How did popcorn become the usual snack for movie-goers?

Answer 1

they don't make ribs at the theater.

Answer 2

Native Americans would bring popcorn snack to meetings with the English colonists as a token of goodwill during peace negotiations.

In American Indian folklore, some tribes were said to believe that quiet contented spirits lived inside of each popcorn kernel. When their houses were heated, the spirits would become angrier and angrier, shaking the kernels until the heat became unbearable, at which point the spirits would burst out of their homes and into the air in a disgruntled puff of steam.

Colonial housewives served popcorn with sugar and cream for breakfast (the first "puffed" breakfast cereal). Some colonists popped corn using a cylinder of thin sheet-iron that revolved on an axle in front of the fireplace like a squirrel cage.

19th Century - Popcorn popularly really began to 'burst"O during the 1890s.

1880s - The Albert Dickinson Co. of Odebolt, Iowa seems to be the first company to (since the 1880's). Their brands of popcorn were called Big Buster and Little Buster.

The first popcorn machine was invented by Charles Cretors of Chicago, Illinois in 1885. In order to test his machine, it was necessary for Charles to operate it on the street as the customer. He was issued a peddler’s license to use the machine on December 2, 1885. Until then, poppers were made to sit in front of stores to attract attention. The huge, ponderous popcorn machine with its gasoline burner became a familiar part of the scent. Street vendors used to follow crowds around, pushing steam or gas-powered poppers through fairs, parks, and expositions. This practice continued up until the Depression years (1929-1939). Today much of the popcorn you buy at movies and fairs is popped in poppers made by the Cretors family.

With the opening of movie theaters across the nation early in the 20th century, popcorn became a part of the new excitement. During the Depression years (1929-1939), popcorn was one of the few luxuries down-and-out families could afford. While other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived. There is a story about an Oklahoma banker who went broke when his bank failed. He bought a popcorn machine and started a business in a small store near a theater. After a couple years, his popcorn business made enough money to buy back three of the farms he had previously lost.

During World War II (1941-1945), sugar was sent overseas for American troops. This meant thaat there wasn't much sugar left in the United States to make candy. Due to this unusual situation, Americans ate three times as much popcorn as usual.

When television became popular in the 1950s, popcorn sales again made a sudden rise (this time by an astonishing 500 per cent!) As families started buying television sets, they were changing their life-styles and staying home more and eating popcorn as they watched television.

Answer 3

I believe because the aroma is wonderful and makes you want to buy it. Also, it is so cheap to make and fresh popcorn popping is a lure to the snack bar. You could buy a whole lot of microwave popcorn for the price you pay for popcorn at the theatre, but I always end up buying some. Yum, Yum.

Answer 4

This is a total guess but probably because it was cheap to make and went over well.

Answer 5

Not sure, but it's a lot less messy than fondue.