Anyone with kids can sympathise with this fed-up parent.
Ask any child what they’d like to do on a spare afternoon, and more often than not they’ll suggest a trip to the cinema.
Unfortunately it’s hardly a cheap affair, especially if you’re taking more than one sprog. And it does seem that cinemas are increasingly taking the p*ss with their prices. For one man in York, the ridiculous cost of a few nachos and some processed cheese sauce was the tipping point.
Dean McQuade, who owns a window-cleaning business, did not appreciate being charged £5.50 for a very basic snack.
“I’m no penny pincher and after [I’ve] been at work all week, when it gets to the weekend I want to do something with my kids,” wrote McQuade on Facebook. “But come on Vue – £5,50 for these, £5,50!!! There must be more than £5 profit in that!”
The dismayed dad went on to equate the cost of a trip to the pictures to the working week of someone on the minimum wage.
“Put that with the ticket prices, a drink, and some sweets for them, you’re looking at £70. That means a man of 25 on national minimum wage has to graft 10hrs to take two kids to the cinema for 1.5hrs on his day off. Madness.”
The message struck such a chord with similarly ripped-off parents that the post was liked by over 9,000 people. Many were demanding a response from Vue Cinemas, and it duly obliged with the following:
‘It is a generally well-reported fact that the majority of the money taken at the box office goes to the film maker/distributor; therefore in order to make cinemas a viable business all cinemas charge premium prices for the food and drinks sold.
‘The alternative is to charge a higher price for tickets which would restrict more people from enjoying the cinema. However, this said we do aim to provide value and you will find a variety of combos and special offers that do save you money.
‘Please note that you are able to bring your own food and drink into the cinema rather than purchasing from our confectionary stands. This is with the exception of hot food or alcohol. I am sorry for any distress caused, and I hope this answers your query.’
So Vue is basically admitting that its food and drink is grossly overpriced in order to subsidise the box office. It seems that Dean and thousands like him will be forced to bring snacks from home, rather than fork out twice for the same film.
