Going to the movie theater has been a popular past time for decades. Generations of people can recall watching certain movies at the theater and the amazing experiences they had at these movies theaters. It always seemed like one of those hobbies that would just never go out of style. It was believed that no matter what new technology or device that comes onto the market that makes watching movies from home easier or better, people will always prefer the experience of the movie theater.
However, this assumption is no longer true. Attendance at movie theaters has steadily been dropping over the past few years and movie theaters are struggling to keep up. Many theaters are even making big changes in an attempt to get more people to their theaters and spending money once again, like improved seating options and even in theater food service. These options are very attractive, but the reasons why people are straying from the movie theater still remain. So why aren’t people going to the movie theater anymore? Here are some of the reasons.
The Prices are Too High
Movie theaters continue to raise the prices of movie tickets, not only to keep up with the rising costs of getting big name movies to their theater, but also to make ends meet so that they can continue to stay in business. Movie theaters continue to increase the prices, but the demand from the consumers to go to the movies just continues to decrease because of those high prices. More people are looking to save money and find less expensive forms of entertainment. This leads them out of the theaters and towards less expensive options, like at-home viewing.
There is not Enough Selection of Movies
This is an obstacle that movie theaters have always had, but it is just recently becoming an issue that consumers are not willing to settle for. Movie theaters are only able to show a certain amount of movies at any given time. Instead of going to the theater, people would much rather utilize Time Warner Cable packages that offer a wide variety of movies than be limited to what the movie theater is showing at that time. This way, they can not only choose what movie they watch with more selection, but they can also choose what time they watch the movie in the comfort and privacy of their own home.
The Theater Experience is not what it used to be
Movie theaters used to be a unique, one-of-a-kind experience that people could not get anywhere else. It was the best way to view a new movie alone or with a group of people. However, there are more and more reasons why people dislike movie theaters today. One reason is the common occurrence of people using cell phones in the theater, which can be extremely distracting. Additionally, there is more technology and equipment available that allows people to replicate the movie theater setting in their own homes.
People are More Wary of the Concessions
Everyone is becoming more aware of the food that they are eating, and movie theater concessions are not exempt from that. People want to have healthier options and they want to know exactly what is in the foods that they are eating. Movie theaters have not adapted to this change and are still only providing the same questionable and unhealthy snacks they have been since day one. Additionally, any foods added to the movie theater concessions in the past few years have followed these same directions, still unhealthy and overly processed.
People Want to Save Time
People everywhere have always been short on time. Going to the movie theater used to be the perfect escape for people at the end of their work week, but today there are much more favorable options. Instead of fighting traffic, waiting in the ticket and concession lines, and showing up early to watch previews, people prefer to instead stay at home and watch a movie on their time. This gives people the option to start and stop the movie when they want and avoid wasting their precious time on entertainment.