Would The Hangover Part II have been better with a brew? AMC Theatres, one of the largest movie chains in the United States (operating about 5,325 screens nationwide) is creating a buzz, at least among New York media outlets, by setting up in-house restaurants that serve alcohol. A newly passed state law now allows moviegoers to bring booze to their seats at theatres that already have licensed sitdown eateries. A boutique theater, the Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, pushed to get the law changed, but now that the code has been amended, AMC is considering offering alcohol at some of its 24 locations in the state. The new law means patrons will soon be able to bring their booze back to their chairs, albeit from the restaurant inside the lobby.
The move by AMC in New York comes as movie theaters throughout the United States look for new ways to squeeze more money out of adult audiences by re-imagining the multiplex as an upscale dining experience offering high-end dishes like limoncello-tossed shrimp and grilled pineapple swordfish along with the traditional popcorn—often served for fee—and soda.
The iPic theatre chain, for example, offers moviegoers oversized leather recliners complete with blankets and pillows, and the ability to order champagne right at their seat. AMC Entertainment has TK such high-end theatres in the U.S. and Regal Entertainment Group, the country’s largest theatre chain, runs TK premium locations under the Cinebarre brand.
On average, a typical movie patron spends about $3.50 on concessions when they go to the movies according to Patrick Corcoran, director of media and research for the National Association of Theatre Owners. By focusing on upscale food and wine, the industry is betting that number will go through the roof.
With endless comic book adaptations and teen comedies dominating screens, the movie business had a record-breaking year in 2010, generating $10.6 billion in ticket sales, a quarter of which were bought by young people ages 12 to 24. Yet despite the proliferation of titles that skew young, the majority of movie goers are actually adults, not kids. Adults over the age of 25 made up 62% of all moviegoers in 2010 according to a Motion Picture Industry of America study. And adults ages 25-39 made up 25% of all the tickets sold up for 20% in 2009.
