Cinemark's Bag Policy

I don’t know if you mean me (who you quoted), or the OP - I don’t actually go to the movies at all - but your whole post is ridiculous.

 

I've taken my HP Windows 10 laptop out at the Michigan Ave Temple of Apple and used their WiFi and outlet, and nobody said boo.

 

Reread what I wrote. The flaw in that sort of thinking is there is one piece of data that they do not have - how many people have chosen to go to another chain's theaters.

Short of actually conducting polling, trying to contact constant filmgoers, there's no way for them to know. My wife's experience is but a single data point, but she goes to the movies a hundred times more the average American - 306 films in the theater last year. And only one of those was at a Cinemark. If this policy is actively repulsing a top 1% consumer, they need to seriously reconsider the policy.

 

Oh no, nothing illegal of the sort. That's fine if you can pull it off but still very odd!

 

Perhaps true. But they very clearly do have data on their attendance both before and after instituting the policy. Sure, it is somewhat dependent on the popularity of movies shown, but Iam sure they have accountants and statisticians that can make informed estimates.

Regardles, like Ebeneezer Scrooge and Sears, they will reap the reward of how they do business. I agree that it may be a stupid business move on their part, and if so, they will suffer (and perhaps die) from it. It is still a capitalist economy, and they are free to do what they want, as long as they are not violating any laws. And we are free to go elsewhere. And to write or call them (Vidiot's post) to urge them to reconsider. Like you, I will just go elsewhere. Unlike some here, I'm not all bothered by this, I'll just go elsewhere. There are many, many businesses that I never patronize for a variety of reasons. Great to live where I have that option. (However, (full disclosure) I don't go to more that 5 or 10 movies per year)

 

Hmm. You think they will actually tell me anothing other than what they are telling people at the theatre? And really, it’s fun to read the comments here but it’s not even on my radar of importance to call, but I clearly see why it’s an issue for others. I rarely go to the cinema. They have ruined the experience for me personally with all the stupid ads and trailers for movies I would never go see. I feel my intelligence pounded on with every preview. There is always at least one or two previews that contain fart jokes. I mean, really? 58 year old people are clearly not their target audience. I enjoy my own theatre with 158” projection screen and I can own the DVD for less that taking my wife. All Cinemark is doing is giving people yet another reason not to go.

 

it would be nice to live in a city where you could do that. You know you live in a REAL city when you can live that way. NYC is that way. LA is way behind on it. A fleet of driverless public vehicles is the answer. the less humans behind the wheels, the better.

 

ok we've settled it:
Cinemark stinks.
not driving a car is acceptable.
shrimpin' is good fun.

 

I'm still not going out in public without my life coach, service pet, bodyguard, xanax, can of mace, or cloak of invisibility.
Its just not safe out there and I cant take the chance somebody I dont know might try to talk to me.

Note to self....trademark new band name, Shrimpin' Pimps, the merchandising could be a gold mine.

 

Does that include Vacuumn Cleaner Bags?

 

You are right but remember, you can't make anything everything proof.

 

Uber and Lyft have literally saved my life here in LA, particularly on 14-hour days where I was crawling home at 4AM or 5AM and barely able to keep my eyes open. Spending $10-$15 on a ride is not a big deal to me, particularly if it means I don't have to worry about drifting off the road and crashing due to exhaustion.

I actually was right in back of a guy who got stopped as he was talking on an iPhone while walking out the Apple Store on the 3rd Street Promenade, about a year ago. The security guard asked, "is that your phone, sir?" and the guy showed the screen picture of the person he was talking to, which was good enough for the guard. So I got news for you: they do check people as they're leaving the store. The merchandise is nailed down pretty well, but it's always possible that somebody could sneak something out. An acquaintance of mine says the real theft problem is more small accessories like cases and earbuds.

 

How far of a trip does a $10-15 ride cover? Is there a “running meter” charge if you get caught in traffic?

 

I'm so glad we've gotten this resolved. I was starting to worry we would run out of time.

Yes. A number of senior citizens got turned away yesterday because of the size of their purses.

This is of course not a reason not to check customers, some of whom do present some risk of loss, but in any retail establishment the greater risk of loss is due to employee, not customer, theft.

 

That is easy to fix. At Cinemark, the movie starts 20 minutes after the posted start time. Just wait and go in then.

 

That is a big difference from what you initially described (discouraging personal device usage in the store). I am well aware that Apple Stores have security (both visible and "not so much") that will question some one if there is reason to suspect they are making off with something.

I stand by my statement that an Apple Store will not object to you using your personal iPad/iPhone in the store.

And the security will definitely vary by location. I don't think I've ever seen uniformed security at the store nearest me (Willow Bend, in Plano, TX) except during launch events. And in all the years I worked there (8), I don't think anyone was ever challenged on the way out like that.

 

Some folks might choose not to patronize Cinemark theaters for reasons other than their bag policy. I won't post a link here as it would probably run afoul of forum rules, but feel free to google "Cinemark owner" and decide for yourself.

 

No meter.
On the app , you type an address, it gives you a price and you press confirm button.
You need an account.

 

And it changes depending on how many other people want to use it at the same time - aka "surge pricing."

 

I stand by my statement that I saw what I saw. The next time I walk into the Santa Monica Apple Store, I'll take a picture of the security guard there (a discrete guy in a suit with a walkie-talkie earpiece, standing off to the side). They also have a security guy at the huge 2-story Apple Store at The Grove, near Beverly Hills. I wouldn't say that the guard was aggressive about it, only an "excuse me, sir?" and the customer immediately said, "not to worry, this is my iPhone." They were not checking bags on the way in or the way out, but security is there. They double or triple the security on busy days (like Black Friday).

It wouldn't matter if the guy had stolen an iPhone off the display counter, because they're all gimmicked to not work. They just run a basic OS so you can see the apps -- I was told they can't really make phone calls. The laptops and iPads are real, but I'm fairly certain Apple could find them the moment they showed up on the net, plus they have the T2 Security Chip:

https://www.apple.com/mac/docs/Apple_T2_Security_Chip_Overview.pdf

Very true. And the Apple Store employees are notoriously low-paid and not always treated well. I've seen a lot of staff turnover at the 2 or 3 Apple Stores I've been to in LA.

 

But you must agree, you did not see them confront a customer going into the store, using their iPad, which was the scenario you originally described.

 

No, they confronted a customer coming OUT of the store with an iPhone in their hand. To me, walking into any store carrying merchandise they sell could lead to trouble. If I walk into Tiffany's carrying a $20,000 Rolex, do you think they're going to raise an eyebrow? I guarantee you for a fact they'll question me if I try to walk out of the store carrying a $20,000 Rolex. Of course, if it's in a bag and you have a receipt, you're covered... but I think you'll still get questioned.

In the case of movie theaters in 2019, I think there are safety concerns, particularly with concealed weapons and bombs, plus as a matter of policy they don't want anybody to bring in food, drinks, drugs, or any kind of liquids. As I said above, this is also a rule for Broadway theaters, concert halls, plus art galleries, amusement parks, and similar public places. They don't want you to eat in places they can't control, and they don't want you to avoid paying for their food and their drinks. They own the venue -- they make the rules. You can always choose not to go, which is fair. But I'm in agreement with the o.p. that a good compromise would be to ask the theater to check the bag. The reality is that most theaters are under austerity policies these days and have reduced staff, so my bet is that they'll balk because they don't have enough employees to take care of a bag-check area. If it were up to me, sure, I'd make it happen.

 

cold.

 

Sure, that’s easy to say until you catch a knitting needle in the neck.

 

Absolutely. And if you're coming in with a return, you should head straight to the service desk without drifting around first. Totally reasonable.

Exactly. Here's my favorite fact about my weekend experience at Cinemark which I didn't mention before. So on Saturday I went to the theater with my small bag that holds my swimming trunks, goggles, and a few magazines. I'm there to see a broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera; I get turned away. Just nine days before I had gone to the Metropolitan Opera house itself in New York City, with the same bag, and they took a look inside and waved me in.

Someone else above mentioned the NFL's new rule, which allows only clear (see-through) bags of a certain size. That's a sensible rule as well and on the campus where I work we apply that to large sporting events too. The idea is that trained security staff will have more of a chance of seeing something unsafe in the bag.

But when the movie theater only cares about the capacity of the bag, not what's in it . . . ugh, I don't want to get myself wound up again.