticket desk.

Jens Sun 09-Feb-20 11:27:47

I am so fed up, up to the hind teeth with these totally dispicable people and their crunching and slurping, yes they splop, schmatz and slurp, I now wait for all films to arrive on TV where I watch in total peace and quiet.

Grandad1943 Sun 09-Feb-20 11:28:42

Our local cinema is a traditional one large screen type. It is over one hundred years old, very historic inside, and kept going by many volunteers and grants from the National lottery etc.

It is named as the Curizon, but to many of the towns locals is known affectionately as the "Laugh & Scratch." It is however a great place to see a film, in a unique setting giving a wonderful experience providing you do not mind all the munching. ?

Beswitched Sun 09-Feb-20 11:29:19

You are not fully allowed to bring your own food into my local cinema Maxblanc.

And in the days of usherettes a torch would be shone double quick on anyone disturbing or annoying other members of the audience.

Grandad1943 Sun 09-Feb-20 11:31:36

Apologises, that should be Curzon above not Curizon cinema

vena11 Sun 09-Feb-20 11:36:43

We go in the afternoon weekdays usually very quite and you can spread out, much better.

inishowen Sun 09-Feb-20 11:42:00

I never eat at the cinema. I bring a bottle of water, that's it. My daughter regrets buying stuff to eat for her children as now they expect it as part of the experience.

Craftycat Sun 09-Feb-20 11:49:35

Last time I went to cinema with DGC there was a family in front of us eating burgers, chips, sweets, coke, coffee & beer etc. all through the film & getting more brought in all the time. They do a delivery service from the front desk where they sell the food. The smell was awful & the mess they left on the floor was a disgrace. We could hear them chomping over the film too.
We had a bottle of water!
It was an afternoon showing.

4allweknow Sun 09-Feb-20 11:52:45

Enjoyment at the cinema is a hit or miss nowadays. Constant munching, the smells, phone screens, talking. I very rarely go. Cinemas make a lit of money from the food and drink sold on site so no hope of it stopping. Worst experience was a matinee pantomime and the amount of alcohol being brought into the theatre shocked me. Billed as a "child friendly" performance yet looked like a pub. And, all the food, drink and alcohol sold in these places isn't cheap. So much for all the poverty in the land.

Annaram1 Sun 09-Feb-20 11:53:02

Just move if you are anywhere near a loud eater or talker.

By the way my daughter put me off seeing 1917. She said it was horrible and I would have nightmares. What do you think?

Speldnan Sun 09-Feb-20 12:08:29

My partner and I stopped going to the cinema about 12 years ago because we couldn’t stand the eating, drinking, feet on seats, mobile phone use etc etc. We got hit by popcorn being thrown one night and that was it! Food and drink should be banned and phones should be turned off!

curvygran950 Sun 09-Feb-20 12:26:10

DH and I have given up going to any of the multiplex cinemas due to the nacho stink, crunching, slurping, phone nuisance etc. Luckily we have an Arts Centre nearby with a small but comfortable cinema . The seats can be pre booked, and ,best of all, NO food and only bottled water allowed . We are both retired so can go to afternoon showings; we don’t have to worry about parking/ getting home late in the evenings.

Grannyhall29 Sun 09-Feb-20 12:30:45

I agree the noise from eating is so annoying, we were also at the cinema recently and 2 separate groups were constantly checking their phones, one man in particular was checking his Facebook every (I kid you not) 10-15 minutes, although annoyed I also felt sorry for him that he couldn't switch off for a couple of hours

HurdyGurdy Sun 09-Feb-20 12:38:22

Other people eating is literally the reason I don't go to the cinema any more.

Is it really impossible to sit for a couple of hours without eating

M0nica Sun 09-Feb-20 12:42:39

My parents never bought us food or drink when we went to a film or the theatre when we were children, so it never occurs to us to even think about eating when watching a film now. I am too enthralled by whats on screen to think of eating - but it is nice having an icecream if there is an interval.

Oopsminty Sun 09-Feb-20 12:44:13

Just move if you are anywhere near a loud eater or talker.

I'd have had to have moved out of the cinema!

The place was packed

Rosina Sun 09-Feb-20 12:55:32

I have given up completely on going to the cinema. I wait for the DVD and watch it at home. I bought a film I wanted to see which had premiered only a few months ago for £5.99, and four of us sat watching it. I know you don't get the big screen atmosphere but I just cannot take other people talking and eating and getting up and down and arriving late - our last cinema visit cost over £40 and was a nightmare. There were two people not far behind, clearly bored with the film, sending each other ringtones on their mobiles - I thought OH was about to explode but fortunately they were asked to leave. They had ruined a large part of the film for everyone.

Nanny41 Sun 09-Feb-20 13:15:11

So irritating when food is allowed in to a cinema,it should be forbidden, likewise mobile shouldnt be allowed, why would anyone need to check their phone when going to see a film, and talking is the same, why go to the cinema to talk through the film.Give me the good old days, smoke and all!Only joking, but things were fine up to a few years ago.

AlisonKF Sun 09-Feb-20 13:37:51

There is absolutely no need ever to eat at a public performance requiring silence and concentration. I always go to a small cinema which has an excellent cafe restaurant attached. There are no popcorn buckets or sweets on sale. If eating is absolutely necessary, have some coffee and cookies before or after the show. Or a full meal. The local multi screen is a sort of cinema hell starting with the horrible carpet and the huge range of snacks being consumed largely by children. The reason fo the snacks is to make as much profit as possible. Children brought up on this habit of eating carry it on into adulthood and even into the theatre on occasion.

grumppa Sun 09-Feb-20 13:43:16

Does anyone else remember the Monseigneur News Theatre in London's Piccadilly? Back in the 1950s there was a café at the side of the auditorium, which served hot food (I remember baked beans or spaghetti on toast) and was arranged so that the screen could still be seen from the tables.

Bring back civilised snacking!

notanan2 Sun 09-Feb-20 13:44:46

Cinema food is 85% the point of going to the cinema IMO

I love it! And the market for it is huge so..

Grandad1943 Sun 09-Feb-20 13:48:05

I am afraid that times have changed and eating popcorn, crisps and having a glass of wine while the performance is going on is now very much part of the whole experience for the vast majority who go.

Simple as that.

notanan2 Sun 09-Feb-20 13:50:38

Yes our cinema has an alcohol licence.

We dont have an evening meal if we're going to the cinema we eat there.

Its a whole "experience" and there is no written exam at the end of the show so LOL at "full concentration".
I do not go to the cinema to concentrate.

BlueSapphire Sun 09-Feb-20 13:55:58

There is nothing better than sitting back in a large comfy reclining leather seat with plenty of legroom at my small local independent cinema, nursing a large glass of red wine bought in the foyer beforehand! Very civilised.

Beswitched Sun 09-Feb-20 13:57:06

What about the other people in the audren é who do go to concentrate and not to listen to other people guzzling, crunching, slurping and rustling not to mention the distracting and nauseous smell of nachos, crisps and hot dogs hanging in the air, notanan?

vickymeldrew Sun 09-Feb-20 13:59:00

In answer to your question Anna, 1917 is a brilliant film. I felt as though I’d actually been in the trenches for a couple of hours. Don’t think you would get nightmares as it has plenty of ‘James Bond’ moments. If you want a laugh though go and see David Copperfield. Wonderful film !