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Author Topic: Military discounts Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-08-2014 10:49 PM                        Occasionally we get asked if we have a military discount. We don't have one, mainly because there is no military base near here (the closest one is about 200 miles away) and I really don't see the big need for a discount anyway. People in the military have my complete respect and admiration and I'm very thankful for their service, but they're getting a paycheck and benefits just like anybody else who works for a living, so why should they (and no other profession like police, fire, etc.) get a discount? Besides I feel like our prices are pretty reasonable already and we operate pretty close to the bone as it is, so we can't really afford to give discounts anyway. Most military people are fine about it, but sometimes they seem sort of offended when told that we don't have a discount. What's everyone's take on this? SHOULD we have a discount? Are we the only theater in the country that doesn't offer one? If you don't have one, what do you say when you get asked about one?  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 06-08-2014 11:41 PM                        I have two rates here, Child (defined as 12 years old and under) and Everybody Else. No senior discounts, no military discounts, no... you get the idea. I used to have a senior discount and even a "family rate" for parents with children, but when I put in my digital cinema setup I used that as an excuse to get rid of all of that; now I have two admission categories, period. Someday I might ditch the whole "child admission" thing and just go with $X per seat. I haven't got to that point yet. I occasionally have someone asking if they can get in free when they accompany a disabled person. There is a card that you can get here that entitles you to free admissions at movie theatres. I don't accept that card and I have had people get a bit upset about that, but there appears to be a misunderstanding on the part of the people who have those cards. When I point out to them that if I let them in free then I don't get paid for that admission by anyone they are surprised -- most of the card holders apparently believe that the "free admission" is being paid for by the outfit that issues the cards; when they find out that is not the case they are immediately more understanding of the situation and the "support person" then pays for his admission as usual.  |  IP: Logged Steve Matz Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 672 From: Billings, Montana, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 06-09-2014 01:54 AM                     Well being a Senior Now;I'm certainly not going to complain if a theater is going to give me a Discount. Paying $5.50 verses $9.00 is a pretty good deal.The Theaters uses to consider you a Senior at 55;Then they raised it to 62. The City Buses did the same also. While getting Older isn't really pleasant it does have a few positive perks...  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 06-09-2014 04:33 AM                     Discounts for military personnel is not something you will find around here, although there are quite some bases in the vicinity (Dutch, Belgian, German, U.S. Army, NATO, etc.). Besides seniors (with a varying definition) and children, you'll often find discount prices for students. The biggest problem is enforcing this rate though, because what defines a student? And how do you identify a student? Some flaky student pass/card/thingy?  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-09-2014 05:22 AM                        What are your normal ticket prices? For a theatre with "normal" ticket pricing, I would do it. The cost would be almost nothing, and it would make some customers happy and likely to return. Same price as senior discount ($1 discount or something). I would do a student discount, too, for the same price. Either would require some sort of identification. The discount for accompanying a handicapped patron makes no sense to me...maybe that is a Canadian thing? That said, I could see not doing discounts (or doing the child discount only) if your prices are already significantly lower than the competition or for discount houses or similar. What kind of discount would a dollar house offer, anyway? Something that I find to be sort of amusing is art-housey venues that don't show anything that would interest children, but yet which still have child prices....  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 06-09-2014 05:48 AM                     quote: Scott Norwood Something that I find to be sort of amusing is art-housey venues that don't show anything that would interest children, but yet which still have child prices.... That's for when they show a rerun of a Disney classic. Which happens... never (because when was the last time Disney allowed to show one outside of the theatrical release window?).  |  IP: Logged Chris Daigle Film Handler Posts: 24 From: Gardner, MA USA Registered: Dec 2012 posted 06-09-2014 08:10 AM                     Mike.. we had a very similar situation here. We never offered military discounts but would occasionally get asked about it. We always explained that our regular price was cheaper than the nearest competitors military discount price and although most people were OK with it, there were always some that seemed annoyed. So about a year ago we finally decided to add an Active Military category that was $1.00 less than our regular adult price. Over that year, we've probably only sold a couple hundred tickets in that category, so based on the fact that we were only keeping about 45 cents of that dollar ourselves, the discount has probably only cost us about $100 bucks. It has been worth it for us and we don't regret putting in the discount.  |  IP: Logged Lance C. McFetridge Expert Film Handler Posts: 135 From: Penn Yan, New York Registered: Jul 99 posted 06-09-2014 08:51 AM                     We give a military discount. We have no base near us and really only active duty service men and women take advantage of it when they are home on leave. We feel that the perception out weighs the cost. We are also the cheapest in a 50 mile radius with our regular ticket prices. Hey, it's your call, you own the theatre but what will it really cost to have a ticket class that no one takes advantage of. I will tell you it is a hit with our older veterans as we have had many comment about it even if they can't take advantage of it. Lance  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 06-09-2014 09:15 AM                     I think the need of offering a military discount really depends on both the theater's location in relation to military installations and its pricing model. The two first run theaters here in Lawton both offer military discounts. Starplex is the latest owner of the Central Mall 12 theater and they've undercut Carmike's pricing for both military and non-military customers. Fort Sill is next door to Lawton and a lot of retired military people live here. Military discounts are kind of expected. A lot of smaller towns nearby don't offer those discounts, but their standard pricing is quite a bit cheaper anyway. I think a military guy, be he active duty or retired, is acting like a cheapskate if he expects a discount off a $4 evening ticket, plus $2 surcharge to see a first run movie in 3D. C'mon, man!  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-09-2014 09:15 AM                        We're a non-profit art house, so we can always use that for an excuse. We have a $2.00 Kid Ticket, of which we sell a few dozen a year (usually a classic or some anime thing). Our adult levels are Member and Non-Member. We also have coupon books. There is a huge military base here, and they closed their theatre rather than go digital. We don't have a military discount, but we do sell discounted tickets to the base that the base then resells. Hasn't been a very popular program. Our biggest "request" is for a senior discount. They usually just come up to the window and ask for two senior tickets or something. I just sell them a regular ticket and no one says a word about it. As seniors make up probably 70% of my audience, a senior discount would knock out a large hunk of our revenue.  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 06-09-2014 10:37 AM                        Seniors in my area certainly expect discount and they will share with you you displeasure of not having one. I have found that military wives expect the discount.....and for themselves to use the discount too. Those of you who offer a military discount, you allow spouse to take advantage of it too? I agree with Mike about the original thought. There are many others who can claim a reason for a discount: Fire, police, teachers, to name a few. Where do you stop? Personally I like the idea of simplicity. One nice reasonable price for all.  |  IP: Logged Andrew Thomas Master Film Handler Posts: 273 From: Pearland, TX, USA Registered: Jun 2012 posted 06-09-2014 10:38 AM                     We don't offer any discounted tickets, not even matinee pricing. We just keep our tickets low for everybody.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 06-09-2014 12:06 PM                     Reminds me of the old joke about the young army recruit who goes up to the box office and asks how much a ticket costs. "Our general admission price is $5.00" sez the ticket-lady. "So how much is it for privates?" asks the recruit.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-09-2014 12:07 PM                        quote: Mike Frese I have found that military wives expect the discount.....and for themselves to use the discount too. Those of you who offer a military discount, you allow spouse to take advantage of it too? Off topic, My dad was a career Naval Officer. It was quite common on the bases for Officers Wives to "pull rank" and jump to the head of the line at say, the beauty parlor. Other kids would try to it in school (kids will use anything to establish a peck ing order). My dad made clear to my mom AND we kids, he is the one in the military and none of us have any rank at all. I agree about having simple prices. The local AMC must have about 10 different pricing levels once you start adding 3D surcharges and what not.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-09-2014 12:29 PM                     We don't a have military discount but I just punch a senior ticket. It also depends on the person. You can tell if the person is just out to get something for nothing or if they are genuine. We don't "card" for senior prices, anyway. If the person looks close, I don't question. Further, I occasionally just punch a senior ticket automatically for people who look reasonable. So, the senior rate is kind of "fluid" around here, plus I only get, maybe, a dozen military in a year. One or two senior tickets in the mix don't even make a blip on the radar.  |  IP: Logged

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