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News-Sentinel.com Your Town. Your Voice.
Opening Arguments

Refill abuse

Hand over that sippy cup, you thieving scoundrel!

The owner of a northern Indiana movie theater says an attendant who confiscated a toddler's sippy cup was protecting the theater's profits.

Showland Cinema owner Dave Kinney says the Plymouth theater has self-service refills for people who purchase a drink. He tells the South Bend Tribune that some parents have taken advantage of the policy by using their children's sippy cups to get free soft drinks.

Free refill freeloaders. The General Assembly should step in before this becomes an epidemc.

Comments

Doug
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 2:17pm

The notion of people putting soda in a sippy cup is a little appalling to me.

gadfly
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 11:59pm

I am not a big time attendee of today's movie theaters with their too-loud speakers systems, but I can say that I have never seen many "sippy cup carrying" toddlers wandering about.

Self-service refill machines are there in the first place because they are cheaper than hiring an employee to dispense the drinks.

Time to get a life. Now if movie theaters didn't overcharge for food and drinks in the first place, I just might feel their pain.

littlejohn
Sun, 12/12/2010 - 3:38pm

I gave up on movie theaters a long time ago. Eight dollar tickets, six dollar popcorn, five dollar drinks, screaming babies, babbling teenagers and a sticky floor. What a bargain!
Or I can wait two or three months, rent the DVD for $4 and watch it in the comfort of my living room. If I need a snack or a bathroom break, I can pause it.
Tough decision.

Kevin Knuth
Mon, 12/13/2010 - 9:57am

Not to pick a fight- but Gadfly's comment that theaters "overcharge" is a bit incorrect.

Snack sales account for about 95% of total revenue for a movie theater. The money you pay for your ticket? About 80% of that goes to the studio that made the movie (the percentage that the studio gets DROPS the longer the movie is in the theater- but then again, so does the attendance).

Bob G.
Tue, 12/14/2010 - 10:01am

God, I know this MUST be the Christmas season...I totally AGREE w/ littlejohn!
(or it could be the Apocalypse...LOL)

When I saw how the Southtown Cinema went downhill ONLY because of the "clientele", that convinced me.
It's not like the way theaters USED to be, that's for sure.

I can only imagine the people who were doing the sippy-cup shuffle...sounds like something the locals in MY part of town would try...and get away with, because they CAN.

So, Kevin (following your logic) if Hollywood makes CHEAPER movies, the ticket prices will GO DOWN, right?

And if I want my ears to ring from the concussive sound, I can go to a Van Halen concert...OR listen to the boomcars driving by.
(hint - ear plugs makes Van Halen sound BETTER, and calling the FWPD on the boomers shuts them up for a while)

Yeah, I can wait for the DVD release...no biggie.

;)

Andrew J.
Wed, 12/15/2010 - 12:14am

God, you guys sound like a bunch of old farts.
AJ

Leo Morris
Wed, 12/15/2010 - 9:21am

Geez, Andrew. Some of us ARE old farts. And damn glad to have made it this far.

Bob G.
Wed, 12/15/2010 - 10:39am

Leo:
Amen to that (and proud to be one at last).

And stay OFF the lawn!

;)

Andrew J.
Wed, 12/15/2010 - 11:07am

Well, at least your sense of humor hasn't fossilized!
AJ

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