This summer, Cinemark Theaters announced they were upgrading their food offerings. “Cinemark Theaters has been trying to up the ante both on movie theater snacks and dine-in experiences, while changing the entertainment industry’s [sic] bad reputation for food quality,” reported Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN).
The announcement was made by David Haywood, who was recently promoted to senior vice president of food and beverage for Cinemark. He 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.”
According to Haywood, a lot of this is being driven by theaters and other establishments in the entertainment category that are partnering with or even being opened by leading culinary names and chefs. And many theaters, like the Alamo Drafthouse, for example, are creating an entire experience around a movie and a meal.
In an effort to follow the trend in their own unique way, Cinemark will create a food partnership each summer, like a limited-time experience for movie goers. “The summer is owned by movie theaters and we wanted to offer an exciting partnership,” Haywood said. This summer, “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,” writes NRN. “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.”
Certainly, this new expectation is trending in the entertainment industry. Haywood believes it has a lot to do with the rise of streaming services, especially post-pandemic. “You don’t want to go if the food’s not quality…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.”
However, there is another trending element that our consultants believe plays into the success of improved dining experiences within the entertainment industry. It’s what Capstone Logistics termed “the foodie revolution,” describing the new standards set by Millennials and subsequent generations. Interested in quality, aesthetics, value, and health backed by food research, younger generations are demanding more from both dining and entertainment establishments—and they believe it’s worth paying for.
Richard Weil, principal and owner of National Restaurant Consultants says, “‘Eatertainment’ is not new to our industry. And every food service operation can be opportunistic, enhancing guest experience with better service, energy, and atmosphere that compliments the eatertainment concept. Consider other touch points, as well: lighting, music/sound, and absolutely, service.”
Whether or not Haywood also had this trend in mind as he takes strides toward better food experiences in movie theaters, it is a strategic move that will certainly take hold among the younger generations who might want to return to a traditional movie-going experience. Upping the ante on food meets those diners and movie-goers with what they want from both activities. “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,” Haywood says.