When it comes to ridiculous lawsuits I thought I’d seen everything…
That is until this week when a Michigan man filed a class action lawsuit against his local AMC theater, alleging the cinema grossly overcharges for concession items.
He’s seeking a refund for AMC’s customers.
Joshua Thompson filed the suit because, "He got tired of being taken advantage of," his lawyer Kerry Morgan told the Detroit Free Press. "It’s hard to justify prices that are three or four times higher than anywhere else."
Mr. Thompson used to sneak his own goodies into the theater until AMC apparently banned the practice.
Thompson claimed to have paid $8.00 for a soda and a pack of Goobers when he saw a movie at the theater the day after Christmas. And that he paid much less for those same products at a drugstore nearby.
Thompson’s suit accuses AMC of, "Contravening the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by overcharging for concessions."
The suit seeks a penalty against the Kansas City-based circuit and other relief from the court.
My take?
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It’s the most outlandish, ridiculous lawsuit I’ve heard of in a long time.
Why would any legitimate attorney even consider taking it on? If the Michigan judge doesn’t throw it out and slap the lawyer’s hands there’s something wrong with the legal system.
The movie ticket is still the best priced "away from home" entertainment value going. But don’t forget, a large portion of every dollar collected at the boxoffice goes to the movie studio releasing the film.
There’s no way in hell a theater operator can keep the doors open by relying only on ticket sales.
Sure you pay a higher price for concession items than you do at a grocery store, but that profit margin is the life support of the theater operation.
Light, heat, power, payroll, construction, real estate, technical conversions to digital cinema—the list goes on. And unlike other entertainment venues, movie theaters provide you with free parking or validate your parking ticket. You can’t say the same for football, baseball – even concert venues, live plays and other name brand events.
And some of those parking costs are sky high!
Now compare the concession prices at football, baseball, soccer, concerts, plays and other event’s to that of movie theaters. ‘Nuff said?
Best of all, no one forces you to buy anything at the movie theater snack bar.
I attend screenings several times a week at theaters. Do I buy snacks every visit? Of course not. But when I do buy an item I don’t bitch about it.
Speaking of Goobers—I think I’ve made my point.
here come de judge
Very well said. Cases like that make the system slow to a crawl. I’m sure the judge will throw it out.
‘Nuff said indeed.
I will have some Junior Mints.
I used to work at a drive in.
The $1.50 Coke at the time contained $.07 worth of Coke. The $2 popcorn contained about $.15 worth of popcorn. Screw the food, I’m about to call the lawyers over the effing talking, texting, and all the other crap that goes on in the theatre. I’m thinking the next time a cell phone goes off during an intricate point inthe movie, the rules should be that the phone is taken away from that person, then that person needs to be beaten over the head with it by the rest of the patrons. I will not go to a movie now over the inconsiderate assholes who do everything in their lives but watch the movie.