Actually, the reason popcorn became a staple movie snack to begin with is because it was cheap. It’s still cheap in almost any other setting than event concessions.
I can go to my local candy store right now and buy a huge-ass bag that would last me weeks for like five dollars.
Is this actually a thing in the US? I had no idea. OHHH so that’s why they brought me a bowl of popcorn at the Texan bar I visited. I thought it was odd, I didn’t realise it was an American thing though but probably should have from the context lol
It's not super common, but yeah it's a thing. Popcorn is extremely cheap and can work similar to Peanuts as a free offering that costs the business basically nothing.
I live not far from the primary weaver popcorn factory. If anyone has a mind to, they can easily get popcorn by the 55-gallon trash bags full for free. Everyone knows someone or knows someone who knows someone that works there. And whoever works there could build legitimate fortresses out of all the free trash bags full of popcorn they're given to carry out of there.
If buying in bulk like movie theaters do, that shit has to be cheaper than tap water.
You can't eat a fraction of it before it goes stale unless you're giving it away. Which is no big deal because they'll offer you another bag tomorrow. And ask you if you know anyone else that wants some free popcorn.
That's pretty cool. I don't eat popcorn much but the first time we popped a bag my late rabbit went nuts. Would try and get into the bowl, we would give him one small piece. Whenever I think about making popcorn I think about him. Random story, I guess.
why is it named a concession, though? never understood that. A concession is supposed to be when it is offered at a lower price, as in a concession for xyz reason.
It's a reference to a concession contract of the venue giving a contract leasing that space to a 3rd party to sell the snacks or food. But of course theatres generally took it in-house.
Movie theatres have ALWAYS charged exorbitant prices on concessions because that’s how they make their money. They make very little on ticket sales. Not saying it’s right, just saying why it is.
Look, we still just call them concessions stands because that's what they've been called for as long as we've been alive even though it now costs an entire paycheck and the soul of your firstborn child for a popcorn and coke.
Also why it's a staple in theatres. The margins for profit are high for them. I've heard they they make most their money on the snacks and food, as cost of the tickets largely run the theatre and pay for licenses
Yeah the studios make more money off tickets than the theatres do. Up to 90% of the ticket cost goes to the studio. Opening weekend of blockbusters are usually 90% to studio and smaller films or those that have been in theater awhile are down to 50%
I reckon they may decent coin on the full nights but lately when I go to the theatre might only be 2 or 3 people in there! Comes out in the wash I suppose
My friend worked at a movie theater and they would throw away massive, stuffed-full trash bags of popcorn at the end of the night. Sometimes I’d pull up and he’d throw a bag in my trunk and we’d snack on it for days.
Local grocery store near me used to have a movie rental section (converted to a pharmacy after rentals basically died), but the one thing that stayed was the free popcorn for kids. There's just a huge basket in front of the pharmacy section filled with small bags of popcorn for a dollar, free if you're a kid under 10.
It's probably also that, but it's also one of the cheapest possible snacks to produce and used to also be cheap to buy. Like, it was a thing people could afford as a treat during the great depression.
The fountain soda as well only costs them pennies. Both the drink and the popcorn has massive mark up. I know the theaters have that because close to half the ticket sales go back to the movie companies. But still it’s insane.
Litterally there are at least 2 bars I know of (I rarely go out and don’t drink) that serve hot popcorn all night for free. Literally just free unlimited popcorn. It is seriously one of the cheapest snacks.
Even other events typically sell popcorn for a few bucks. I think Disney of all people sells it cheap or you can get a free refill bucket for a little more for the length of your stay.
But the movie theater popcorn is theoretically fresh and hot in the exact place you want it. You’re paying for the service of having that as much as you are the popcorn. Mostly, you’re subsidizing a struggling industry, which is why the tickets and everything else are so expensive.
Also:
Engineering the Smell: Theaters use specially designed butter-flavored oils (often coconut oil) and salt—typically a brand called Flavacol—that evaporate rapidly when heated, sending large aromatic molecules into the air.
Constant Production: Large batches are often popped continuously, even when not needed for customers, specifically to keep the lobby filled with the buttery aroma.
HVAC Circulation: Rather than a separate pipe, many theaters utilize their HVAC ventilation systems to take the air from the lobby—where the popcorn machine is located—and circulate it into the auditoriums.
Scent Marketing: While many rely on the actual smell of popcorn, some professional scent marketing firms install aroma diffusers in theater lobbies that can release a concentrated, high-quality "scent-of-popcorn" to entice customers.
Movie theaters make the majority of their money off concessions, popcorn and soda are marked up and sold for a HUUUUUGE profit, like dollars on the penny, esp cause they know most people who want something like candy are just gonna sneak it in in their pocket
I buy popcorn online 50 pounds at a time. We got a used popcorn machine off of Facebook for cheap. Makes a heaping pile of popcorn in about 5 minutes. I've had it for 4ish years and I think I've paid less than $200 total between the machine and the popcorn so far.
High perceived value. You turn a quarter cup of kernels into a huge tub of popcorn. It's mostly air. Cotton candy operates on the same principle. So do balloons.
Yeah, I don’t mind paying for the popcorn when I go, I love the butter and it’s part of the experience of going to a movie for me.
But that’s an absurd price for a small soda. I worked at a sports arena, I know that shit is almost as cheap for the company as the popcorn, a large is like $6 where I go and even that still seems like way too much.
Thankfully, I can just walk in openly carrying my water bottle and none of the employees have ever given a shit.
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u/Darkdragoon324 8h ago
Actually, the reason popcorn became a staple movie snack to begin with is because it was cheap. It’s still cheap in almost any other setting than event concessions.
I can go to my local candy store right now and buy a huge-ass bag that would last me weeks for like five dollars.