Food in the Theatre — Page 2

"Spare me the hypoglacemic exceptions, I'm talking about a general rule."

Do you have hypoglycemia?

My hypoglycemia was acting up a few weeks ago, so I went to the doctor's. He said that people with hypoglycemia should be eating six smaller meals a day rather than three large meals. I've been to doctors in the past and they've mentioned to me to carry around a package of crackers. That way if I felt dizzy or sick, I could just eat a couple to hold me over until I could get some more food in my stomach.

"Hypoglycimia runs in my family and we can sit through shows without eating... "

Everybody's body is different. I can have a meal before a show and still get a small headache during the show. So unfortunately I sometimes have to buy those overpriced snacks they sell in the lobby. As long as I am not disturbing anyone or making a huge mess, sorry, my health comes first.

The bigger problem is people who act like they are at home in a Broadway theater and can do what they want - putting their feet up on the seat in front of them, talking loudly during the show, or (more related to this thread) eating meals in the theatre.

As for people who don't have health issues, I am for a ban on food in theaters as long as the theaters are banning their overpriced snacks from being brought inside and are restricted to the lobby area (although some theaters such as the Shubert have their concession stand in the back and not in a separate lobby).

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Updated On: 5/28/07 at 07:36 PM

In all the Nederlander theatres they let you bring food to your seats. I recall when I was at hairspray a couple of years ago they sold popcorn at the downstaris bar and let you take it to your seats. At Rent they have one of those sprayers that despence soda and its 4 bucks for a medium plastic cup of coke. Now that, is overpriced. Last time I went to a show and I knew I would want a soda during the break I went to a hot dog cart bought a can of coke and put it in my pocked. During intermission I went outside the theatre and drank it.

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Why not sell twizzlers and other types of quiet snacks and re-wrap them in cloth napkins?

I mean, you're already paying, what $7? for a container of twizzlers?

Hey an even better idea, charge $8 and on the way out, collect the clothe napkins and give a $1 rebate to those who return the napkins!

cloth napkin = no krinkle noise!

oh wait, there's still the problem of people being rude and obnoxious and chomping down loudly on their snacks.

hmmm... a perplixing problem: even if the theater sells their food in "quiet" wrappers, people will still most likely be obnoxious when they eat it.

The way I see it, there will always be rude people in the theater. No matter what anyone does (except eject them from the theater). However, the fact that the theater sells food that is noisy when eating/unwrapping no matter what the consumer does (such as M&MS), just facilitates this problem.

The theater should not be to blame for rude and distracting behavior by patrons, but sadly, in the case of allowing people to bring noisy food items back to there seat and consume them during the performance, they are.

In the case of Millie and others in his(her?) situation, they do diserve an exception, as long as they use common curtousey and make an effort to avoid needing to eat such food during the performance (like eating beforehand), or are quiet if they do have to eat something during the performance.

IMO- food does not belong in the theater, in general, it is distracting to others around the person eating and possibly performers. Hey, why not allow extensive cell phone usage, or even loud, obnoxious animalistic sex? so long as you're enjoying the show, right? Who cares about the person next to you?
Unfortunately, this seems to be the attitude of to many people who frequent the theater today.

Updated On: 5/28/07 at 08:12 PM

It's not ironic, its called ripping their patrons off. I mean, they already took $100 out of your pocket and then they charge two times more (at least) for food items, and they don't allow you to bring food in.

once again, it's not irony, its ripping people off.

If you are trying to say that it is unfair or a rule made in poor taste, then I have to agree with you though.

off topic:
just out of curiosity (and convenience for the next time that I use a personal pronoun to refer to you) Millie, are you a guy or a gal?

I'm a she.

It is ironic, and it is also a tactic they are using to try to lure theater patrons into buying the overpriced food. They sell overpriced crap at any live entertainment event nowadays.

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True story at Chicago last night.

A british couple took the standing room spots next to me after intermission and immediately started rustling their bag of pretzels, crunching obnoxiously and chatting to each other about their sexual prowess and whatnot. I gave them my patented "Please shut up" stare. The man then said to his girlfriend "She's glaring at me. She could always move." To which I said "You could always not be rude during the show." And he said "Try and stop me!"

WHAT ON EARTH. And suggesting I move when they weren't even in their correct seats. How utterly horrible. No food in the theater, please! I miss the unwrap your hard candy announcements, too.

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shesamarshmallow: Where did the couple originally stand? Or were they sitting and decided to stand?

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"Remember the theatre owners don't set the prices, though"

Some do. There's a certain minimum price they charge in order to make a profit, and how far above that they go is up to them.

I've already worked in two theaters who do.

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If food is avalible than people will eat it. In Atlanta at the Fox they sell everything and by the end of the show there is trash and popcorn everywhere. Here in Ohio they sell alot snacks even high end candy and chocolates. There are sign's everywhere about no food in theater except bottled water. But people eat in the theater all the time. I guess I'm lucky I've never really been bothered by anyone eating around me, other than a few people unwrapping candy.

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