Why are movie tickets so expensive?

Question

I just went and watched Spiderman 3 this past Saturday, and I saw the price tag for the tickets I purchased: $9.50.

And don't get me started on the food prices:

A bucket of popcorn cost me $7.

So what's the deal?

Answer 1

One theory is that not as many people are going to the movies as much as they used to. More people are staying home and watching TV or they're on their computers (ironically, watching movies!), so movie theaters aren't making as much money as they used to so they have to increase their prices to maintain profits.

Wow, $7 bucks for popcorn? That's outrageous! No wonder why people sneak food into theaters!

Answer 2

Simple pimple ,
First of all l have spent most of my highschool years and one and half of my college years slaving away at a movie theatre .
Okay first of all
Movie theatre chains raise ticket prices because , the movies that are being made now cost way more money than they did in the day, Also since they only get .50-70 cents of that 9.50 they need to recoup the investment of making and marketing the film.
The rest of the money goes toward the theatre chains that run the movies.
Believe it or not running the cinemaplex is expensive
and they barely break even
The jacked up food prices ,
Lets see i am not sure if i want a med coke or a college education.
The jacked up food prices is how the theatre makes a profit ,
That is why they get sooooooooooooooooooo upset when people contemplate or try to bring in their own food also have u noticed when u get that med coke , the person suggests for a quarter more u can get the large , that is because they know they make more money the more u spend at the concession stand.
I can not speak for all theatre chains but during the summer blockbuster season , carmike give incentives to theatre managers and employees that have high up sell . I have won 2 VCRs in highschool for bugging people .

Answer 3

Movie Tickets Are So Expensive Because They Know How Ever Much They Raise The Price People Are Still Going To Go And They Are Going To Make More Money

Answer 4

You went.

Really, it's like when we talked book prices. As long as they dink and dab and raise it a quarter here and there, people will keep paying higher prices. I keep seeing ads on myspace for a gas out...a day no one buys gas because it costs too much...why not a theater out, where no one goes to see Spiderman 57 on opening day? Or any day...if you could "freeze out" a major summer movie, keep something they wasted hundreds of millions on under a single mil...you might get the point across..but I'm too cynical to believe it will ever happen.

Of course, beyond the fact that they know they can just take us for a ride, they are spending much more to make a movie just so they can beat the other studios, even though they're really mainly the same few companies. Since they spend more to make it, they charge the theater more to have it, and they pass the cost along to us. It's why the non-chain theaters are dying...they take it in the bum too...

Answer 5

It varies with where you live. I know that much. In my hometown (small town America) ticket prices are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and children.

Where I live now in the suburban area of Sydney tickets are $14-$18 AUD (about $12-15 USD) except on Tuesdays which is half price movie day. My boyfriend and I only see movies on Tuesdays generally unless we think it's something really special.

In India, where I lived briefly, tickets were only the equivalent of $1 to $5 USD. So I'm guessing there are many factors that go into determining the price of one movie ticket - 2 of them being region and socio-economic considerations of that particular region.

Answer 6

Movie theaters have a lot of employees, need a lot of real estate to show a film, lots of electricity for air conditioning. Expensive to clean the place and repair the seats after inconsiderate jerks have destroyed the place. It amazes me that it's not MORE than $10! Thank heavens for $20 popcorn keeping the cost of the tickets down!

Answer 7

From what I understand, the concessions and the tix go to separate people, that's why the prices are so high. Concession (popcorn, candy, coke, etc.) makes no money off of the selling of movie tix and vice versa, that's why they charge so much for both, because they're working separately but together in the same establishment. Don't know why that is though.

Answer 8

Be thankful.

When I lived in Vancouver (BC) it cost upwards of $15bucks to see an evening movie, so paying $9.50 here in Seattle is a treat.

Answer 9

ppl b there evry single day...so they smart wit business...jus go in da mornins i had its cheaper...if it not...jus wait till ur movies c#m out on dvd rent it buy a a big projector and popcorn

Answer 10

I don't know... but I always have to go to matinees otherwise I can't afford to go!