Have you ever worked in a movie theater? It's much more than just popcorn, candy and soda. Yes, the free movies are definitely a perk, but we certainly work for it! I have been working for AMC Theaters for three years. I have seen a lot, done a lot, learned a lot, and cleaned some really questionable stuff. Next time you come to the movies, make sure you think about the people you're dealing with and be sure to treat them the way you would like to be treated if you were behind the counter. Here's some things movie theater employees wish you knew.
1. We. Don't. Make. The. Prices.
I know that it can be frustrating when you just want to have a nice day out with your family and it ends up being a very expensive day out instead of just a nice little thing to do, but there is nothing more annoying as a movie theater employee than being yelled at or scolded for prices that we have literally nothing to do with. All I do is press a button on a screen. I have no way of giving you a discount unless there is a coupon that applies (and you have the coupon code for me to use). I cannot change the prices just because you want me too; I'm not forcing you to purchase anything at all.
In addition, please don't complain about the prices when you're buying five small popcorns, five small drinks, six different candies and pretzels. I have most likely already recommended you just get one large popcorn and one large soda to share so that you can save some money and you most likely turned me down. Now that it's time to pay you are upset that it is so expensive—just don't.
** Please do not joke about lube coming with your order since you have just been "raped" by our prices. That is not something to joke about and will never, ever be funny.**
2. Pick up your garbage.
All right, so you spent 10 minutes yelling at me about the price,s and then I go into the theater and see cups filled to the top, a container of half eaten pretzels, a bag of popcorn, and half a bag of candy all left in the theater. Not only have you just been excruciatingly rude, you just wasted all the money you complained about spending. My job is not to pick up the stuff you were too lazy to put in the garbage can that you have to pass when you leave the theater (seriously, it's on your way).
My job is to clean the seats and cup holders and sweep up anything that you may have accidentally dropped. When you leave your garbage all over the place, I have less time to make sure each seat is clean and each cup holder is dry, so if you're going to come and complain that your cup holder hasn't been wiped out, you better not be the person who leaves garbage.
3. Don't get mad when I tell you about our rewards card.
I get it, you really just don't care, but this is all part of my job. I have to convince people to sign up or else I get in trouble. Just politely say no thank you and I will do my best to just leave you alone about it afterwards. I just have to ask and you get mad at me, or cut me off mid-sentence or rudely say no. It is really unfair and difficult to deal with because I am forced to ask you and try to persuade you to sign up for our rewards program. Please just politely decline next time.
4. Don't show up five minutes before your movie.
By showing up late, you complain about the length of the line at box office or concession, that the seats you wanted aren't available and that you want me to hurry up because you're going to be late for your movie. It is not my fault that you did not give yourself sufficient time in case of a line. You are not the only person who goes to the movies, and to be completely honest, when you tell me to hurry up and start blaming your lateness on me, all I'm going to do is take my sweet time getting your order ready.
5. Treat me like a human being.
The answer to "Hi, how are you?" is not "Large popcorn."
I have never been treated as less than human until I started working in a movie theater. If I start with "Hi, how are you today?" just answer. If you went home and a friend or family member asked you how you were doing you wouldn't say, "Dinner, stat" or "TV remote, now" (if you do do that then please become a hermit), so why do you treat the people you interact with in public any differently. I am a human being, I'm a daughter, a friend, a neighbor, a cousin, a girlfriend just like you are, so please start treating the people that work in retail or food service as such.
