When you hear the phrase “movie theater snack,” chances are, your mind turns to popcorn — even if you’re a Junior Mints or Mike & Ike stan. So it’s no surprise that, when Chowhound ranked 17 classic movie theater snacks, popcorn was at the top of the list. It beat out 16 varieties of candies, from the questionable (Good & Plentys) to the almost-top-of-class (Reese’s Pieces). As a matter of fact, popcorn’s ubiquity at the cinema has some interesting historical roots — and the fact that it’s fairly cheap to produce helped cement its place on theater menus. Today, it’s hard to imagine a theater without popcorn — and if you love popcorn in general, the theater is the place to go for a superior popcorn experience.
The downside to purchasing popcorn at a movie theater, of course, is that it’s so pricey! We just mentioned that popcorn is relatively cheap to make. However, some studies show that you may be paying a nearly 800% markup on movie theater popcorn. This can be hard to stomach, particularly if you’re already splurging to be at the theater in the first place or want to chase your salty popcorn with a refreshing soda or sweet treat. It seems the primary reason for the pesky popcorn prices is a good one, however. Theaters don’t make much money per ticket, so they simply have to make their profits up elsewhere. And this is true for most theater concessions, but particularly with that No. 1, popcorn.
Making the most of your popcorn experience
While we’re on the subject of pricing, it’s always a good idea to read the menu closely for combo deals and other discounts. Participating AMC theaters, for example, offer an Annual Popcorn Bucket. After paying more up-front for the reusable bucket, you get a steep discount every time you bring it in (cleaned) for a refill. You may also be able to get free refills on certain sizes of popcorn orders.
And while that classic movie theater popcorn taste is indeed iconic, some theaters may also offer additional seasonings that you can add to your bucket of popcorn yourself, if you want to give it a little something extra. Just make sure not to over-season it, as it is likely pretty salty to begin with. Or, you can get your salty and sweet flavors all in one go by mixing your favorite movie candy into the bucket of popcorn. Both fruit-flavored candy (like Mike & Ikes or Skittles) and chocolate (such as Reese’s Pieces or Milk Duds) should complement the popcorn excellently. AMC Theaters even offer to mix the candy in for you, so you don’t have to play the part of a human blender with an overflowing bucket of popcorn. No doubt other theaters have this service, too. But however you choose to consume your movie theater popcorn, you’re sure to enjoy this classic treat.
