Atlanta-area theater to fill almost any vessel with popcorn for $5 for one day

It’s not an uncommon experience to pay more on concessions at the movie theater than the ticket itself.

A large order of popcorn at an Atlanta-area AMC Theatre can run upward of $10, which is just salty enough to tempt a customer to also order a $7 drink or a $6 bag of candy. An enterprising moviegoer can save a few bucks by ordering a combo, but most options will cost more than the $16 prime-time viewing of whatever film drew them to the theater in the first place.

But national theater chain Cinemark is offering a reprieve for moviegoers for one day only this month. The concession counter will fill up any vessel one desires with popcorn for $5 on Jan. 19, which just so happens to be National Popcorn Day.

The bucket must not exceed 400 ounces, which is roughly the size of a 3-gallon bucket or the stockpot gathering dust in your cabinets. Customers aren’t even required to buy a movie ticket.

Though it is one of the largest theater chains in the U.S., Cinemark has only one location in Georgia: the 17-screen Cinemark Tinseltown in Fayetteville, about 20 miles south of downtown Atlanta.

But moviegoers might want to consider whether the savings on snacks make up for the cost of a longer trip to the theater.

Cinemark is hardly the first business to offer a bring-your-own-receptacle deal. For years, the gas station chain 7-Eleven has allowed customers to fill up a container of their choice with its Slurpee machine for a flat fee.

The costs of theater concessions have steadily increased over time, and have long been a point of contention for moviegoers. Popcorn and fountain drinks can have an exorbitant markup from the cost it takes to produce either item.

Theaters, which usually operate on thin margins, make most of their money at the concession stand. In exchange for showing their films, theaters must share a portion of the revenue they make from ticket sales with the studios that produce them. On the other hand, most, if not all, of the revenue generated from concessions stay with the theater.

In recent years, theater chains have offered themed popcorn buckets to accompany the release of blockbusters such as “Wicked,” “Dune: Part Two” or the recent animated installment within the “The Lord of the Rings” franchise. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s concert films even had promotional buckets. These buckets, which are another way for theaters to monetize the theatrical experience, can cost upward of $20.

In a news release announcing the promotion, the chain encouraged moviegoers to get creative.

“Popcorn has always been the star of movie theater concessions, though popcorn vessels have become an award-worthy supporting actor,” David Haywood, Cinemark’s senior vice president of food and beverage, said in the release.