my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Self serve Popcorn?

Author Topic: Self serve Popcorn? Ronda Fitzsimmons Film Handler Posts: 75 From: Pottstown, PA, USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 02-06-2009 12:22 PM                        I run a small chain of move over theatres in PA, and I've heard of theatres that have self serve popcorn, but I can't for the life of me figure out how that would work safely. Anyone out there have experience with setting up self serve popcorn that isn't already in the bags? We have self serve soda and butter now, and our customers love it. Thanks to any who reply!  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 02-06-2009 12:59 PM                     I would assume self-serve corn would usually come in the form of someone filling bags of it, placing them in a holding warmer, and when the guest orders their corn they grab whichever size bag they ordered from said warmer. That said, I don't know any chain doing it either that way or the way you described.  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 02-06-2009 02:09 PM                        As Chris noted...Self-serve popcorn is pre-bagged at every location I've seen do a self-serve snack bar. The customer opens a warmer door, picks their already filled bag or cup, and proceeds through the line. This was a pretty common practice at drive-ins, and Cinemark is adopting this idea from Century in new builds (Century would hand you the bag, but butter it for you. Cinemark has self-serve buttery topping doo-hickeys.) I've never seen a setup where the customer literally bags their own popcorn. I can't imagine somebody doing that.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 02-06-2009 02:58 PM                        Cretors makes (made?) a machine with a corkscrew similar to an ice machine. Louis  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-06-2009 06:59 PM                     KB theaters had a coin-op popcorn machines. Customer puts in coin, bag drops and fills with popcorn. It didn't seem to be a big deal.  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 02-06-2009 08:36 PM                     At the chain I work for this was a common occurance a few years ago (I think all the sites have got rid of self serve now). We used (and still use) cardboard cartons instead of bags. Customers would fill them themselves. The worst problen was the mess (and factor in the wastage of popcorn that went all over the floor).  |  IP: Logged Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 02-06-2009 08:38 PM                     quote: Rick Raskin KB theaters had a coin-op popcorn machines. Was it air-popped? I've seen coin-op popcorn machines in malls before and they were air-popped. Smelled OK, tasted disgusting.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 02-06-2009 11:18 PM                     I've seen two kinds of self-serve popcorn. One was at the Empire in Leicester Square, a bit like an automat, you opened the doors and took the bags of popcorn then queued up at the stand to pay. That has gone now and they have vastly improved the concessions stand and foyer. The other kind is found at a few Odeons in the UK, also at a couple of ex-UGC Cineworlds. There are big vertical warmers, presumably filled at the top, you open the hatch and then shovel your own popcorn. The drinks are also self-serve. I always get my coke and popcorn from the staff if the stand is self-serve as there's usually both options available. Who knows what has been done over the day to the dispensers. In terms of the business impact you aren't able to upsell or cross-sell to customers which negates the supposed benefit of cutting queues. It's also easier to walk away in a crowd without paying.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 02-07-2009 12:05 AM                     quote: Caleb Johnstone-Cowan It's also easier to walk away in a crowd without paying. A guy I know who used to be at Regal said that when they switched to having candy be chosen in the same manner (people grab whichever bag they want), their candy sales went up by 2 or 3 times at his location. So even if you consider the chance of people walking away, they increased their profit big-time.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-07-2009 07:52 AM                     quote: Chad Souder Was it air-popped? In those days (early 1970s) pre-popped corn was the norm. I remember one theater that stored bags of popcorn in the generator room adjoining the booth.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 02-10-2009 09:37 AM                        Google "cretors self serve popcorn" Cretors does still list (through vendors) a 32 ounce variant of its Diplomat machine. It appears it can serve two customers at once, having dispensing augurs on each side. The advertising also says it has an integrated butter dispenser. Priced between $9,000 to $12,000+. I imagine this would be an incredibly messy way to save on payroll.  |  IP: Logged Daniel Wright Expert Film Handler Posts: 163 From: Okmulgee, Ok , USA Registered: Oct 2003 posted 02-12-2009 01:07 PM                     I remember seeing a coin operated popcorn machine in a hospital snack bar once. It was hot air popped, and the product was quite dry. It also dispensed a small ketchup packet sized package of oil and a small package of salt. The oil was rancid tasteing. For the quality of product customers expect in a movie theatre there is no way it would work.  |  IP: Logged Jack Theakston Master Film Handler Posts: 411 From: New York, USA Registered: Sep 2007 posted 02-12-2009 01:50 PM                     If there's anything I've learned in concession, it's you gotta pop it fresh. I've had customers who know its stale even before they've tasted it. I can't imagine anything pre-popped that's not hermetically sealed not going sour after a while. Has anyone had any luck with vending machines for candy bars? I have to imagine it would slow things up with the coin insertion, but with two or three machines, certainly less staff-intensive.  |  IP: Logged John Joseph Fink Film Handler Posts: 60 From: West Hartford, CT Registered: Feb 2006 posted 02-12-2009 07:24 PM                        General Cinema tried this at two newer builds (circa 1997-1999) in New Jersey: Clifton Commons and Essex Green. The remains of the Essex Green stand can still be seen today - they considered this an 'express line' - with self serve fountains and popcorn. No one ever seemed to used it, opting instead for the traditional experience of having someone behind the counter serve you.  |  IP: Logged Daniel Wright Expert Film Handler Posts: 163 From: Okmulgee, Ok , USA Registered: Oct 2003 posted 02-14-2009 04:06 AM                     I ad a friend that managed a theatre years ago, they had a massive problem with shrink from the snack bar. They were loosing enough candy that it was cutting into the profits. Vending machines were the solution and worked quite well for many years.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.