For decades, movie theaters were the place to munch on popcorn and candy — and later on, microwaved fried food — while eatertainment places like arcades and bowling alleys were where you went to play and tolerate some mediocre meals. Cinemark Theaters, however, has been trying to up the ante both on movie theater snacks and dine-in experiences, while changing the eatertainment’s bad reputation for food quality.
“I think the eatertainment category has evolved because now you have chefs and culinary professionals that have opened these places…and they forced everyone else to step up their game,” David Haywood, who was just promoted to senior vice president of food and beverage for Cinemark, said. “We all grew up with the bowling alley or skating rink concessions, and now you look back and think, ‘that was a fun experience, but it was the worst food ever.’ There have been some big changes.”
Cinemark Theaters is a Plano, Texas-based global chain with 308 movie theaters in the U.S. Each location has slightly different dining offerings — from specialized or themed snacks to different service models. For example, there’s the classic dine-in theater model where a server comes around and takes orders and a runner brings audience members’ food to their seats. They also have a bistro model that allows guests to order from a bar or QR code and then have a runner deliver the food to their seats. They also have different types of restaurants inside the theaters, like a McDonald’s-esque quick-service spot and a bar with alcohol options.
Most recently, the company announced a snack partnership with Mike’s Hot Honey where for the summer, guests can order spicy honey drizzled or topped fried chicken sandwiches, flatbread, pizza, loaded fries, wings, popcorn, milkshakes, and cocktails.
“The summer is owned by movie theaters and we wanted to offer an exciting partnership,” Haywood said. “We want to make sure that every summer we have exciting partnerships, and we’re already working on one for next year. We want to define a concept for summer, give people that extra bit of excitement, not just on the screen, but in their bellies as well.”
Although much of the focus at the movies is on the films themselves, Haywood said that they firmly consider themselves to be in the eatertainment category, and that by offering elevated food that’s prepared by chefs, not microwaves, they can elevate the cinematic experience.
“You don't want to go if the food's not quality,” Haywood said. “People have so many options. They can go to a competitor. They can sit at home and wait for the movie to come out [on streaming or DVD]. The ‘eat’ part has really become a pivotal part of eatertainment. I want to watch the film, but I also want to make sure that I have a quality culinary experience. And if I’m going to eat at this movie I really wanted to see, then it turns from a theater into more of a destination.”
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