What is one of the most useless ways to spend your money? You must have a few ideas in your head, and we're pretty sure that going to a cinema hall and paying hundreds and thousands for popcorn is definitely one of them. Now, it seems like some of us are getting tired of the high prices and no longer wish to pay.
Watching a movie in cinema halls has indeed become quite costly. In addition to the substantial expenses on tickets, the prices of food and drinks in the cinema hall also make a significant dent in one's wallet.
Recently, mediaperson Tridip K Mandal posted the bill of a tub of popcorn and Pepsi at a PVR theatre in Noida, highlighting this exact problem.
In his post, Mandal mentions that he was charged a whopping Rs 820 for 55 gm of cheese popcorn and 600 ml of Pepsi at PVR cinemas at the Mall of India, Noida.
Rs 460 for 55gm of cheese popcorn, Rs 360 for 600ml of Pepsi. Total Rs 820 at @_PVRCinemas Noida.
— Tridip K Mandal (@tridipkmandal) July 1, 2023
That’s almost equal to annual subscription of @PrimeVideoIN.
No wonder people don’t go to cinemas anymore. Movie watching with family has just become unaffordable. pic.twitter.com/vSwyYlKEsK
Other users also chimed in with their experience where they had to also pay a hefty amount for the same:
Mandal wrote, "No wonder people don’t go to cinemas anymore. Movie watching with the family has just become unaffordable."
He also wrote that OTT platforms like Amazon Prime or Disney+ Hotstar offer more affordable options compared to going to cinema halls, and many Twitter users agreed with his sentiment.
People have time and again complained about the high prices of food items in cinema halls, and now some people who are getting too tired of it are sneaking food inside cinema halls by hiding it in their clothes or accessories.
BTW, they are also sharing their 'brave' act on Instagram.
Technically yes, they can.
If you are wondering what the law says about it, here's a quick recap of what the Supreme Court had to say:
They also added that no one is forcing anyone to buy popcorn or any other snacks.
However, the court gave two reliefs to the people:
Now, in case you're wondering why cinema halls charge so much for food and beverage, here are a few reasons:
1. Overhead costs: Cinemas have significant operating costs, including rent, utilities, staff wages, and equipment maintenance. To cover these expenses, they rely on revenue from food and beverage sales, which leads to higher prices.
2. Lack of competition: Once you enter the cinema halls, you can't go out and get food, so if you want to eat something, you have to buy it from the cinema halls. Hence, the lack of competition allows the halls to set higher prices since moviegoers have limited options within the cinema hall.
3. Convenience and experience: Cinemas provide the convenience of having snacks and beverages readily available within the theatre. The higher prices are partly attributed to the added convenience and the immersive experience of enjoying refreshments while watching a movie.
4. Revenue sharing: In some cases, cinemas have revenue-sharing agreements with movie studios, where a significant portion of the ticket sales goes to the studios. To compensate for this, theatres may increase prices on concession items to maximise their profits.
5. The transition to multiplexes: The transition of Indian theatres from single screens to multiplexes is still underway, and the transition comes at higher costs, especially since the operational costs for both are different.
"For instance, multiplexes have larger halls and more projector set-ups," PVR Chairman Ajay Bijli told Economic Times.