Cost of Cinema Concessions

Updated: February 21, 2011

The prices of food and drink in cinemas are generally no higher than those found for example in other leisure facilities, football grounds, bowling alleys and theatres across the country.

All cinemas, particularly small independent operators, rely on income from food and drink to make their businesses viable - for all films, only a proportion of box office revenue goes to the cinema itself.

If everyone brought in their own food and drink then cinema tickets for everyone would need to be higher to compensate for the lost income and the additional cleaning costs. This would in turn mean less people were able to afford to go to the cinema in the first place.

Some cinemas do ask customers not to bring in their own food and drink. There is no single approach across the cinema sector and the extent and way that individual cinemas police any requirements is at the manager’s discretion.

Many cinemas will routinely search bags in their ongoing efforts to tackle film theft – a particular concern when we know organized crime is targeting particular high profile films. If they then find food and drink being brought in, a customer will usually be asked to leave it outside of the theatre to be collected afterwards – or they will be offered a full refund.

An individual cinema’s policy in this area will be clearly flagged up in the foyer and often on the company website.

The decision not to allow customers to bring in their own food or drink is not unique to cinema theatres – most pubs and restaurants for example have the same requirement.