Reserved seats at the cinema. Who else hates it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've liked it in the past, but this past weekend I had the WEIRDEST situation.

So I went to see a movie that had been out a long time at AMC in Tysons, expecting no one else to be there. I had to kill time while in the area so I got a ticket just for me.

So I look a couple of hours before hand and it's only me and a couple of other people in different areas.

Then, 30 minutes before the show, people had booked seats DIRECTLY next to me on both sides. There was all this empty space, but they reserved the seats directly next to me....

I thought that was so bizarre. The whole point of reserved seating was that you can AVOID sitting next to people.

So I had to hear this older guy munch on popcorn to my left and the guy to my right taking out his soda and taking on and off the cap so he could take a sip.

It was kinda ridiculous.

Actually, the whole point of open (non-reserved) seating is to avoid what you experienced. With open seating you walk in and sit. And if/when an annoying or rude person comes and sits near you, you can change seats!

Yep, you're right. I'm just shocked that the people didn't have the wherewithal to leave a one seat buffer between them and me when there are ... 100 other seats available. Nope, had to be DIRECTLY next to them.

[Anonymous]

Love it. And double love for Alamo, where you can walk in, take your assigned seat, write the order for your pizza or burger and beer, or spiked milkshake, or bottomless popcorn and have it delivered to your seat. And continue to write orders on your order cards for delivery during the movie. And where they kick out people who talk or text (keep your cell phone dark, silent, and out of sight. After one warning you will be ejected from the theater. Noisy table? Let us know. They will be given one warning and asked to leave). They also don't seat people who arrive late.

Even OP should love this set up.

[Anonymous]

I HATE reserved seating!! My beloved theater of the past ten years just switched to it, now I have to try to find another theater! This is bulls*&t!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've liked it in the past, but this past weekend I had the WEIRDEST situation.

So I went to see a movie that had been out a long time at AMC in Tysons, expecting no one else to be there. I had to kill time while in the area so I got a ticket just for me.

So I look a couple of hours before hand and it's only me and a couple of other people in different areas.

Then, 30 minutes before the show, people had booked seats DIRECTLY next to me on both sides. There was all this empty space, but they reserved the seats directly next to me....

I thought that was so bizarre. The whole point of reserved seating was that you can AVOID sitting next to people.

So I had to hear this older guy munch on popcorn to my left and the guy to my right taking out his soda and taking on and off the cap so he could take a sip.

It was kinda ridiculous.

If there were so many empty seats once the film started, I would have moved to another seat. By then, it's pretty clear that no one else is coming in and you could have moved. No usher is going to come along and hassle anyone who has paid for seat A but who simply moves to unsold, empty seat Z.

Actually, the whole point of open (non-reserved) seating is to avoid what you experienced. With open seating you walk in and sit. And if/when an annoying or rude person comes and sits near you, you can change seats!

Yep, you're right. I'm just shocked that the people didn't have the wherewithal to leave a one seat buffer between them and me when there are ... 100 other seats available. Nope, had to be DIRECTLY next to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've liked it in the past, but this past weekend I had the WEIRDEST situation.

So I went to see a movie that had been out a long time at AMC in Tysons, expecting no one else to be there. I had to kill time while in the area so I got a ticket just for me.

So I look a couple of hours before hand and it's only me and a couple of other people in different areas.

Then, 30 minutes before the show, people had booked seats DIRECTLY next to me on both sides. There was all this empty space, but they reserved the seats directly next to me....

I thought that was so bizarre. The whole point of reserved seating was that you can AVOID sitting next to people.

So I had to hear this older guy munch on popcorn to my left and the guy to my right taking out his soda and taking on and off the cap so he could take a sip.

It was kinda ridiculous.

If there were so many empty seats once the film started, I would have moved to another seat. By then, it's pretty clear that no one else is coming in and you could have moved. No usher is going to come along and hassle anyone who has paid for seat A but who simply moves to unsold, empty seat Z.

Actually, the whole point of open (non-reserved) seating is to avoid what you experienced. With open seating you walk in and sit. And if/when an annoying or rude person comes and sits near you, you can change seats!

Yep, you're right. I'm just shocked that the people didn't have the wherewithal to leave a one seat buffer between them and me when there are ... 100 other seats available. Nope, had to be DIRECTLY next to them.

Sorry. Reply is the third paragraph from bottom, about moving seats rather than enduring cruncher and slurper. Reply got into the quoted portion.

[Anonymous]

I went to see a movie today 3 hrs ahead of time, and as AMC has reserved seating, the screen said the AMC movie I wanted was sold out. So, I bought a ticket for the next showing at 4:15pm from a screen that showed only one available seat left. When I arrived, the seat was fine, although I noticed three seats open on the front row, then later after the film had begun I glanced backward to a number of double seats, and a few single seats still open. So why hadn’t these seats come up on the screen when I chose my seat? I do not have an answer, other than the auto seating mechanism chooses to consolidate seating? I felt annoyed. I could have been out of row 2 and higher up all along. I now wonder what seats would have showed if I had chosen for two people instead of one? This seems pretty suspicious to me. But my biggest criticism of this process is that I want to decide whom I sit next to. When coming into a theatre, I and my friend or family member survey our choices and usually choose seats that suit us - quieter seats without teens or children. Reserve seats take this choice away. When I asked an AMC ticket rep what had happened, he brought up the screen which still showed the film sold out. I told him the theatre had not been sold out - people were even placing their coats on a number of seats. He didn’t believe me, instead he believed his insipid screen. And therein lies the problem. Keep your reserved seating AMC, I won’t be back any time soon. I hate it. Serve the sheep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to see a movie today 3 hrs ahead of time, and as AMC has reserved seating, the screen said the AMC movie I wanted was sold out. So, I bought a ticket for the next showing at 4:15pm from a screen that showed only one available seat left. When I arrived, the seat was fine, although I noticed three seats open on the front row, then later after the film had begun I glanced backward to a number of double seats, and a few single seats still open. So why hadn’t these seats come up on the screen when I chose my seat? I do not have an answer, other than the auto seating mechanism chooses to consolidate seating? I felt annoyed. I could have been out of row 2 and higher up all along. I now wonder what seats would have showed if I had chosen for two people instead of one? This seems pretty suspicious to me. But my biggest criticism of this process is that I want to decide whom I sit next to. When coming into a theatre, I and my friend or family member survey our choices and usually choose seats that suit us - quieter seats without teens or children. Reserve seats take this choice away. When I asked an AMC ticket rep what had happened, he brought up the screen which still showed the film sold out. I told him the theatre had not been sold out - people were even placing their coats on a number of seats. He didn’t believe me, instead he believed his insipid screen. And therein lies the problem. Keep your reserved seating AMC, I won’t be back any time soon. I hate it. Serve the sheep.

So...someone probably paid for those seats and just didn't show up. It's not some big conspiracy to ruin YOUR experience, snowflake.

Why did you show up three hours early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to see a movie today 3 hrs ahead of time, and as AMC has reserved seating, the screen said the AMC movie I wanted was sold out. So, I bought a ticket for the next showing at 4:15pm from a screen that showed only one available seat left. When I arrived, the seat was fine, although I noticed three seats open on the front row, then later after the film had begun I glanced backward to a number of double seats, and a few single seats still open. So why hadn’t these seats come up on the screen when I chose my seat? I do not have an answer, other than the auto seating mechanism chooses to consolidate seating? I felt annoyed. I could have been out of row 2 and higher up all along. I now wonder what seats would have showed if I had chosen for two people instead of one? This seems pretty suspicious to me. But my biggest criticism of this process is that I want to decide whom I sit next to. When coming into a theatre, I and my friend or family member survey our choices and usually choose seats that suit us - quieter seats without teens or children. Reserve seats take this choice away. When I asked an AMC ticket rep what had happened, he brought up the screen which still showed the film sold out. I told him the theatre had not been sold out - people were even placing their coats on a number of seats. He didn’t believe me, instead he believed his insipid screen. And therein lies the problem. Keep your reserved seating AMC, I won’t be back any time soon. I hate it. Serve the sheep.

So...someone probably paid for those seats and just didn't show up. It's not some big conspiracy to ruin YOUR experience, snowflake.

Why did you show up three hours early?

Yup. Fandango allows you to buy tickets and get tickets for another show if you can't make it. I know more than once I have bought tickets and not shown up to the theater.
People not in seats doesn't mean the seats aren't sold.

[Anonymous]

I love it. Buy your tickets in advance. Stop standing in line.

[Anonymous]

I detest, I mean really loathe reserve seating. I cannot choose whom I sit next to, and meeting others at the movies is a god awful experiment. You do not know what tickets are still available, and if you can sit together until you all line up at those weird little AMC kioske boxes. Takes all the spontaneity out of movie going. I am relegated to whomever bought the seat next to me - whether it’s the family with kids who have their feet up my back, or the row of teens to my right who are all on their cell phones. Whose idea was this? There was no problem to fix. If the row didn’t suit me, I simply moved. And then we were all happy. We all found our place. Movie going is not musical theatre. Today I decided on a whim to take myself to see a movie all by myself, and the only seat that came up was down on the second row in the corner. But once in the theatre, I surveyed a number of empty seats throughout the theatre, doubles and singles. Obviously, the seat choice I was shown were self selected by some sort of computerized auto seating. I’m done AMC. Keep your theatre experience, I am no longer your customer. Serve the sheep, and keep your cushy red seats. I could care less.

[Anonymous]

Best thing to happen to theaters in forever. No more going 40 min early for big releases just to make sure you get a decent seat.

[Anonymous]

Dislike

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best thing to happen to theaters in forever. No more going 40 min early for big releases just to make sure you get a decent seat.

+1

Not to mention, seeing polite people move for late comers, and seeing petulant rude people refuse (!!!) to move for late comers -- made everyone surly. The movie goers needed to some civility.

[Anonymous]

I hate reserve seating too! I would rather get there a bit early and find my own seat. But, the movie theater near me changed so I am forced to follow it. Thank goodness AFI does not do this ( yet)

[Anonymous]

Love it