Coffee at the movies

[Sableonblonde]

Yes, people should read the menu board first. It gets annoying after awhile to have people just wander up to you and ask if you have something without taking a second to scan the menu. When I worked at a concession stand over the summer, there were two huge, giant, collosal neon menu boards hanging right on the wall above my head. Still at least once a day someone would come up and ask if we had something that we didn't have. It was even better when they would just go ahead and order something that we didn't have, and you'd have to interrupt them to inform them they had the wrong stand.

I agree it's not THAT big a deal, and no one should be rude about saying no, but whenever I go to any kind of food stand the first thing I do is locate the menu, read it, and pick what I want off of it. So I hold others up to that same standard

[AngryCas]

I get lots of annoying question vs. Things we don't have and things we aren't allowed to do. The two top big ones are:

1) If you have them in the shop, then why can't I buy it?
2) Why can't you trim this for me?

All of these, when answered (1. Because they are our supplies & 2. It's against company policy and I could get fired for it) are usually followed by the entitlement sigh, re-questioning (Can't you do it for ME just this ONCE?), and finally "Fine! I'll just go to your competitor!"

It's not like I don't have sympathy for the customers who had to walk 50 miles in the snow, uphill both ways with no shoes in order to find out we can't do that for them, but policy is policy and I'm not losing my job over a 5$ sheet of foamboard.

[hotelnpa]

As others have said so well, there is no need to give a "resounding NO" to such a question - nor to assume the person asking it is stupid or asking a "flatfooted question". That the question is asked often does not justify being rude in answering. The customer has no way of knowing other people asked for coffee before.

A simple, "No, I am sorry, but we do not" is all that is needed. If the theatre allows outside food to be brought in, then it would be ok (and rather nice) to add that there is a store a nearby that does sell coffee and that the coffee may be brought in.

If the customer becomes rude and demanding in responding to you, then you have an SC. Simply asking a question many others seem to ask does not in and of itself make the customer an SC.

The theater I worked at was near restaurants but we had a strict policy of not allowing outside food. The vast majority of profits come from concession sales, not ticket sales. But that didn't stop people from bringing large bags from McDonald's or pizza boxes.

[solidmetalgear19]

I just want to clarify that I have never been rude with my responses.

When I make the comment about Panera bread, it is usually in jest and not said with a sucky tone.

But seriously, it just annoys me.

Who in their right mind drinks coffee at a movie theatre? I can understand it kinda during the winter months. But we have huge menus detailing what we do and do not serve.

I happen to stand like 10 feet away from these menus. Their big, bright and in full veiw. There is no reason a person shouldn't be able to see them and shouldn't be able to see what we do and do not serve.

[Bright_Star]

Why would someone drink coffee in a movie theatre? I mean, that's just weird...lol.

[cinema guy]

We sell coffee but the machine keeps breaking down. It is around 3 months old and must have broken down 4 times. So a lot of customers ask for it and can't have it.

[South Texan]

Who in their right mind drinks coffee at a movie theatre?

I do! Not everyone wants fountain drinks or bottled water. Be careful in spouting off about people not being "in their right minds" just because YOU do not do whatever they are doing.

The theatre near me has a pseudo-Starbucks coffee bar. It is VERY popular.

[Peppergirl]

I don't think he/she meant any harm, Texan - it's just a figure of speech. No worries. Im a coffee freak and would drink it in a theater too.

[Eric the Grey]

I do! Not everyone wants fountain drinks or bottled water. Be careful in spouting off about people not being "in their right minds" just because YOU do not do whatever they are doing.

The theatre near me has a pseudo-Starbucks coffee bar. It is VERY popular.

I've only been to a theater once where coffee was available, and it was only one time they had it.

It was the US Re-Release of the Original Godzilla, completely restored and un-modified by US companies except for sub-titles. They had a big to-do in the lobby before the movie started, and had coffee available.

It was a pretty cool night out.

Come to think of it, I just purchased tickets for a Ballet production of Mary Poppins at 2:00pm (her birthday present) on a day I'll be getting home and to bed at 7:00am. I'm kind of hoping they'll offer it there..


Eric the Grey

[Ree]

Just a reminder, this site is for venting.

We may not agree with the way a person has handled a situation with a customer, or we feel they are contributing to their own problems, or, the customer isn't the sucky one in the story, but, as always, we don't tear each other down to make that point.

If someone has said something that you don't like, PM them to clear the air or report the post.

There's no point in getting hot and bothered and snarking at each other over a small slip or a poor choice of phrase.

I am sure nobody was implying that a person was insane to drink coffee at a movie.

I can completely understand that the OP would find the repeated question from the customers to be sucky because, as was said, the menu options are listed on large signs above the counter.
If this isn't a classic case of a customer not reading the signs, then I don't know what is.


The OP has also said there is no rudeness in the reply given to the customer, despite being annoyed, so give solidmetalgear a break.

[jerkface11]

If people keep asking for it maybe it SHOULD be on the menu. Sell a small cup of coffee for $1.50 and you've made a proffit off the whole pot.

[South Texan]

I don't think he/she meant any harm, Texan - it's just a figure of speech. No worries. Im a coffee freak and would drink it in a theater too.

I assure everyone that I understood the context of what was said and took absolutely no offense.

I just was pointing out that using phrases like that is risky as there just may be people on this board and elsewhere who may do whatever is being put down and think they are perfectly within their "right minds" to do it.

[CiggyStoreClerk]

What's funny, salt lake now has movie theatres with full food courts... I wonder what joy the DB would have felt when he walked into one of those

But just to make the DB's life difficult (and further proving the backwardness of the world) they wouldn't have hot dogs

[Pagan]

I'm not sure about by you, but by me they actually made it not (legal I think) to bring food into a movie theater.

Are you seriously saying that the powers-that-be in your area passed a law for this? How much did the movie theater association pay them? Are you sure it's not just theater policy? There's so many eateries around Century Rio 24 and Century Downtown here, that they've gotten rid of their policy of no outside food and drink. Actually, now that I think about it, I think most of the movie theaters around here are that way.

[Rapscallion]

Why would someone drink coffee in a movie theatre? I mean, that's just weird...lol.

It's certainly not traditional, but maybe they have some really boring films on?

Rapscallion